The football world was sent into a whirlwind when Adam Schefter posted on Twitter/X on Monday evening, beginning with the words, "Tom Brady is coming out of retirement."
Though not the surprise fans initially thought, they were pleased to see that some of their favorites will soon team up with Brady in a future flag football tournament, including former Penn State football running bak Saquon Barkley.
Tom Brady is coming out of retirement, sort of, to join Saquon Barkley, Christian McCaffrey, CeeDee Lamb, Maxx Crosby, Rob Gronkowski, Sauce Gardner Myles Garrett and others for the Fanatics Flag Football Classic - a competitive flag football tournament taking place during Riyadh…
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 15, 2025
The widely regarded greatest quarterback of all time will suit up for the first time in flag football for the inaugural Fanatics Flag Football Classic. The tournament is set to take place on Saturday, March 21, 2026, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, at the Kingdom Arena.
It will consist of three squads led by current NFL head coaches Pete Carroll, Kyle Shanahan, and Sean Payton, featuring a round-robin format that will pit the top two teams against each other.
Currently announced to join Brady in the playing field is former teammate Rob Gronkowski, Maxx Crosby, Myles Garrett, CeeDee Lamb, Sauce Gardner, Tyreek Hill, Christian McCaffrey, Odell Beckham Jr., and Barkley.
Barkley's flag football debut will also be a reunion with Beckham Jr., who spent 2018 with the Giants when Barkley was a rookie.
Since then, the former Nittany Lion blossomed into the best running back in the league and redefined the running back position. He became just the ninth player in NFL history to eclipse 2,000 yards in a regular season.
The now Philadelphia Eagle will have to adapt to the adjusted game. However, with a smaller field and fewer defenders, fans will likely see Barkley put up even more highlight-level plays.
Brady and Barkley only faced off once when they were both in the league. In 2021 when the quarterback was with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Brady defeated the New York Giants 30-10. In that game, Barkley combined for 56 total yards from scrimmage. He'll now have an opportunity for revenge in 2026.
The flag football tournament comes two years before the debut of the sport in the 2028 Summer Olympics taking place in Los Angeles. The Fanatics tournament is just one opportunity for fans to get familiar with the sport around the world and get a taste of football in the offseason.
The event, hosted by Kevin Hart, is partnered with Fanatics, FOX Sports, and OBB Media. Alongside Brady, Turki Alalshikh is also promoting the tournament. More information will be released closer to the tournament's date.