An NFL executive told Reuters that some young NFL stars have expressed interest in playing for the U.S. flag football team if the sport is included in the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles. On Monday, LA28 organizers formally asked that flag football for the men’s and women’s competitions and four other sports be added to the event. Final approval of the program is expected to come when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) meets later this month in Mumbai.
Unlike tackle football, flag football is played without pads or contact, allowing players of all ages to participate safely. The sport is increasing worldwide and has become popular in the United States, where it is often used to get kids involved in fitness and athleticism. The NFL has been working to promote the sport for years, and a presence at the Olympics would help its push to expand the game globally.
Tyreek Hill, a wide receiver for the Miami Dolphins, recently encouraged NFL players to sign up to play flag football at the Olympics, posting on messaging app X – formerly known as Twitter – “Calling all @NFL guys, let’s bring one home.” The message was about the possibility of the sport debuting at the 2020 Games in Tokyo.
Although there is no guarantee the request will be approved, bringing flag football to the Olympics would be a significant win for the NFL and its efforts to market itself to younger athletes. Many parents have paused to allow their children to play tackle football because of concerns about the sport’s impact on the brain, but the addition of flag football could help draw more people to the sport and help reduce its perceived dangers.
Christopher Dyke, a special needs player on the Special Olympics Arizona flag football team, also sees a chance for his sport to make an Olympic splash. The 21-year-old, who is deaf and uses hand signals to communicate with his coaches on the sidelines, plays several positions in flag football but says he prefers wide receiver.
The IOC has recently been looking for ways to entice a younger audience and has added skateboarding, climbing, and 3-on-3 basketball to the Olympics. The decision to add a version of American football to the Games will likely meet with similar enthusiasm worldwide, though it may be a bit of a wait before a competition.
The Olympic host committee can recommend up to five sports not regularly featured at the games, and LA28 organizers will likely push hard for their proposed choices. In addition to flag football, they will recommend a return of baseball/women’s softball, cricket, and lacrosse to the Olympics for the first time. The IOC will make a final decision at its annual meeting in Mumbai this month. The IOC has a habit of approving most of the host city’s requests for additional events, but it occasionally rejects proposals that it feels need to be revised.
