Rob Gronkowski opens up about Tom Brady's rank among current QBs as 7x Super Bowl winner plans return to football

Rob Gronkowski said Tom Brady would remain one of the league’s top quarterbacks if the seven-time Super Bowl champion stepped back under center. His remarks came as Brady gets ready for an international flag football showcase next spring in Saudi Arabia.

The quarterback-tight end tandem piled up thousands of yards, nearly a hundred touchdowns and championships.

Gronkowski gave his assessment on Wednesday's episode of "Up & Adams," where he was asked how Brady might fare against today’s signal-callers.

"I would just take out if Tom could not be hit at all, you know? " Gronkowski said. "I mean, I probably would say that's probably why he's not playing anymore. And the reasons because, you know, 48 years old and you get hit by a D-lineman, that's 23-year-olds, and he knew he was going to be a clean pocket every single time he steps up.

"And he was playing in the NFL, I would say he'd be better than probably about 20 of the starting quarterbacks right now, easily. He'd be top 12 right now."

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Brady finished his NFL career with the Buccaneers in 2022, recording nearly 4,700 passing yards and 25 touchdowns at age 45.

Tom Brady will come back for the flag football showcase

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The conversation came as Tom Brady transitions into a new field. He has teamed up with Michael Rubin and Fox Sports to launch the Fanatics Flag Football Classic, set for March 21, 2026, in Riyadh.

The round-robin tournament will feature three squads built from current and former stars, with games played on a shortened field under Olympic-style rules.

Myles Garrett, Saquon Barkley, Christian McCaffrey, CeeDee Lamb, Tyreek Hill, Odell Beckham Jr., Sauce Gardner and Maxx Crosby have agreed to participate. The teams will be coached by Sean Payton, Kyle Shanahan and Pete Carroll.

Brady made it clear that he will be paired with Gronkowski again, saying he would never line up against the tight end.

The event will take place before flag football's Olympic debut in Los Angeles in 2028. Brady also suggested that the event in Riyadh will help promote the game worldwide.

“I’ve always admired the power of flag football, the fastest-growing sport in the world, and how it connects fans of all ages,” Brady said on Tuesday, via ESPN. "I want to help continue the global movement and momentum that our game is having.”

Brady added that he plans to approach the event with the same intensity that defined his playing career.