Football fans were excited when Adam Schefter revealed, “Tom Brady is coming out of retirement.” It wasn’t another NFL comeback, but still enough to stir chaos. As per the reports, Brady will take the field in a flag football tournament overseas. Alongside him? CeeDee Lamb and a group of NFL stars, who are ready to showcase the game in a new way.

Lamb will line up with names like Christian McCaffrey, Saquon Barkley, Myles Garrett, and Sauce Gardner. On top of that, the sideline talent is just as stacked with Pete Carroll, Kyle Shanahan, and Sean Payton calling the shots. For Lamb, it’s about the rare chance to soak in lessons from legends, and he’s excited about it.

“First of all, going to Saudi Arabia, that’s going to be different,” Lamb said. “Just being a part of a great group of men and being around a lot of legends and being in that friendship and camaraderie. I’m looking forward to learning and playing with a lot of guys that are great across this league.” His words tell the story of excitement mixed with curiosity, knowing this isn’t a typical offseason trip. Meanwhile, the tournament itself comes with a twist.

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Three teams will face off in a round-robin format, with the best two squads battling it out for the crown. And yes, the entertainment side is locked in too. Kevin Hart will host, with Fanatics, FOX Sports, and OBB Media partnering to deliver the event. Turki Alalshikh joins Brady in pushing the promotion globally. More details will come as the date gets closer.

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However, the recent process for a player like CeeDee Lamb to join this tournament has been anything but smooth.

CeeDee Lamb and others need permission to join Brady’s tournament

According to Mike Florio, the Dallas Cowboys gave the green light to Lamb to join Tom Brady’s flag football tournament in Saudi Arabia. “The Cowboys have responded by acknowledging that they have given permission to Lamb,” Florio said.

Now, the tournament sits well beyond the 2025 season and will be in late March, giving Lamb plenty of time before Cowboys camp kicks in. He won’t be skipping workouts or missing preparation for 2026. Still, the fact that he even needs approval shows how much control NFL teams can hold. If Dallas had wanted to, it could have blocked the whole thing.

“The Standard Player Contract allows teams to prevent players from playing football elsewhere,” Florio said. “It also gives teams the ability to secure a court order preventing the player from participating in other forms of football. The NFL has said that Brady’s Saudi Arabian flag-football tournament is not an NFL initiative. The league also said it’s up to the teams to decide whether to allow their players to participate.”

But Lamb won’t be the only name flying over. Stars like Saquon Barkley, Christian McCaffrey, and Tyreek Hill headline the list. Rookie tight end Brock Bowers gets in, too. On defense, Sauce Gardner, Myles Garrett, and Maxx Crosby bring some balance to the roster. It’s a lineup that screams All-Star showcase.

Still, Florio couldn’t pull answers from every team. The 49ers and Eagles admitted they are “looking into the issue.” However, the other teams stayed quiet. So far, the players look ahead of the curve with their clearance. And if Brady himself laces up, the stakes climb even higher.