Derek Jeter’s Ex-coach Once Stood Idle for 7 Hours Just to Play a Minuscule Role in His Greatest Ever Commercial

Apart from his incredible gameplay and leadership, Derek Jeter is well-known for being one of the most marketable athletes ever. This is due to his immense fan following and the influence he had during his career. He had a number of endorsements, but his partnership with Nike and the ‘Re2pect’ ad that he did was probably the most iconic. But apart from Jeter, there was someone else, too, in the ad, who recently recalled his experience of shooting the commercial with the Yankees legend.

Notably, that ad was an acknowledgment of Jeter’s contributions to the game and was released in the last year of his career.

Rob Thomson was in the Derek Jeter ‘Re2pect’ commercial and recently recalled his experience

For those unversed, Rob Thomson is the current manager of the Philadelphia Phillies. In 2014, when the commercial was shot, Thomson was the third base coach of the New York Yankees. He was less well-known at the time, so not many people recognized him in the ad. But in a recent interview with Phillies Nation, Thomson recalled his experience shooting the commercial. He said that he arrived at the shoot location at 7:00 am, tipped his hat at 4:00 pm, and then left.

According to Phillies Nation, Thomson said, “I remember going to the Staten Island ballpark at 7 a.m. and didn’t do my thing until 4 p.m.. All I did was go like that [tipping his cap] and went back to the city.” Furthermore, he didn’t even have the chance to meet the other celebrities who appeared in the commercial.  You can see his appearance in the commercial at the 26-second mark.

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Thomson had been present for a maximum of Jeter’s career, both in the Minor Leagues and in the MLB. His appearance in the ad was a full-circle moment and a tribute to Jeter. The advertisement was a tribute to Jeter’s career and highlighted an action he was famous for – tipping his hat. Therefore, the ad featured all kinds of fans tipping their hats to the Yankee legend. 

Which other stars appeared in the Jeter ‘Re2pect’ ad?

Carmelo Anthony, Tiger Woods, Billy Crystal, Jay Z, and Michael Jordan were some of the stars who made an appearance in the 2014 commercial. Other than this, the ad also showcased a range of Yankees fans tipping their hat to Jeter. 

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Jordan, being a part of the commercial, was special as he played a big part in Jeter’s career. Furthermore, Jeter and Jordan developed a great friendship over the years. The number of stars and fans that appeared in Jeter’s commercial shows the impact that he had on the game. Did you know that the man who tipped his hat in the ad was none other than the current Phillies coach? Please share your thoughts in the comments below!