Rob Gronkowski is returning to competitive football in the Fanatics Flag Football Classic, set for March 21, 2026, at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A post shared on Instagram has taken over the internet with Tom Brady and Gronkowski trash-talking for the upcoming league. The competitive edge was a sight for NFL fans, “There’s one thing actually I have never worked on in my whole career, which was catching a football. It was always a natural instinct,” Gronkowski said.
“The Fanatics Flag Football Classic” is a first-of-its-kind round-robin tournament featuring three teams of incredible current and legendary professional football players and world-class athletes, including Brady, who makes his first official return to the field since his retirement in 2023. “There’s one practice I ever remember, I threw him a ball, it hit his hand, and it dropped, and he looked at his hands like ‘What the f–k was that?’ And then he goes, ‘Tommy, throw me one more.’ And I threw it to him, he caught it, and he goes, ‘Okay, I’m good.’ That was it,” Brady said.
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Gronkowski previously retired in 2019 following nine years of action with the Pats, but returned to join Brady in Tampa Bay for another shot at a Super Bowl in 2020. Gronk’s actual retirement announcement came in June of 2022. He joins a star-studded lineup including Tom Brady, Saquon Barkley, CeeDee Lamb, Christian McCaffrey, Sauce Gardner, Myles Garrett, Odell Beckham Jr., and Tyreek Hill.
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HE Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority, said, “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.” The game will be played under Olympic-style flag football rules. Games will be 5-on-5 on a 50-yard field with two 10-yard end zones. Each game will have two 20-minute halves. Three teams of eight players each will compete in a round-robin; the top two teams then advance to a championship match.
“We are here in Vegas, tomorrow is the big announcement for the flag football game in Saudi Arabia. And Robbie G’s coming out of retirement once again. I am the real deal still. I’m mid-30s and I’m going to show these young m*****f******. I’m the boss still. I still got it. I’m the sensation. That’s what’s up,” Rob Gronkowski added. The Classic is being organized by Fanatics in partnership with FOX Sports, OBB Media, and Riyadh Season. The event serves as a global showcase ahead of flag football’s debut at the 2028 Summer Olympics.
Brady and Gronkowski Reunite in Arabia
The duo defined an era in New England and Tampa Bay of 11 pro seasons. Combining for 90 touchdown passes, the second-most between a quarterback and tight end in league history. And now it returns in a new format. “I would never go against him,” Brady said about his former teammate.
Tom Brady also isn’t that far removed from leading the NFL in passing yards (5,316) and passing touchdowns (43) during his age-44 season in 2021. He followed that up in his age-45 season by throwing for 4,694 yards and 25 touchdowns.
“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. I have always admired the power of flag football and how it connects fans of all ages,” Tom Brady stated. Gronkowski was teammates with Brady for four of his Super Bowl titles, three of which came with the New England Patriots. The last one came with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the 2020 season.
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The dominant tight end played just one more year after winning that last Lombardi Trophy. That final season in 2021 was his age-32 season, which stood in stark contrast to Brady playing into his mid-40s. “I was like, ‘There’s no contact, right?’ I was like, ‘I already did all my contacts in my life. I paid my dues in that department.’” Gronkowski said