Brady Returns, Team USA Dominates Flag Football Classic
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- Tom Brady played his first competitive football game in 1,000+ days, opening with a TD pass to Stefon Diggs on fourth-and-goal and a 2-point conversion to Rob Gronkowski for an 8-0 lead
- Brady's Founders FFC went 0-3, falling 43-16 to Team USA, being eliminated 34-26 by Joe Burrow's Wildcats, and losing 24-14 to Team USA in the championship
- Team USA went 3-0 and scored on every possession except a kneel-down, with flag football specialists Darrell "Housh" Doucette III and Nico Casares leading the squad
- Rob Gronkowski went down with a hamstring injury, and the NFL players and coaches struggled with flag football rules, drawing more penalties than flags pulled over the tournament
- The Fanatics Flag Football Classic was originally scheduled for Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, but was relocated to BMO Stadium in Los Angeles because of the Iran war
- Flag football is set to make its Olympic debut at the 2028 LA Games, and several NFL players have said they want a shot at competing for gold
- Sean Payton coached Brady's Founders team while Kyle Shanahan coached Burrow's Wildcats, with rosters also featuring Ashton Jeanty, Alvin Kamara, Von Miller, Saquon Barkley, and Logan Paul
Why it matters: Team USA's flag football specialists outclassed a roster of NFL stars who were learning the sport days before competing — a pointed reminder that with flag football entering the 2028 LA Olympics, the existing players in the discipline are not about to yield their roster spots to crossover athletes, regardless of pro pedigree.
