Payton eyes Brady’s role in international flag football tournament

Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton said there is a meaningful opportunity to coach Tom Brady in the Fanatics Flag Football Classic, an international flag football event scheduled for March in Saudi Arabia. Brady, who has floated a return to competition, will join a field that includes current and former NFL stars such as Saquon Barkley, CeeDee Lamb, Christian McCaffrey, Maxx Crosby and Rob Gronkowski for a March 21 showdown at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh. The event is described as a three-team tournament with a single day of play in a round-robin format, followed by a championship game.

"I had gotten a text from Tom, and he was explaining what the tournament was," Payton said. "I looked at the calendar, it’s a vacation week. I don’t travel much. I think more importantly, it’s significant when it comes to growing our game with the Olympics not that far around the corner. There are three teams playing one day in a round-robin format. Then a final championship game." Payton added that the schedule will require sorting out rules, noting, "I have to look at 5-on-5 [rules]. When I heard it, right away… I have enough headaches right now, but at some point, it’ll be interesting to look at how that game is played. I think it’s a great opportunity for three or four days to travel abroad and be with some good people." There was no confirmation on whether Broncos players will participate.

Payton also noted the broader context of the event. He said Brady’s participation, along with other NFL talents, highlights a growing interest in flag football as the sport seeks a wider international footprint. The coaches named for the event include Payton, Seattle’s Pete Carroll and San Francisco’s Kyle Shanahan, with three teams competing in Riyadh on one day before a championship game.

The tournament comes as flag football is slated to debut at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Officials have said active NFL players have clearance to participate in the event, and Payton suggested Brady could have a role beyond the 2024-25 season. "I don’t know if I had any conditions. One of them might have been — because he is playing, so it might’ve been that he’s my quarterback in that game," Payton joked about Brady potentially serving as quarterback for the team he coaches in a future format.

Payton emphasized that his immediate focus remains on the Denver Broncos’ upcoming trip to Los Angeles for a game against the Chargers this weekend. He did not provide details about whether any Broncos players would participate in the Saudi event, saying only that the tournament offers a chance to travel abroad and engage with other star players in a different format. The Broncos’ season-week activities will continue to unfold as the club prepares for a key Western United States matchup.