The Olympics is a prestigious tournament and with the introduction of flag football in the 2028 LA Games, several NFL players are eyeing to play in the mega event. Flag football is the closest sport an NFL player can contend for a spot in, but those existing players of the sport have raised questions about their potential entry.
US flag football QB Darrell Doucette thinks it’s “disrespectful” for NFL players to assume they’ll get a roster spot for the Summer Games in 2028.
“I think it’s disrespectful that they just automatically assume that they’re able to just join the Olympic team because of the person that they are; they didn’t help grow this game to get to the Olympics,” Doucette said via New York Post.
There are a lot of differences between flag football and the NFL. Flag football is a non-contact game, as there is no tackling and defenders can pull the flag to stop the runner. There are also major differences when it comes to rules, protective gear, and even number of players on the field.
NFL Players Interested in Olympic Flag Football
Despite major differences between the two sports, there are several NFL players who have subtly expressed their interest in representing Team USA when the sports debut at LA28.
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow publicly said playing in the Olympics is a “dream.” He has already played in flag football events leading up to LA28.
“I’ve always wanted to play in the Olympics,” Burrow said in a press conference at the Fanatics Flag Football Classic. “I’ve never necessarily played an Olympic sport before, so when this got announced, I was pretty excited about it.
“The opportunity to win a gold medal (is) something that I’ve thought about — a moment like that — for a long time, since I was a kid. I think it would be something very special.”
Seven-time Super Bowl champion and retired legendary quarterback Tom Brady has also spoken about his interest in representing Team USA in flag football at the 2028 Summer Games.
“If I ever wanted to come in as an advisory role, as a coach, something like that, that’s probably better suited for me,” Brady said. “I’ll let the young Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen get out there and try to win a gold medal for the US.”
Several players, including Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, Davante Adams, Stefon Diggs, Alvin Kamara, Jalen Ramsey and Derwin James played in the 2026 Fanatics Flag Football Classic so even they might be interested in playing in the sport in 2028.
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