CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - A former Carolina Panthers star will join Tom Brady and other current and past NFL players in an international flag football tournament in early 2026, per a report.
Christian McCaffrey, Brady and others will play in a three-team tournament in Saudi Arabia on March 21, the Associated Press said.
Dubbed the “Fanatics Flag Football Classic,” the tournament will be broadcast by Fox Sports and hosted by comedian Kevin Hart.
According to the AP report, Brady called the tournament “a multi-year commitment.”
“We’re getting off to a good start,” Brady told the AP on Sept. 15. “The first year will be kind of where everyone’s attention and energy is at. It’s the first time we’ve ever done something like this, but all the players that I’ve talked to are excited about playing.”
“With the Olympics coming up in 2028, I think it’s all the NFL players’ first exposure to it,” the seven-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback added. “And I didn’t want to miss out on being a part of it.”
In addition to Brady and McCaffrey, other past and present NFL players who are reportedly expected to take part in next year’s flag football tournament include Saquon Barkley, Rob Gronkowski, CeeDee Lamb, Maxx Crosby and others.
NFL head coaches Pete Carroll, Sean Payton and Kyle Shanahan will coach the three tournament teams.
Tom Brady, Christian McCaffrey and other past and present NFL players will play in a flag...
Tom Brady, Christian McCaffrey and other past and present NFL players will play in a flag football tournament in March 2026.(AP photos)
Christian McCaffrey starred with Panthers
Despite now being in his third full season with the San Francisco 49ers, McCaffrey is still a popular player among Panthers fans.
The now 29-year-old running back spent the first five and a half seasons of his NFL career with the Panthers. During that time, he played 64 games for Carolina, and racked up nearly 7,300 yards of offense and 50 total touchdowns.
McCaffrey’s best season with the Panthers came in 2019, when he ran for almost 1,400 yards and caught for 1,005 more. In doing so, he became just the third player in NFL history to record 1,000 yards both rushing and receiving in the same season.
He ranks fourth in rushing and sixth in receiving yards in Panthers history. Only Steve Smith, Cam Newton, Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams have scored more touchdowns for Carolina -- all of whom played significantly more games for the team.
The Panthers traded McCaffrey to the 49ers midway through the 2022 season. He remains one of the league’s best and most dynamic running backs when healthy.
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