NFL Commissioner Makes Sweeping Statement About Team USA’s Participation in Flag Football at 2028 Olympics

Roger Goodell has given the green light for the USA Football Committee to appoint NFL players to the 2028 Olympic flag football team.

NFL Commissioner Makes Sweeping Statement About Team USA’s Participation in Flag Football at 2028 Olympics

Roger Goodell (Image via AP)

As the preparation to host the 2028 Olympics gains traction in Los Angeles, the NFL has cleared all regulatory hurdles for the selection of the flag football team. Team USA is expected to put its best foot forward and send the top athletes from the NFL to represent the nation in the first edition of the sport on the international stage.

While the official roster has yet to be confirmed by the NFL, Commissioner Roger Goodell has given the green light, allowing USA Football to make its picks from the stacked talent in the league. In his recent press conference at the ownership meeting, the Commissioner shed light on how the process will work while stating the NFL will not have any direct involvement in the team selection.

“That’s actually a function of USA Football that will be making that decision. The NFL will not have any involvement in that selection process,”

Goodell said, as reported via Pro Football Talk.

While the league will not be directly involved in picking players, it will exercise a considerable amount of influence on the process. USA Football’s bylaws state that the NFL’s Commissioner, i.e., Roger Goodell, shall have the power to appoint three members to the board. At present, two members have already been appointed by Goodell.

Green Bay Packers CEO Mark Murphy and Indianapolis Colts COO Pete Ward are serving on the current board. Goodell has yet to appoint a third member to the existing board. Since this will be the first time flag football will be an Olympic sport, the appointments to the Board of Directors of USA Football are an ongoing process.

The NFL will vest indirect powers in the selection of Team USA’s roster for its flag football team

A total of 15 members are to be constituted on the board; however, presently, just 11 members have been appointed as per USA Football’s official website. Two of those members, Pete Chiarelli and Dr. Gerard Gioia, had their terms expire in 2024, but it is not clear if they will continue to serve on the board or if they will be replaced.

Roger Goodell
Roger Goodell (Image via AP)

As per USA Football’s bylaws, each director is appointed to a three-year term on the board, and all directors can serve no longer than two consecutive terms. However, there is no bar on a board member serving over two non-consecutive terms. There is a reason for the board spots being left vacant; the remaining appointments will be made carefully, and Roger Goodell is likely to have some influence in deciding who takes over those seats.

The constitution of the board is important, as it is the first step before the board can begin to contemplate the process to select the 2028 men’s flag football team. The NFL Commissioner has influence over part of the committee, which means he has indirect influence over the selection process and the structure of the team.

The persisting delay is likely due to the fact that USA Football is attempting to figure out how to structure the roster, and who to appoint to ensure the entire process is wrinkle-free. The expectations are high from the board, and to live up to them, they cannot act in haste.

The next milestone on the road to forming the first USA flag football Olympic team will be to confirm the appointment of the remaining board members. As this is a first for the sport, Team USA will be expected to go all-in and win the gold medal. After all, the elite talent lies in the States, and a dream team will be assembled to ensure the victory, too, lies with the host country.

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