Will Tom Brady get a chance to go for gold at 2028 Olympics?

Retired NFL quarterback Tom Brady. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Will seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady get a chance to go for gold at 2028 Olympics?

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Mar 23, 2026 3:43 PM ET

Perhaps former New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady could lead Team USA to a gold medal at the 2028 Summer Olympics.

Brady competed in the Fanatics Flag Football Classic at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday. The event was designed to showcase flag football to a larger audience and help Team USA prepare for the sport's introduction at the 2028 Summer Games in L.A.

"I would never say never, but it's probably unlikely," Brady said of competing in the 2028 Olympics on "Good Morning America" before the event (h/t The Athletic's Vic Tafur).

At times, however, it appeared Brady should reconsider that stance. It became apparent he hasn't lost much arm strength when he fired a touchdown pass to free-agent wide receiver Stefon Diggs. He even evaded the pass rush on the play. Despite the impressive throw, don't expect the seven-time Super Bowl champion to come out of retirement to begin training for the 2028 Olympics.

@TomBrady to Diggs! pic.twitter.com/27dzqn84Oa
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) March 21, 2026

Why Tom Brady competing in the 2028 Olympics is highly unlikely

Brady, who turns 49 on Aug. 3, will be 50 when the next Olympics begin on July 14, 2028. The oldest athlete to ever compete at the Olympics was Swedish shooter Oscar Swahn (72 years and 281 days old) at the 1920 Antwerp Games.

Unlike flag football players, athletes who compete in Olympic shooting stand still for most of the event. Brady wasn't elusive in his prime, never rushing for more than 110 yards in a season in 23 years with the Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He's not suddenly going to become more mobile at this point in his life.

He and many other NFL stars also somehow don't understand flag football. Brady's team, the Founders, lost to Team USA Flag Football, 43-16, at the Fanatics Flag Football Classic. Team USA also dismantled Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow's Wildcats FFC, 39-16.

"We were trying to play more NFL football and pass concepts," Brady said, per The Athletic's Tim Graham and Tafur. "Things happen pretty quickly out there, and those guys are super shifty. They did a good job running the ball.

"Just in terms of strategy, we're probably way behind."

Brady may not have time to catch up, as he's juggling duties as a Fox analyst and a minority owner for the Las Vegas Raiders. If the future Hall of Famer participates in the Games, it should be as a coach, advisor or some other honorary role. Lacing up his cleats again could be tempting, but there are too many hurdles to overcome in an Olympic comeback attempt.

Clark Dalton

Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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