Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow impressed at times and fortunately wasn’t injured March 21 in the Fanatics Flag Football Classic at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles.
But Burrow’s Wildcats FFC team had a tough time pulling flags against the speedy and talented Team USA flag football team in a 39-14 loss.
Team USA then proceeded to rout Tom Brady’s Founders FFC squad, 43-16.
In Wildcats’ second game, a win against Founders, Burrow threw TD passes to Odell Beckham, Jr., Saquon Barkley and Davante Adams.
Wildcats earned a rematch with Team USA for the championship game of the tournament.
Burrow, a team co-captain for the inaugural event, was asked earlier in the week whether he would consider playing flag football when it makes its debut at the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028?
“I’ve always wanted to play in the Olympics,” Burrow said. “The opportunity to win a gold medal (is) something that I’ve thought about … for a long time, since I was a kid. I think it would be something very special.”
Former NFL great Tom Brady appeared on “The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon” to discuss the flag football game, and Brady sent a message to Burrow and fellow NFL quarterback Jayden Daniels of the Washington Commanders. Like Burrow, Daniels won a Heisman Trophy for the LSU Tigers.
“I said, ‘You know, I love beating Heisman Trophy winners,'” Brady said. “I was the 199th pick, and I always took dead aim at the guys who were picked way ahead of me. They said, ‘Talk that you-know-what. Bring it on.'”
Founders FFC was captained by Brady and Jalen Hurts and coached by Sean Payton. Wildcats FFC was captained by Burrow and Daniels and coached by Kyle Shanahan.
The games followed modified Olympic style flag football rules, featuring two 15-minute halves with a running clock on a 50×25-yard field.
Social media reactions to Wildcats’ loss:
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Team USA slams Joe Burrow’s Wildcats in Fanatics Flag Football Classic
Reporting by Dave Clark, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
