Former NFL quarterback Tom Brady shared last fall that he might step back into competitive football in 2026, taking part in The Fanatics Flag Football Classic in Saudi Arabia and suggesting he could be involved in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

The seven-time Super Bowl winner announced on September 15, 2025, that he would join a special round‑robin event with three teams made up of current and former NFL players on March 21, 2026, at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The tournament is being put together with support from Fanatics, Fox Sports, and OBB Media.

When questioned about his potential involvement in Olympic flag football at the 2028 Los Angeles Games, Brady answered, “We’ll see. Let’s see how this game goes.” His comment, made during an interview with The Athletic, has continued to spark rumors about his Olympic ambitions.

The event will include well-known NFL athletes like Saquon Barkley, CeeDee Lamb, Christian McCaffrey, Sauce Gardner, Myles Garrett, Brock Bowers, Maxx Crosby, Tyreek Hill, Odell Beckham Jr., and Brady’s former teammate Rob Gronkowski. Coaches Pete Carroll, Sean Payton, and Kyle Shanahan will lead the teams, with comedian Kevin Hart hosting.

Brady said he was thrilled about getting back into competitive action when the news was announced, explaining that the timing felt right to spark his competitive drive again. At 48, and turning 51 by the 2028 Olympics, Brady has kept his competitive mindset strong since leaving the NFL in February 2023.

Since declaring his return to competitive football, Brady has stayed busy in several fields. He continues to work as a Fox Sports broadcaster, calling major NFL matchups, including the Philadelphia Eagles vs. Dallas Cowboys game. This broadcasting work keeps him close to the sport as he prepares for the March event.

Brady has also been expanding his business ventures. On November 16, he launched his ninth CardVault by Tom Brady location at the Mall of America in Minnesota, further growing his sports card retail chain nationwide. Five more stores are scheduled to open in Las Vegas, Nevada; Sacramento, California; and the San Francisco, California region.

He has additionally taken on a corporate role in the wellness field, becoming chief wellness officer and a board member at eMed — a digital health company — in January 2026. There, he contributes to expanding telehealth offerings and programs that manage weight-loss medications.

Brady also drew attention after revealing that his dog Junie is actually a clone of his late pit bull mix, Lua, who passed away in December 2023. Working with Colossal Biosciences, a biotech company he invests in, Brady relied on non-invasive cloning technology using a blood sample collected before Lua died. The news sparked debate about the ethics surrounding pet cloning.

Speaking at Fortune’s Global Forum, Brady commented on trends in modern parenting, criticizing the tendency to shield kids from challenges by placing them in easier situations. Drawing from his path as a sixth-round pick who worked hard through school and college athletics, Brady said that young athletes today rarely get pushed past their limits. As a father of three, he aims to follow the example of his own parents, who supported his goals without giving him easy outs.

The event will air on Fox and Hulu as part of the broader Riyadh Season festival, which spans from October to March and features sports, entertainment, and concerts. The tournament is designed to help build excitement for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, where flag football will appear for the first time.

Games will follow rules aligned with Olympic standards: five‑on‑five competition on a 50‑yard field with two 20‑minute halves. Flag football officially became an Olympic sport in October 2023, just months after Brady’s final retirement from the NFL earlier that year.

Brady has shown interest in the Olympics before. During the 2024 Paris Olympics, he stated he would like to be part of the U.S. flag football roster. In June 2025, he told Complex Sports that he remains extremely competitive, adding, “If someone puts a football in my hand, they should watch out because that feeling never goes away.”

His chance at Olympic involvement grew in May 2025 when NFL team owners voted during the Spring League Meeting to allow NFL players to participate in Olympic flag football. Each country’s squad will feature 10 players, with both men’s and women’s divisions included.

Brady made his announcement during a promotional appearance before the Monday Night Football matchup between the Las Vegas Raiders and Los Angeles Chargers last September. As a minority owner with a five percent share of the Raiders, Brady teased a big announcement during Fox’s pregame show before revealing his competitive comeback plans.

Since then, excitement has grown around Brady’s on-field return. His possible Olympic path has generated extensive conversation among fans and analysts throughout the fall. People close to Brady say he is motivated by the idea of winning a gold medal and views Olympic competition as a way to solidify his legacy and help bring gold home for the United States.

USA Football oversees the Olympic selection process, which will center on national team tryouts. The final roster must also be approved by the NFL. Some analysts believe Brady’s inclusion could create an American “Dream Team,” reminiscent of the iconic 1992 U.S. men’s basketball team.

Other active NFL stars have shown mixed levels of interest in Olympic play as 2028 approaches. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who will be 32 for the Games, has said he would likely leave the opportunity to younger athletes. Meanwhile, Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones has voiced strong enthusiasm about representing Team USA.

Brady stepped away from the NFL following the 2022 season, ending a 23‑year career. His first retirement attempt came in February 2022, but he returned to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers just 40 days later. His second and final retirement was announced in February 2023, when he stated he was leaving the game “for good.”

With only a month until the Saudi Arabia exhibition, Brady is reportedly training intensively for his return to competitive football. This will mark his first game since retiring nearly three years ago. His participation has prompted speculation that the event could serve as preparation for Olympic play in 2028, although Brady has said he will wait until after the exhibition to decide.

The flag football scene has embraced the idea of Brady being involved, viewing it as a major opportunity for the sport’s growth and visibility ahead of its Olympic debut. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has also expressed support for NFL players participating, calling it a strong showcase for American football on the global stage.

Off the field, Brady remained a prominent cultural figure: he sent encouraging messages to athletes during the 2026 Winter Olympics, attended major social gatherings like Super Bowl 2026 events with influencer Alix Earle, and engaged publicly with fans and critics during Super Bowl week regarding various NFL topics.

As the countdown to Brady’s comeback continues, fans and experts alike are eager to see whether the legendary quarterback can still perform at an elite level—and whether this Saudi Arabia showcase could set the stage for Olympic glory in Los Angeles. Between his media duties, business enterprises, and preparation for competition, Brady remains one of the most visible and active personalities in sports, even three years after stepping away from the NFL.