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 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.
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.
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Hurts and Brady of the Founders FFC look on before the Fanatics Flag Football Classic
Logan Paul #19 of the Wildcats FFC warms up before the Fanatics Flag Football Classic
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
