NFL flag vote sees Olympic ‘Dream Team’ move closer

With NFL players granted permission to play flag football at the 2028 Olympics, the possibility of an “dream team” of American football has come a long way.

In October 2023, the NFL’s LA 2028 program was updated to include flag football, which sparked rumors that the NBA would play like the NBA’s Dream Team from the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona.

Since then, the league has collaborated with its teams, the NFL Players Association, and national federations to provide access to NFL players.

Additionally, team owners unanimously approved a resolution that will allow NFL players to play their Olympic debut at the NFL’s spring league meeting on Tuesday in Minnesota.

One team member per team and any team’s designated international player will be allowed to participate.

For an international player like Louis Rees-Zammit, who will play for the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2024 season, all 32 teams are allowed to add an additional spot to their practice squad roster.

The most tolerant and accessible form of American football is the flag. Millions of people worldwide watch this quick, non-contact version of the game.

Defenders must pull a “flag” from the attacking player’s waist with the ball in place of tackling.

The rapid expansion of the women’s game, one of the fastest-growing sports in the world, was essential to flag’s victory in the 2028 Olympic election.

The International Federation of American Football (Ifaf), which has 75 member nations, governs the flag.

There were 20 million players playing in the world’s flag football world championships last year, according to the NFL, with a record 31 countries participating.

Five-on-five football will be played with a team’s defense and offense on the field against various opponents.

Six men’s and six women’s teams will compete, each with ten players per team.

On the advice of the respective national federations, such as USA Football, national Olympic committees will select Olympic rosters.

The NFL will now work with the NFLPA, Ifaf, and other relevant Olympic authorities to put rules in place that will require players to undergo a try-out or qualification process before participating in the nations’ national flag football team.

NFL players will compete with well-known flag players and “talent-transfer athletes from other sports,” according to USA Football’s CEO Scott Hallenbeck.

Hallenbeck continued, “We have a lot of responsibility ahead of us in selecting, training, and leading the US men’s and women’s national teams for LA28.”

“We’re fortunate to have a talent pool that already includes well-known flag footballers, who have helped USA Football achieve a gold-medal standard in international competition. Our ability to create the best US men’s national team possible only increases when NFL players are added.

Brian Asamoah, the Minnesota Vikings linebacker, stated to BBC Sport, “You can’t just count out the guys that play flag football.

Before switching to tackle football, many NFL players developed their flag skills, but since then the Pro Bowl has evolved from an end-of-season all-star game to a week-long series of skill contests culminating in a game of flag football.

Justin Jefferson, the star wide receiver for the Vikings between 2023 and 2025, said, “To think about the chances of playing in the Olympics and winning a gold medal is a dream.”

I must make a decision on that, without a doubt. The body will be different in three years, but I’ve always wanted to fight for your country.

While Patrick Mahomes, a two-time MVP, and another star receiver, Tyreek Hill, have both stated they want to play, he “definitely wants to.”

Given the rise in international players and their caliber, Asamoah, who has a Ghanaian heritage, stressed that the 2028 Olympics are not just about the prospect of representing Team USA.

He said, “I’ve put 10 or 11 Ghanaian players in a group chat to share the news, and there are now.” Everyone in the group is excited, and the word is definitely spreading.

Asamoah warned that 2028 will not just be a procession to gold for Team USA, as it was for their NBA stars at Barcelona 1992, when he attended a football camp in Ghana earlier this year. It was one of many programs aimed at spreading flag football all over the world.

If you simply stack the stars from our league, Team USA’s talent will be a little crazy. Asamoah continued, “I believe that would resemble a Dream Team.”

“But then you have to face a team like Ghana, where you could have a fast, 6’1” player who is also 240 pounds, and who is just playing some crazy things.