NFL players could add “gold medal winner” to their football resume, but they’re not going to be hitting the gridiron in full pads to face other countries in their American-born sport. On Tuesday, May 20, the NFL voted unanimously to allow its players to compete in flag football at the 2028 Olympic Games.
What needs to be worked out before the 2028 Olympics?
There are still numerous logistical hurdles to get through before the next “Dream Team” is formed, starting with negotiations between the league and the players’ union about how it will all come together. But the union is already on board with the resolution.
The NFL will discuss international ground rules with Olympic authorities and the national governing bodies in various participating countries. The league must also negotiate injury protections for players through insurance policies, and standards need to be set for field surfaces and player medical care. Despite the work that still needs to be done, Commissioner Roger Goodell met with reporters afterwards to celebrate the vote.
“I think this news represents a great opportunity for the sport, for the NFL,” Goodell said. “It’s truly the next step in making NFL football, and football, a global sport for men and women of all ages and all opportunities across the globe. We think that’s the right thing to do, and this is a big step in accomplishing that.”
Why is the NFL jumping into flag football?
It’s yet another signal of the league’s support for the flag version of its game. They believe it boosts youth participation and expands the fan base. Tuesday’s vote puts a one-player-per-NFL-team limit on a single country’s roster. So, for instance, Team USA cannot sign Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase if both still play for the Bengals in 2028.
“For our players, we think it’s a tremendous opportunity for them to represent their country, to compete for a gold medal, which is the pinnacle of global sports,” Goodell said.
NFL stars like Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, Miami receiver Tyreek Hill and Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson have expressed interest in playing.
“To think about the chances of playing in the Olympics and getting a gold medal is a dream,” Jefferson said during Tuesday’s announcement. “Reverting back to being a kid watching track and field meets, watching basketball win the gold medal, that’s something as a kid I always wanted to be a part of.”
The announcement is also another step in the league’s push to create a global brand, as flag football is accessible to a broader pool of athletes. During his State of the League press conference at the 2025 Super Bowl, Goodell announced the NFL’s plan to create a professional flag football league for both men and women.
What are some issues that could linger?
When all the logistical issues are ironed out, one remaining concern will be whether owners will allow franchise players who are worth hundreds of millions of dollars to participate. Jeopardizing an upcoming season and possibly a career for a summer of flag football practices and games doesn’t seem like something the billionaires writing the big checks would be in favor of.
In an extreme example, the New England Patriots’ then-rookie running back Robert Edwards suffered a career-ending knee injury while playing flag football on a beach in Hawaii during the 1999 Pro Bowl festivities. The first-round draft pick tore three ligaments and missed three full years before returning for one season with the Miami Dolphins.
That said, many of the game’s biggest stars already have experience playing flag football in the Pro Bowl Games, which began in 2023. The Los Angeles Olympics are scheduled to start July 14, 2028, and run until July 30. NFL players are typically off during most of that period, with training camps opening the final week of July.
More news could be coming from the league meetings in Minneapolis Wednesday, May 21, when the owners are scheduled to vote on whether to ban the infamous tush push play and decide on a proposal that would change the current playoff format seeding.
