Broncos HC Payton involved with Brady in Saudi football game

Sean Payton is among a trio with Colorado ties announced as the headliners for the Fanatics Flag Football Classic in Saudi Arabia this coming March.

The competitive flag football tournament is taking place during Riyadh Season, according to a news release.

The head coach of the Denver Broncos will be joined by Pete Carroll and Kyle Shanahan as the coaches of the three teams. While Tom Brady is coming out of retirement to join Saquon Barkley, CeeDee Lamb, Christian McCaffrey, Sauce Gardner, Myles Garrett, Brock Bowers, Maxx Crosby, Tyreek Hill, Odell Beckham Jr., Rob Gronkowski and others for the games.

The event will air on FOX Sports and Tubi and is going to be hosted by Kevin Hart.

“I couldn’t be more excited to return to the field, get the competitive juices flowing alongside some of the game’s brightest stars and iconic legends, and bring a truly unique global sports event to fans everywhere during Riyadh Season,” Brady said in a news release. “I have always admired the power of flag football and how it connects fans of all ages, and it’s awesome to be able to showcase the sport on such a global stage while joining together so many incredibly skilled athletes.”

The event will feature three teams of eight players facing off in a round-robin tournament, with the top two teams advancing to a championship.

It’s a little preview of what the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles could look like, with the fast-growing sport of flag football featured in those games. The games will follow Olympic-style flag football rules, played on a 50-yard field with two 10-yard end zones, a 5-on-5 format and two 20-minute halves.

FOX says the teams will feature a balanced mix of athletes and entertainers, so this may not be the most serious competition.

Related

As Broncos prepare for preseason test, there’s a key trend they hope sustainsHere’s when the Broncos will wear their throwback, navy-blue, orange and white jerseys in 2026Broncos reveal parking and tailgating plan for Burnham YardBo Nix won’t play in Broncos first preseason game, QB plan revealedBroncos list Jarrett Stidham as No. 2 QB on first depth chart of 2026 seasonBroncos 15th most valuable franchise in NFL, worth more than $9 billion