Tom Brady will be back on the field playing quarterback.
Sort of.
The NFL legend will participate in the Fanatics Flag Football Classic, it was announced on Monday.
The tournament will take place in Saudi Arabia on March 21, 2026 as part of the country’s Riyadh Season program — a series of events hosted in the city of Riyadh and conducted by Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, led by chairman Turki Alalshikh.
Alalshikh and Riyadh Season have hosted several major boxing fights in recent years, and now will showcase some of football’s biggest stars. It will also host WWE’s WrestleMania 43 in April 2027.
Saquon Barkley, Christian McCaffrey, CeeDee Lamb, Maxx Crosby, Rob Gronkowski, Sauce Gardner and Myles Garrett will also participate.
And Pete Carroll, Sean Payton and Kyle Shanahan will coach the three teams.
“I couldn’t be more excited to return to the field, 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 in a press release. “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 NFL is not producing the event, but team owners are allowing their players to participate, the New York Times reported. It will air live on Fox Sports and Tubi.
“At Fox Sports, we’ve built our legacy on delivering sports’ greatest stages and unforgettable moments to fans – and we’re proud to say The Fanatics Flag Football Classic is the next chapter in that story,” Eric Shanks, FOX Sports CEO and executive producer, said. “This bold, first-of-its-kind global event pairs one of the fastest-growing sports with a remarkable caliber of athletes.”
Fanatics runs the NFL’s online merchandising and has previously received an investment from the Saudi sovereign wealth fund in 2017.
“Riyadh Season prides itself on staging world-class events and this is certain to be the biggest competition of its kind yet in flag football, bringing together some of the most prominent names in sports and entertainment for what promises to be a highly competitive and unforgettable event,” Alalshikh said. “We are pleased to be playing our part in supporting flag football’s continued growth and using the platform of Riyadh Season to bring the game to a new and wider audience around the world.”
Brady, who is now Fox’s No. 1 NFL analyst, teased a big announcement while he was on the call for the Eagles-Chiefs game on Sunday.
“Obviously, I wanna check out that game — the Raiders-Chargers [Monday] night,” Brady said. “But I also got a great announcement I’m gonna make. Something I’ve been working on for a very long time, I’m excited to announce to the world.”
Brady retired from the NFL in 2023.