Fanatics Flag Football Classic: Team USA Player Accidentally Rips Joe Burrow’s Pants in 24-14 Win

Heading into the 2026 rendition of the Fanatics Flag Football Classic, Joe Burrow and the Wildcats FFC were one of the trendier upset picks to win the tournament, but much like Tom Brady’s Founders, they ultimately ended up being nothing more than a formality for Team USA. With a final scoreboard of 24-14, the men’s national team, which is still vying for its right to represent the U.S. in the 2028 Olympics, staked its claim to the game of flag football, with much of that success coming at Burrow’s expense.

After having already thrown an interception to put his team in an immediate 12-point hole, Burrow managed to get his unit down the field before ultimately scrambling his way into the end zone. Unfortunately for him, however, even that would be hilariously undermined by the fact that he nearly had his pants ripped off while doing so.

Of course, the real concern resided in Burrow taking the risk of participating at all. Between the various injuries that he’s already incurred throughout the first six years of his career, as well as seeing an instance in which he actually drew some contact, it seems rather likely that the Cincinnati Bengals’ front office won’t be signing off on this one next time around.

Thankfully, for as frustrating a day as it might have been for Burrow, as well as the rest of the various celebrities and NFL stars who collectively lost 106-44 to Team USA, everyone was able to survive the event without provoking any kinds of career-altering injuries.

Many have already voiced concerns about whether or not the event will be considered as a bad look for the NFL, but that likely won’t be the case for very long, if at all. Much like the Pro Bowl, there’s an understood level of casualness that comes with these kinds of extracurricular events for football stars.

Given that they aren’t risking multi-million contracts and have now proven themselves capable of outdoing some of the nation’s most elite athletes, if this event is to be remembered as anything, then it will likely be as the day that Team USA legitimized its claim as the rightful representatives of their sport.