Tom Brady to play in Saudi flag soccer event alongside present and former NFL stars

[ad_1] LAS VEGAS (AP) — Tom Brady plans to play alongside present and former NFL stars in a three-team flag soccer event in Saudi Arabia subsequent yr, the seven-time Tremendous Bowl-winning quarterback and Fox Sports activities analyst mentioned Monday.

The Fanatics Flag Soccer Basic on March 21 at Kingdom Area in Riyadh additionally will embrace Saquon Barkley, CeeDee Lamb, Christian McCaffrey, Maxx Crosby and Rob Gronkowski, amongst others.

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Las Vegas’ Pete Carroll, Denver’s Sean Payton and San Francisco’s Kyle Shanahan would be the coaches.

Brady is partnering with Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the Saudi Normal Leisure Authority, to advertise the occasion. Fox Sports activities will televise the event, and comic Kevin Hart would be the host.

“It’s a multi-year dedication,” mentioned Brady, a minority proprietor of the Las Vegas Raiders. “Clearly, we’re getting off to an excellent begin. The primary yr might be sort of the place everybody’s consideration and vitality is at. It’s the primary time we’ve ever achieved one thing like this, however all of the gamers that I’ve talked to are enthusiastic about taking part in. Clearly, with the Olympics arising in 2028, I believe it’s all of the NFL gamers’ first publicity to it, and I didn’t wish to miss out on being part of it.”

Flag soccer will make its Olympic debut on the Los Angeles Video games in three years. NFL gamers are anticipated to make up a big a part of the American roster, however USA Soccer is trying past the nation’s hottest league because it searches for potential gamers.

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Alalshikh, who attended Monday’s information convention with Brady, already was in Las Vegas as a result of he was among the many promoters of Terence Crawford’s upset victory over Canelo Alvarez on Saturday evening at Allegiant Stadium.

Gronkowski mentioned Brady requested him to be a part of the flag soccer occasion.

“I used to be like, ‘There’s no contact, proper?’” mentioned Gronkowski, Brady’s go-to tight finish in New England and Tampa Bay. “I used to be like, ‘I already did all my contact in my life. I paid my dues in that division.’ I like to compete. I like to run round. I run routes each infrequently as properly. It’s at all times going to be in my blood as a result of I’ve been doing it my complete complete life. It brings pleasure out of me.”