Tom Brady is currently focused on his new career as NFL on Fox lead analyst, leaving behind all the speculation he might return to the NFL. Yet consider this: What if Brady could return to the playing field in some capacity?
Sound impossible? Well, they had that discussion Thursday on the Rich Eisen Show, with fill-in host Tom Pelissero and guest Scott Hanson (NFL RedZone) talking about Brady’s prospects of playing again.
Yet they weren’t talking about Brady returning to the NFL, but the possibility of him suiting up as quarterback for the U.S. flag football team for the 2028 Olympics.
The IOC voted in late 2023 to add flag football to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The NFL lobbied for the move, which will help boost the brand’s worldwide presence.
But Hanson and Pelissero pointed out obvious problems with filling the U.S. flag football roster. NFL teams will likely be reluctant to have their stars participate. There are obvious time and schedule considerations, but injuries are also a concern (recall the injuries several MLB stars suffered in the World Baseball Classic).
“I think it absolutely has to happen where big-time NFL players will participate,” Hanson said.
Pelissero said it would be a bad idea to send players from other pro football leagues. So that led him to propose a solution.
“You could go to NFL legends I suppose, guys who recently retired,” Pelissero said. “That would be another way to do it without using current NFL players.”
“Ah, that’s a good one, that’s a good one,” Hanson agreed. “Who’s stopping Ochocinco (Chad Johnson)?”
Suddenly, everyone in the studio, including TJ Jefferson and Chris Brockman, started tossing out names. Terrell Owens. Michael Vick. JJ Watt. Robert Griffin III.
Then Pelissero mentioned an obvious choice.
“Tom Brady in that setting, would be phenomenal,” he said.
“You want to hear a Tom Brady ‘in that setting’ story?” Hanson asked. He proceeded to recount the time he played with Brady in a charity flag football game 10-12 years ago. He recalled how Brady studied every player’s speed and ability, from actors and athletes to chubby businessmen.
“He hit everyone on stride, he calculated, ‘OK, here’s my personnel.’ It was one of the most remarkable things to see at field level,” Hanson said.
The Summer Olympics are right around the corner but we’re already looking ahead to 2028 when flag football is an official sport and @ScottHanson thinks a Goat might want in the mix:#NFL #Olympics @TomPelissero @TomBrady pic.twitter.com/O86qEWnOZC
— Rich Eisen Show (@RichEisenShow) July 18, 2024
Hanson mentioned that Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes has already said he’d like to play in the Olympics. Again, the NFL and teams will have some thoughts on sending their stars to a huge offseason competition.
But Brady should have some free time in July 2028.
“So Brady, 100%, I think he’d be in on some Olympic flag football,” Hanson said.
“He’ll be 50 years old in 2028,” Pelissero. “But for flag football, stand in, throw it to really fast guys. He can do that as well as anyone.”
[Rich Eisen Show]