The NFL’s Olympic dream is no longer a distant possibility; it’s rapidly becoming a reality. Just last month, an NFL executive pondered the possibility of a professional flag football league before the 2028 LA Olympics. With the anticipation for flag football’s historic debut on the global stage increasing, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is leaving little room for doubt about players taking the field for the country.

“Absolutely,” said Goodell in a recent interview on ESPN’s Women’s Sports Now. “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 camp. It would be the first week of the Olympics next player. These players are competitors, and they love the big stage. To win a gold medal or any medal is something I think they would all treasure. They talk about it all the time, so I absolutely believe we’re going to have players in the Olympics, active players and probably some retired players.”

Executives did not just drive the push to join the Olympics. It was heavily demanded by the players themselves. NFL stars like Justin Jefferson of the Vikings aggressively lobbied team owners for the chance to win a gold medal. By approving the move, Commissioner Roger Goodell kept the league’s top talent happy. But it may not be the only reason behind approving the players’ participation.

The league views the Olympics as a launchpad for long-term international revenue. The NFL is using this momentum to build its own professional flag football structures, drive international jersey and merchandise sales, and increase the value of its future overseas television broadcasting rights.

“I know firsthand that the inclusion of flag football in the Olympics has sparked a tremendous amount of excitement among NFL players interested in the chance to compete for their country on the world stage. We are thrilled that they will now have that chance,” said Goodell in a statement after approving the players.

Following this announcement, several standout NFL players opened up about their desire to represent their nations in the Olympics. Miami Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill stood among the first stars to lobby for it. To that end, he also pushed the notion of assembling a “super team” for the Olympics. Meanwhile, Patrick Mahomes said:

“I definitely want to [compete in the Olympics]. I’ve seen some of those guys play flag football, and they’re a little faster than I am,” said Mahomes in a 2023 press conference.

In the same press conference, the Kansas City Chiefs QB also touched upon the difference between flag football and football are different from each other. Unlike standard 11-on-11 NFL tackle football, Olympic flag football is significantly different.

Flag football prioritizes extreme speed, rapid changes of direction, and elite spatial awareness. From the 5-on-5 format to a smaller playing field with 70 x 25 yards (including 10-yard end zones), there are multiple differentiations. Among the many, the primary is that the flag football game consists of two fast-paced, 20-minute halves.

And the NFL players, who are interested in playing flag football, are well aware of this particular fact.

NFL Player reflects on the opportunity to represent their nation in the Olympics

Before the announcement about flag football’s debut at the 2028 LA Olympics, the NFL players did not have a lot of knowledge about how things worked in the sport.

“If I’m being honest, we’re still trying to learn the rules today, so it’s a little different for us from the NFL,” said Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase.

While there are differences in rules, Bills safety Damar Hamlin pointed out the similarities between the two sports.

“Fundamentals are fundamentals,” he said. “When you talk about football [compared] to flag, there are just a few fundamentals that you have to take out. There’s really no blocking, there’s really no tackling, but there’s still catching, there’s throwing.”

Earlier this year, several NFL stars even tried their hands at the sport against the U.S. Men’s National Flag Football Team. The Fanatics Flag Football Classic took place on March 21 between three teams. Founders FFC and Wildcats FFC came in with a mix of NFL players such as Joe Burrow, Jalen Hurts, Stefon Diggs, and other sporting personalities.

Meanwhile, the nation’s flag football team participated in the tournament as Team USA. In a competition of four games, they comfortably breezed through the NFL-player-consisting teams to win. Team USA defeated Burrow’s Wildcats FFC 39-16. Then they neutralized Hurts’ Founders FFC 43-16. And in the finals, they again defeated the Wildcats 24-14.

So, the lack of familiarity with the sport was evident. Now, only time will tell how well the NFL players can prepare to live their Olympic dream.