Sean Payton Talks About Coaching in Flag Football Classic

Sean Payton, head coach of the Denver Broncos, recently expressed his excitement about coaching in the upcoming Fanatics Flag Football Classic next year, where notable NFL figures, including Tom Brady, will participate.

Brady, who is momentarily stepping back from retirement, is slated to join a host of NFL stars in a three-team flag football tournament set for March in Saudi Arabia. Payton shared that he received a text from Brady detailing the tournament and, noticing the timing during a holiday week, he felt it was an opportunity too good to pass up. He noted, “I don’t travel much. More importantly, when considering growing the game for the Olympics, there isn’t really much to lose.”

The event, taking place at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh on March 21, will feature players like Saquon Barkley, CeeDee Lamb, Christian McCaffrey, Max Crosby, and Rob Gronkowski, while coaches include Payton, Pete Carroll, and Kyle Shanahan.

Flag football is set to make its Olympic debut in Los Angeles in 2028, and active NFL players are allowed to join in. Payton might even be a potential candidate for a coaching position for Team USA in the future.

Interestingly, Payton mused about Brady possibly handling the quarterback role he may coach come 2026. He mentioned, “Not sure if there were conditions, but since he’s playing, it’s possible he could be my quarterback.”

Reflecting on the rules of the game, Payton thought it would be interesting to witness how flag football is played, despite admitting that he has enough on his plate at the moment. “I think it’s a fantastic opportunity to travel for a few days and connect with great people,” he added.

As for the Broncos, details on their participation in the tournament remain unclear. For now, Payton’s primary focus is the team’s upcoming game against the Chargers in Los Angeles this weekend.