Roger Goodell Sees Active NFL Talent Taking Center Stage at 2028 Olympics

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell expects NFL players to play for USA Flag Football team at the 2028 LA Summer Olympics.

Roger Goodell Sees Active NFL Talent Taking Center Stage at 2028 Olympics

Roger Goodell (Image via IMAGO)

Flag football will officially make its Olympic debut in Los Angeles in 2028. The NFL has permitted football players to enlist for the USA national flag football team.

One player from each NFL franchise can participate in the trials. They will only be allowed to join the final roster upon passing the first stage.

However, the current national team players are against the idea. From their point of view, only pro flag football players should represent the US in the Olympics.

The flag guys deserve their opportunity. That’s all we want. We felt like we worked hard to get the sport to where it’s at, and then when the NFL guys spoke about it, it was like we were getting kicked to the side.

US flag football team captain Darrell Doucette III said in an interview in 2025

Against their wishes, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is confident that the US will field several NFL athletes.

Absolutely. We approved it a year ago, and I’ve had a lot of players that have said, ‘We want to participate in that.’ It sets up really well because it’s before [training] camps. It’ll be the first week of the Olympics.

Roger Goodell said during a recent interview on Women’s Sports Now
RELATED
Jameis Winston Brought An Actual Goat To Watch Lionel Messi’s Historic Game Against Algeria

Team USA flag football team defeated the NFL all-stars

Flag football has quickly established itself as the sister sport of tackle football. Fans can thank the Pro Bowl games for increasing the sport’s popularity. The next step is making it a global phenomenon. There’s no better platform than the Olympics.

Roger Goodell Sees Active NFL Talent Taking Center Stage at 2028 Olympics
Tom Brady and Jake Paul (Image via IMAGO)

Before that, former NFL quarterback Tom Brady organized a three-team tournament (Fanatics Flag Football Classic) to kick off the hype train earlier in the year. The US flag football team was among the participants, and the other two teams were made up of NFL athletes and celebrity contributors.

Team USA won the FFFC, beating the other two teams. Brady led one of the teams, while Bengals star Joe Burrow captained the other one. Players like Jalen Hurts, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Saquon Barkley, Rob Gronkowski, and Odell Beckham Jr. participated in the tournament.

Jason Kelce makes a bold claim about NFL players wanting to participate in the Olympics

Jason Kelce, 38, has had to watch the Olympics from his couch his entire life. That’s because, unlike most sports, tackle football isn’t part of the Olympics. So, NFL players see flag football as a great opportunity to wear the nation’s colors at a major tournament.

I do know a lot of NFL guys do want to play [in the Olympics]. It’ll be interesting to see who makes the American flag football team. I will say unequivocally, I think every NFL player is very jealous of all the other sports [that] they get to represent their country, because that is something that we love watching.

Jason Kelce said in a recent segment of the New Heights podcast

The world is currently experiencing the best of what the USA has to offer in the ongoing FIFA World Cup. The USA has qualified for the round of 32 after consecutive wins over Paraguay and Australia.

Also Read: