One of the more exciting parts of the Olympics each year is the new sports that debut. Fans love to see different athletes take on the challenges of a new sport and in 2028, we are getting a very entertaining one being added.

Flag football is expected to debut at the Olympics in Los Angeles, attracting the attention of many of the NFL players participating. After it was announced, fans started dreaming about what the Team USA roster may look like with all the talent that the NFL has to offer.

But if the NFL players do indeed take up roster spots on the Team USA squad, that would leave little to no room for the actual flag football players. This didn’t sit well with quarterback Darrell Doucette of the USA national flag football team.

He believes it’s disrespectful to the players who helped get the sport to the Olympics and called out the NFL players.

“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. Give the guys who helped this game get to where it’s at their respect.”

While Doucette has a point that the NFL players didn’t help get the sport to the Olympics, the Games are all about having the best of the best compete. Similar to how Team USA just won the gold medal in both men’s and women’s basketball with NBA and WNBA players, flag football will likely do the same.

Putting the NFL players on the biggest international stage would be a massive boost to the overall brand of football and help the game grow. The Olympics are about entertainment and competitiveness, something that the NFL does extremely well.

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is even the global flag ambassador for the kickstart flag football being at the Olympics in 2028.

“The Olympic handover from Paris to Los Angeles is an amazing opportunity to have our global flag ambassador Jalen Hurts kickstart the excitement around the inclusion of men’s and women’s flag football in the 2028 program,” said Peter O’Reilly, executive vice president of club business, international and league events. “As one of the fastest growing sports globally, flag football has incredible momentum, and LA28 will spotlight the sport at the highest level and on the world’s biggest stage.”

The final roster will likely include most NFL players, but maybe some of the national team’s guys can make the cut. Competition does breed success, and the United States flag football team should be one of the more fun to watch in 2028.

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