A month after the 2025 NFL season had come to an end, Tom Brady will gear up to play the first competitive football game since he retired in 2023. The seven-time Super Bowl champion left the league after losing to the Dallas Cowboys in that year’s wild-card round.
On Monday, insider Adam Schefter shared the news that Brady was “coming out of retirement” to participate in an inaugural flag football tournament, where other stars such as Saquon Barkley, Christian McCaffrey and Brady’s former teammate, Rob Gronkowski, will also showcase their talents.
TB12 will collaborate with Fanatics, Fox Sports and OBB Media for the Fanatics Flag Football Classic in Saudi Arabia in March 2026. The tournament will reportedly have the Olympic-style flag football rules, meaning it’ll be played on a 50-yard field with a 10-yard end zone and two halves of 20 minutes.
Tom Brady talks about the upcoming flag football game
Shortly after the news was shared, Brady reacted. The Las Vegas Raiders minority owner and Fox Sports broadcaster shared his excitement about this new opportunity to take the field.
“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. It’s awesome to be able to showcase the sport on such a global stage while joining together so many incredibly skilled athletes,” he said.
Brady is widely considered the greatest football player ever to exist. He left the game playing at a high level, at age 45, and many thought he could stay in the league for one or two more years. Pete Carroll, Sean Payton and Kyle Shanahan will coach the three teams participating in the tournament.