Tom Brady Douses Olympic Flag-Football Hopes but Keeps a Flicker of Possibility Alive

Los Angeles — Seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady has all but closed the door on pulling on a Team USA jersey when flag football makes its Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games, telling Good Morning America that suiting up is “probably unlikely” while quickly adding his trademark caveat: “I would never say never.”

The 46-year-old, now three seasons removed from his last NFL snap and entrenched in broadcasting and business ventures, has served as a global ambassador for the sport’s rapid growth. Still, he conceded that competing on the Olympic stage is “a different beast” and believes the spotlight should belong to the next generation.

“I think for these young guys, it’s good for them to do it,” Brady said. “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.”

Brady’s schedule is already crowded. He cited his Fox broadcast duties, his stake in the Raiders franchise and “different projects” as priorities that would make a competitive comeback difficult. Yet the buzz around this weekend’s Fanatics Flag Football Classic—where Brady will join Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, Myles Garrett, Rob Gronkowski and others in a round-robin tournament—has reignited the question.

One of the three teams competing is the United States Men’s National Flag Football Team, the core of which could ultimately represent the country in 2028. How many current NFL stars will challenge for those roster spots remains an open competition.

“You never know what’s going to happen, and I think the lead-up to this game has got me a little excited,” Brady admitted, “but I love my Fox job. I love doing my broadcasts. There’s a big commitment to that. I love the NFL. I love the Raiders.”

Flag football, along with baseball, softball, lacrosse, squash and cricket, was added to the Olympic program for Los Angeles. The tournament will feature six-team men’s and women’s fields, all vying for the first medals ever awarded in the discipline.

For now, Brady appears content to watch from the sideline—or the broadcast booth—while leaving the faintest crack in the door should the competitive itch return.