Tom Brady and the NFL teams struggled to keep up with the U.S. Flag Football team during the Fanatics Flag Football event, and the seven-time Super Bowl champion lashed out at his rival quarterback
21:35 ET, 11 Jun 2026Updated 21:35 ET, 11 Jun 2026
Tom Brady made his return to football at the Fanatics Flag Football event
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Tom Brady made his return to football at the Fanatics Flag Football event(Image: Getty Images)
Tom Brady held nothing back and clashed with a Team USA star during the Fanatics Flag Football event.
Back in March, Fanatics hosted an event that saw Team USA's flag football team comprehensively defeat two squads of NFL stars, featuring Brady and Jalen Hurts on one team and Joe Burrow and Jayden Daniels on the other. But the NFL stars had no answers for Team USA's dominance, reflected in the lopsided final scores.
Brady’s Founders FFC were quickly eliminated, but the 48-year-old showed fans that he still had a lot left in the tank. Meanwhile, Team USA dominated the tournament, defeating Founders FFC 43-16, and later sealed a 24-14 win in the final.
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Brady retired from the NFL following the 2022 season, and his return to the field was exceptional. He didn’t skip a beat with his trash talk either, given that it was a famous aspect of his on-field persona.
According to U.S. Flag Football team captain and quarterback Darrell Doucette, Brady lashed out after being called out for complaining to the referee. The seven-time Super Bowl champion bit back and shut Doucette down.
“Tom Brady was fussing on the sideline, and I knew I was kind of mic’d up, but at the time, I don’t even remember being mic’d up,” Doucette said during his appearance on the ‘In the Bayou with Tyrann Mathieu’ podcast. “I’m just playing, and he’s fussing with the referees, and I’m like, ‘Man, stop all that fussing with the referees. We’re here to play football. You crying about these calls. We’re here to play football.’
“That boy was like, ‘You better shut up.’ I mean, it was other words, but the most respectful way I could say it was like, ‘You better shut up. Stop talking to me.'”
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Darrell Doucette starred and won MVP as Team USA dominated
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Darrell Doucette starred and won MVP as Team USA dominated(Image: Getty Images)
Doucette’s story reminds fans that even though Brady is well retired and past his prime, the former New England Patriots quarterback still plays with a remarkably competitive spirit. However, Brady — and the other NFL stars — were embarrassed and soundly beaten by the U.S. team in flag football.
Doucette was the star. He completed all eight of his passes for 67 yards and three touchdowns, while rushing for 76 yards and three touchdowns en route to clinching the tournament’s MVP honor. Team USA’s other quarterback, Nico Casares, also completed 24-of-27 for 332 yards and five touchdowns.
Meanwhile, Brady completed 8-of-12 passes for 85 yards and a pair of touchdowns for the Founders. Hurts threw for 224 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing for a score. As for the Wildcats FFC, Burrow finished the event with 30-of-41 for 196 yards and four touchdowns, but he also tossed a pick-six.
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Team USA is now preparing for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. While certain NFL players have expressed interest in representing the country and bringing home gold, Doucette and the U.S. Flag Football team appear to be in pole position for the opportunity.