The inaugural Fanatics Flag Football Classic in Los Angeles quickly proved to be a humbling experience for some NFL stars and WWE wrestler Logan Paul.
The event, recently relocated from Saudi Arabia due to the US and Israel’s war with Iran, has been promoted with the help of some performative trash talk between Paul and the game’s marquee name. Tom Brady began earlier this month by referring to Paul’s WWE career as ‘cute’ and ‘scripted,’ to which the wrestler responded: ‘WWE can’t stop me from kicking your ass on that field.’
But the pre-game trash talk between Brady and Paul may have distracted from the third squad in Saturday’s round-robin tournament: The American national team, which will be representing the country when flag football is introduced at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Both Paul’s Wildcats and Brady’s Founders were demolished by Team USA, which was playing without any NFL talent.
In the second game of the day, Brady briefly appeared to be in vintage form as he struck first against Team USA – even finding an old favorite target of his for a two-point conversion.
In true timeless fashion, Brady shook off a pass rusher and then found receiver Stefon Diggs in the back corner of the end zone for the first points of the day. Then Brady found his longtime Patriots and Buccaneers teammate Rob Gronkowski for a two-point conversion.
Tom Brady was in vintage form as he scored the first points of his flag football game
Brady managed to avoid a sack and struck first in his game against Team USA
Hurts and Brady of the Founders FFC look on before the Fanatics Flag Football Classic
Unfortunately for Gronkowski, that would be his last play of the day after pulling his hamstring on the catch.
Despite Gronkowski’s injury, it was a far better start for Brady’s team than Paul’s.
Not only did Team USA score on its opening drive, but it was Paul who failed to make the ‘tackle’ for the Wildcats at the goal line. Paul would make things worse by getting a penalty for removing a rival’s sunglasses from his face and tossing them down to the turf.
Then, on the ensuing possession, Cincinnati Bengals franchise quarterback Joe Burrow took a pitch from teammate Jayden Daniels before firing a pass right back at the Washington Commanders star, only to surrender a pick-six.
Playing without any NFL stars, Team USA would build a quick 32-14 lead by scoring on its first four possessions. The flag football stars would go on to win 39-14.
The demolition of the team mixed with celebrities and NFL stars comes after Team USA flag football players advocated on their own behalf to represent the United States at the upcoming 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles – where flag football will be a new addition to the calendar.
After handily beating a team full of NFL stars, it’s hard to not hear out their case.
Back in August of 2024, around the time of the Paris Olympics, flag football quarterback Darrell ‘Housh’ Doucette III than Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
‘At the end of the day, I feel like I’m better than Patrick Mahomes because of my IQ of the game,’ he told TMZ.
Joe Burrow #9 of the Wildcats FFC and Housh Doucette #7 of the US Men’s Flag Football Team look on during the coin flip during the Fanatics Flag Football Classic at BMO Stadium
Shawn Theard Jr hugs Saquon Barkley after Team USA beat Wildcats FFC on Saturday
‘I know he’s right now the best in the [NFL]. I know he’s more accurate. I know he has all these intangibles. But when it comes to flag football, I feel like I know more than him.’
He added, ‘I’m not saying I’m a better player overall but until he steps on a 5v5 flag field, I’m going to feel that way until it’s proven otherwise! I’m a competitor and need to be proven wrong.’
After the games on Saturday, some NFL stars appeared to agree with that assessment. Green Bay Packers star Micah Parsons tweeted, ‘Team USA giving us belt [crying emojis] I guess they will be in the Olympics lol.’
The speed, skill and knowledge of the flag football players proved to be a difference maker in the exhibition game as NFL stars couldn’t get a grasp on the rules or nuances of the different style of play. The Wildcats, led by San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan, had multiple illegal contact penalties as a result.
One of the few highlights for the Wildcats was a one-handed catch by Odell Beckham Jr on a two-point conversion – which brought back memories of his famous grab as a rookie in 2014.
In the second game, after Brady’s touchdown, Team USA found the end zone twice to take a 22-8 lead into halftime.
