The NFL elites are getting ready to compete in the Fanatics Flag Football Classic this weekend. It will have great implications for the Olympic flag football team, as the event is being used to test the feasibility of NFL players competing in the Olympics. Ahead of the games, reporters had to ask Joe Burrow and Tom Brady what means more, a gold medal or a Super Bowl ring.
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Football has never been an Olympic sport. It’s mostly American-dominated and doesn’t have the same international appeal as other sports. But as the years go on, that appeal seems to be going up. Especially as Roger Goodell continues to schedule more international games in London, Germany, Brazil, Ireland, and Spain.
With the Fanatics event set to kick off today, a reporter asked the QBs who will be a part of the event an excellent question.
“For you guys still slinging the rock, what would be bigger? Obviously, the Super Bowl is the top of the mountain. But, where would winning a gold medal rank?” the TMZ reporter asked via X.
For some, winning a gold medal is all they set out to achieve in life. But given that football has never been in the Olympics, NFL players set their sights solely on the Super Bowl ring. They probably have never considered wearing a medal around their necks.
Burrow stepped up to answer the question first.
“I think it would just be different. The Super Bowl is obviously the pinnacle of what we do. But Tom [Brady] just brought up being an ambassador for the game and for the league; that’s something that I take very seriously. And I think the league tries to reward people that go out of their way to help in that context,” Burrow shared.
Brady has certainly become an ambassador for the NFL ever since he retired. He’s a commentator, part-time owner, and regularly attends NFL-related events. This seems to be what Burrow wants to do when he retires one day.
Joe Burrow says a chance at an Olympic Gold Medal is a dream come true! pic.twitter.com/WCT8mN15YZ
— TMZ (@TMZ) March 21, 2026
But don’t get it twisted, Burrow has also always dreamed of being an Olympian.
“I’ve always wanted to play in the Olympics. I’ve never necessarily played an Olympic sport before. So, when this got announced, I was pretty excited about it. The opportunity to win a gold medal, that’s something that I’ve thought about for a long time, since I was a kid,” Burrow revealed.
It sounds like Burrow is ready to lace them up for Team USA in 2028. Later on, Brady added that he would like to be on the coaching staff.
“I would like to play some role in USA flag football 2028. But it won’t be on the field. I’d love to coach one of these guys and be involved and gameplan with Coach Payton and Coach Shanahan,” Brady stated.
Coach Sean Payton will be at the Fanatics event, coaching alongside team captains Brady and Jalen Hurts. Meanwhile, Kyle Shanahan will coach Burrow’s team, which also features Jayden Daniels. It should be fun to watch.
At the end of the day, neither QB answered the root of the question. But it was cool to hear how motivated Burrow is to compete in the Olympics should he get the chance. Brady did say it was an “impossible question to answer,” which makes sense given that he has 7 Super Bowl rings. It’s hard to imagine him trading those in for a gold medal.
