Flag Football Olympics: QB Calls for Team Opportunity
- NFL players will have the opportunity to represent Team USA in flag football at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
- Darrell Doucette III, the team's quarterback, expressed his hope that he and his teammates would receive a fair chance to compete against the influx of professional football players.
- Doucette believes the current team possesses the talent to win gold in Los Angeles.
NFL players eye spots on Team USA’s flag football squad for the 2028 Olympics, raising the stakes for current national team members. Quarterback Darrell Doucette III voices his desire for the existing U.S. team to get a fair chance to compete against the influx of pro football talent in Los Angeles. He highlights the dedication and world-class achievements of the current flag football players, who have dominated the sport, securing five consecutive world championships. Doucette, who previously made headlines comparing his “IQ of the game” to that of Patrick Mahomes, believes this team has the talent to win gold. News Directory 3 provides updates on this evolving story. What does the future hold for flag football and the Olympics? Discover what’s next.
NFL Players Coudl Vie for Spot on Team USA’s Flag Football Olympics Squad
Updated May 26, 2025
NFL players will have the opportunity to represent Team USA in flag football at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. This development raises questions for current U.S. men’s national team members, who have held the top spot in world flag football rankings.
Darrell Doucette III, the team’s quarterback, expressed his hope that he and his teammates would receive a fair chance to compete against the influx of professional football players. He emphasized the dedication of current flag football players and thier desire not to be overlooked.
Quarterback Darrell Doucette during a game in Houston. (Leslie Plaza Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Doucette believes the current team possesses the talent to win gold in Los Angeles. He acknowledged the potential for NFL players to join the ranks but stressed the importance of recognizing the existing team’s achievements in flag football.
An Olympic rings flag at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. (Kirby Lee/Getty Images)
The men’s national team has secured five consecutive world championships, demonstrating their dominance in the sport.NFL owners recently gave unanimous approval for players to participate in flag football during the 2028 Olympics.
Doucette previously made headlines when he asserted that his “IQ of the game” made him a better flag football quarterback than Patrick Mahomes.
“The flag guys deserve their opportunity,” Doucette told The Washington Post. “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. I felt like I was the guy who could speak out for my peers, for my brothers that’s been working hard to get to this level, for us not to be forgotten.”
kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes during a game against the Denver Broncos. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann, File)
“this is a sport that we’ve played for a long time, and we feel like we are the best at it and we don’t need other guys,” he told the outlet. “But we all have one goal in mind, and that’s to represent our country. We’re definitely open to all competition. If those guys come in and ball out and they’re better than us, hats off to them. Go win that gold medal for our country.”
“Ultimately, I feel like I’m better than Patrick mahomes because of my IQ of the game. I know he’s right now the best in the league, I know he’s more accurate, I know he has all these intangibles – but when it comes to flag football, I feel like I know more than him,” he told TMZ Sports last year.
What’s next
As the 2028 Olympics approach, the selection process for Team USA’s flag football team will be closely watched. The potential inclusion of NFL players adds a new layer of competition and intrigue to the sport, while current national team members aim to prove their worth on the Olympic stage.