Michael S. Kim takes a jibe at LIV Golf as Tom Brady makes retirement U-turn

Tom Brady is set to hit the playing field three years after his retirement. The legendary footballer turned FOX Sports lead analyst announced that he will return to the field in 2026 at the Fanatics Flag Football Classic. The 48-year-old will headline a stacked field at the brand-new global flag football event taking place at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Brady, coming out of retirement, will join the likes of Saquon Barkley, Christian McCaffrey, CeeDee Lamb, Maxx Crosby and Rob Gronkowski, among others in the Riyadh Season event happening on March 21, 2026. Following the big reveal, PGA Tour pro Michael S. Kim has come out to use the scenario to take an indirect jibe at LIV Golf. The ace golfer stated that the the seven-time Super Bowl winner situation is ‘familiar,’ hinting at the similarity between the Fanatics’ event and the Saudi-backed LIV league.

Brady’s return to playing field for the high-profile NFL flag football event in Saudi Arabia had already raised some rumors around the big-money deal. Now, Kim has joined in to draw parallels surrounding Saudi investment in sports and star athletes’ participation, which inlcudes LIV Golf featuring Phil Mickelson and others.

Responding to a post carrying Tom Brady’s retirement U-turn news, Michael S. Kim wrote on X:

“Sounds kinda familiar.”

It is pertinent to note that Kim didn’t name LIV Golf in his comment. However, his intention was communicated as several fans joined in the comments to back his dig.

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Tom Brady ‘couldn't be more excited’ to play football again

For the unversed, the Fanatics Flag Football Classic is a round-robin tournament which will have three teams of eight current and legendary football stars competing. The list of world-class athletes will now include Tom Brady, playing his first official event since his retirement in 2023. The event, in partnership with Fanatics, FOX Sports and OBB Media, is being played in Saudi Arabia.

Apart from the big-name players, the event will also have Pete Carroll, Sean Payton and Kyle Shanahan coaching the three sides. Making the big announcement, Brady on Monday stated that he “couldn't be more excited” to play football again.

Tom Brady said in a statement, as quoted by FOX Sports:

“Get the competitive juices flowing alongside some of the game’s brightest stars and iconic legends, and bring a truly unique global sports event to fans everywhere during Riyadh Season. I have always admired the power of flag football and how it connects fans of all ages, and it’s awesome to be able to showcase the sport on such a global stage while joining together so many incredibly skilled athletes. I’m looking forward to partnering with Turki Alalshikh, Fanatics, OBB Media, my team at Shadow Lion and my friends at FOX Sports to showcase some fierce competition.”

Furthermore, Tom Brady added that the event gives him ‘a chance to sharpen his skills,’ while stating that he will ‘bring home the trophy.’ It is pertinent to note that the event will follow Olympic-style flag football rules and will be played on a 50-yard field with two 10-yard end zones. The 5-on-5 format game will have two 20-minute halves. Prize money and other details are yet to be revealed.

Edited by Vishnu Mohan