Tom Brady Will Compete In 2026 Flag Football Tournament

Tom Brady plans to play football again, but this isn’t another return from retirement.

The legendary quarterback announced Monday that he’ll compete in the Fanatics Flag Football Classic, a new flag-football tournament taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on March 21, 2026.

Brady isn’t the only New England Patriots icon returning to the gridiron. According to Fox Sports’ Eric Williams, former teammate and current Fox colleague Rob Gronkowski will also participate.

Saquon Barkley, CeeDee Lamb, Christian McCaffrey, Sauce Gardner, Myles Garrett, Brock Bowers, Maxx Crosby, Tyreek Hill and Odell Beckham Jr. are among the current NFL stars confirmed to compete. Pete Carroll, Sean Payton and Kyle Shanahan will coach the three teams.

“Get the competitive juices flowing alongside some of the game’s brightest stars and iconic legends, and bring a truly unique global sports event to fans everywhere during Riyadh Season,” Brady said. “I have always admired the power of flag football and how it connects fans of all ages, and it’s awesome to be able to showcase the sport on such a global stage while joining together so many incredibly skilled athletes.”

The Fanatics Flag Football Classic is a round-robin tournament with eight players, including “a balanced mix of athletes and entertainers,” on each team. They’ll play five-on-five games on a 50-yard field with 20-minute halves.

Kevin Hart will host the event, which will air on Fox Sports and Tubi. Brady is already promising a victory in the competition that occurs two years before the Summer Olympics introduces flag football.

“I will be bringing home the trophy,” Brady said.