BERMUDA'S Antonio Pierce wrestled with his opponent before picking off Tom Brady's pass and running the interception home to give the Washington Redskins an unassailable lead in the Super Bowl.

The giant linebacker, clearly visible in his number 58 shirt, leapt around and celebrated the score with team-mates as the replay showed in slow motion how he achieved this remarkable feat.

A regular starter for his team, this was Pierce's fifth interception of the season, to go with numerous fumble returns and countless sacks.

Pierce then turned off his Playstation 2 and returned the reality of life in the NFL ? and being able to play as yourself in the ultra-realistic John Madden 2005 football simulation.

"When you're young you dream about being in videogames," said Pierce, back in Bermuda to spend some much-needed time among friends and family after signing a $33m deal with the New York Giants in one of the free agent moves of the off-season.

"You create characters and give them your name and imagine it is you playing out there. Well, we can do it and it is pretty neat.

"It makes you feel pretty proud to see yourself in the game and know that people all over the place are playing with your character.

"I play as myself all the time and I have already traded myself to the Giants, to keep things real."

Madden is more than just a video game for kids, it is the pastime of choice for the entire NFL, the perfect way to while away the hours on road trips and, yes, a great way to look at offensive or defensive schemes in detail.

"Yeah, we all play it," said Pierce, after an Easter weekend spent in Jew's Bay and away from the rigours of off-season conditioning and looking for a new New Jersey condo.

"And we play it a lot. After training, in hotels on the road, at each other's places, wherever we can. Man, it is like an obsession for most of the guys.

"The game is pretty realistic and when you play online, you can download rosters so all the latest trades are right.

"It's like an institution for the guys.

"Everyone waits for the new Madden to come out at the beginning of the season to see what their ratings are, what speed, what awareness, what they have marked you on overall ? it's a real ego thing for us that game."

And Pierce, who remains incredibly down-to-earth despite being a videogame star and a man worthy of a $6.5m signing bonus after a stellar first season as a regular starter for the Redskins, admits the realism is incredible.

"The basic plays are all in there and although it is a bit of a general playbook, you can recognise some of the moves," he continued, with all the wide-eyed enthusiasm of a genuine, teenage computer nerd.

"But when you start throwing in players in motion and players running different routes, you can pretty much recreate your defensive schemes, it is amazing really."

Life, however, is no video game and Pierce is ready for the rough and tumble world of being a big money linebacker.

"It's nice to be thought of in this way," he continued, regaining his serious look as he talks about the challenges that the real NFL brings.

"In this sport it is the big money guys who get the starts, although last year I got a break and made the most of it as I always knew I could.

"Now with this move, I have come to a team that expect certain things of me ? and I am going to deliver.

"I have to turn up and put in big performances every week and that is what I am here to do."

He has won countless Super Bowls on the plasma screens of hotels across America, now all he wants is to be part of a team that can knock off the Philadelphia Eagles and claim a real, live NFC East Divisional title.