Joe Burrow's Fanatics Flag Football Classic Team Set Ahead of Battle Against Tom Brady

The inaugural Fanatics Flag Football Classic will feature NFL stars and social media personalities competing under Olympic flag football rules.

Mar. 19, 2026 at 10:48am

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The draft for the Fanatics Flag Football Classic on March 21 is complete, with Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow playing on a team captained by himself and Jayden Daniels. They will face off against a team captained by Tom Brady and Jalen Hurts. The event will be played at the home site for flag football at the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics and will be broadcast live on FOX Sports, FOX One, and Tubi.

Why it matters

This event provides a unique opportunity for fans to see some of the NFL's top stars, including Super Bowl champions Joe Burrow and Tom Brady, compete in a flag football tournament under Olympic rules. It also serves as a preview of the flag football competition that will be featured at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

The details

The three teams (Brady/Hurts, Burrow/Daniels, and USA Flag Football) will play a round-robin tournament with two 15-minute halves and a running clock. The top two teams will advance to the championship game. Brady is co-captaining the Founders FFC team with Hurts, which will be coached by Sean Payton, while Burrow and Daniels are captaining the Wildcats FFC, coached by Kyle Shanahan.

  • The Fanatics Flag Football Classic will take place on March 21, 2026.
  • The event will air live from 4 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. PT.

The players

Joe Burrow

The Cincinnati Bengals quarterback and co-captain of the Wildcats FFC team.

Tom Brady

The legendary quarterback and co-captain of the Founders FFC team.

Jayden Daniels

The co-captain of the Wildcats FFC team alongside Joe Burrow.

Jalen Hurts

The co-captain of the Founders FFC team alongside Tom Brady.

Scott Hallenbeck

The USA Football CEO and executive director, who commented on the event.

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What they’re saying

“This event features our world champion flag football athletes on the same field as some of the top current and former pro tackle stars, and I know our players are up for the challenge.”

— Scott Hallenbeck, USA Football CEO and executive director

“Now I get to go out on the field on Saturday in L.A. … and I get to compete again. Been in the booth watching these young guys play. Now I get to go out there and try to kick their butt once again and remind them who the boss is.”

— Tom Brady

“I texted Joe Burrow and Jayden Daniels. They're the opposing quarterbacks. I said, 'You know, I love beating Heisman Trophy winners.' I was the 199th pick, and I always took dead aim at the guys who were picked way ahead of me. They said, 'Talk that you-know-what. Bring it on.'”

— Tom Brady

What’s next

The Fanatics Flag Football Classic championship game will take place immediately following the round-robin tournament on March 21, 2026.

The takeaway

This event provides a unique opportunity for fans to see some of the NFL's biggest stars, including Super Bowl champions Joe Burrow and Tom Brady, compete in a high-stakes flag football tournament under Olympic rules. It serves as a preview of the flag football competition that will be featured at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.