With the Fanatics Flag Football Classic on the horizon, Tom Brady has been on quite a promotional tour. Recently, he landed on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon to discuss the upcoming event. During their discussions, his meeting with LeBron James in Las Vegas drew the crowd’s intrigue. And Brady turned it into a moment of fandom.

James operated as a football player during his high school days. While he ultimately chose football, Brady spoke excitedly about an alternate reality where the Akron Hammer caught some of his passes. “Hell yeah, I’d take him. Him and Gronk on the same team,” Brady got caught.

His only doubt was whether the NBA’s longest tenured player could have the same longevity in the NFL. It’s a high-contact sport where people can literally go flying around. But that concern was only brief.

“I don’t know if he would have lasted 23 years playing LeBron. He actually could have lasted 23 years. He’s on 20-21 now in the NBA. He’s ridiculous. I’ve always looked up to him. How he’s handled himself on the court and off the court. He’s another guy that like the Derek Jeter, he just elevates himself above everybody else,” said Tom Brady.

Well, it’s actually 23 years for LeBron James in the NBA. But you get the point. Brady, a seven-time Super Bowl champ and playing in his 40s, relates to James. Their attention to detail with nutrition and recovery enabled them to have long careers in their respective fields. Had the four-time NBA champ chosen football, that discipline wouldn’t just disappear.

That’s the part that Tom Brady respects more than anything. LeBron James has dedicated himself to pouring his heart and soul into basketball. The boring stuff is non-negotiable, as Brady knows very well. And these are two of the great athletes we are talking about. It’s wonderful to see such moments of respect and admiration across sports.

Tom Brady teases a possible return to football

Brady did what LeBron James did in the NBA a few years ago. It was inconceivable for a man in his 40s to play in the NFL. But the former Patriots QB shattered those barriers, leading the league in completions over the last two years of his storied career. His playing in a flag football tournament shows his competitive juices are still flowing strong.

And it just so happens that the 2028 Olympics will feature flag football for the first time ever. Could Tom Brady sign up for Team USA?

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“I would never say never, but it’s probably unlikely,” he said on Good Morning America.

The thought of playing hasn’t crossed his mind yet. Maybe a throw at his upcoming event will revive his desire to compete. But he doesn’t mind having a role during the Olympics. Brady is open to being a coach or even assisting if that’s something that opens up.

Fans would, of course, want to see him participate. Although years removed from playing, there’s no Myles Garrett rushing the QB while playing flag football. It’s comparatively safe. That being said, Tom Brady left the sport after extracting everything he could. Moreover, with NFL players eligible for selection, it may be hard for him to make the shortlist. But it’s Brady at the end of the day. The improbable has never forced him to take a step back.