Portnoy critiques Brady over Saudi flag football deal as Brady announces Riyadh comeback

Tom Brady announced on Monday that he will come out of retirement to participate in the Fanatics Flag Football Classic in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in March 2026. The one-off event, sponsored by Fanatics, will be aired on Fox Sports and Tubi and will use Olympic-style flag football rules, with teams competing on a 50-yard field in a 5-on-5 format across two 20-minute halves. Brady made the revelation at a news conference before Monday Night Football, where he was joined by Turki Alalshikh, a member of the Saudi royal family, underscoring the high-profile nature of the showcase.

Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy criticized Brady's decision, saying the former quarterback would earn about $75 million for the appearance and referring to Brady in a mocked, derogatory term on his show. Portnoy’s remarks were echoed by his longtime co-host Kirk Minihane, who questioned the broader implications of Saudi backing in sports and suggested the Saudis may exert growing influence over the industry. The remarks amplified a broader debate about money, optics, and the role of foreign sponsorship in English-language professional athletics.

Brady will be joined by a cadre of current NFL stars, including Saquon Barkley, Christian McCaffrey, CeeDee Lamb, Maxx Crosby, Sauce Gardner and Myles Garrett, as well as former teammate Rob Gronkowski. Three teams will be coached by prominent NFL coaches: Pete Carroll of the Las Vegas Raiders, Sean Payton of the Denver Broncos, and Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers. It marks Brady’s first foray into competitive football since his retirement at the end of the 2022 season and subsequent formal retirement announced in 2023.

Brady framed the event as part of a broader push to grow football globally. He highlighted flag football as one of the fastest-growing variants of the game and said the Riyadh event would help broaden the sport’s fan base by putting major stars on the same field and engaging international audiences. He also noted that flag football is slated to be part of the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, describing the tournament as an important step in taking the game to new places and fans around the world.

In discussing his own return to competition, Brady said he looked forward to renewing the competitive spirit and delivering a unique global sports event for fans. The event is scheduled for March 21, 2026, in Riyadh and will be broadcast to audiences around the world as part of Fanatics’ ongoing efforts to expand the game’s footprint beyond traditional markets.

The appearance comes as Brady continues to expand his post-NFL portfolio and as Saudi-backed sports ventures have increasingly sought to leverage star power to attract international attention. While Brady will not be returning to the NFL, the Riyadh showcase represents a high-profile platform that blends entertainment, international markets and the continued evolution of football’s global footprint.