It is still too early to entirely rule Tom Brady out from the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, but the seven-time Super Bowl champion conceded that it is “unlikely” he will suit up for Team USA when flag football makes its Olympic debut. Brady has been an ambassador for flag football during its rise in popularity, but playing on the world stage is a different beast.
Brady is three seasons removed from his last NFL game and is now firmly entrenched in his roles as a broadcaster and partial team owner. While he came out of a brief retirement to play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2022, the longtime New England Patriots star now appears all but done as a quarterback.
“I would never say never, but it’s probably unlikely, just so you know,” Brady said on “Good Morning America. “I think for these young guys, it’s good for them to do it. If I ever wanted to come in in an advisory role, as a coach, something like that, that’s probably better suited for me. But I’ll let the young Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen get out there and try to win a gold medal for the U.S.”
While it would be a stretch to expect Brady to play at the Olympics, he will hit the gridiron this weekend in the Fanatics Flag Football Classic along with a number of current and former NFL stars, including Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, Myles Garrett, Rob Gronkowski and others. The event pits three teams against each other in a round-robin tournament with the top two advancing to the championship game.
One of those teams is the United States Men’s National Flag Football Team. What remains to be seen is how many on that roster will compete at the Olympics and how many NFL players will challenge them for spots on the squad.
“You never know what’s going to happen, and I think the lead-up to this game has got me a little excited, but I love my Fox job,” Brady said. “I love doing my broadcasts. There’s a big commitment to that. I love the NFL. I love the Raiders. I love working on that and different projects I have, so I’ve got a lot going on.”
Flag football is one of six sports added to the Olympic schedule in 2028 along with baseball, softball, lacrosse, squash and cricket. It is a first-time Olympic sport, as are lacrosse and squash. Cricket last appeared at the 1900 Games.
There will be a men’s tournament and a women’s tournament with six teams in each field.
