Though it has been over two years since Tom Brady announced his retirement for good, the internet has always been active on any potential news of his return. On Monday, news dropped that Brady is coming out of retirement, but not for an NFL season.
According to NFL insider Adam Schefter, the seven-time Super Bowl champion will return to the gridiron on March 21, 2026, as part of the Fanatics Flag Football Classic. It is a competitive flag football tournament staged during Riyadh Season in Saudi Arabia.
The game will see several active and retired NFL stars like Saquon Barkley, Christian McCaffrey, CeeDee Lamb, Maxx Crosby, Rob Gronkowski, Sauce Gardner, Myles Garrett and others participate. NFL coaches Pete Carroll, Sean Payton and Kyle Shanahan will lead three all-star squads.
Tom Brady is coming out of retirement, sort of, to join Saquon Barkley, Christian McCaffrey, CeeDee Lamb, Maxx Crosby, Rob Gronkowski, Sauce Gardner Myles Garret and others for the Fanatics Flag Football Classic - a competitive flag football tournament taking place during Riyadh…
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 15, 2025
The games will follow Olympic‐style flag football rules: 5-on-5, played on a 50-yard field with 10-yard end zones. There will be two 20-minute halves. All three teams will compete in a round-robin format, and the top two will play the final.
The tournament will see Brady in action for the first time since Jan. 16, 2023, when he played in the NFC Wild Card matchup against the Dallas Cowboys.
NFL fans will get to see Rob Gronkowski and Tom Brady reunite after so many years since they last won the Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2021.
Brady confident on bringing home the trophy
Former Michigan Wolverines quarterback Tom Brady is motivated to do well in this upcoming tournament. The legendary quarterback is no short of trophies inside his cabinet, but he believes he'll have to make space for one more as he made a bold prediction regarding the outcome of the tournament.
"I will be bringing home the trophy," Brady said.
Brady also shared his admiration for flag football, saying it connects fans of all ages.
"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. "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 former New England Patriots quarterback is looking forward to the event, and he's not going there unprepared.