Non-basketball Dream Team on Horizon: NFL Approves That Their Players Can Participate in LA Olympics Flag Football

Both professional American football players and the sport discipline in which they are just permitted to participate will make their Olympic debuts after NFL owners voted to allow their players to compete in flag football at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

Photo: Josh Allen, potential quarterback for Team USA at the LA Olympics

The summer of 2028 will see NFL players vying for gold at the biggest global sporting event. Players from the world’s strongest professional American football league will be able to test out for flag football at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles after the NFL owners passed a resolution on that. No more than one player from each team may represent the US, and also, each club’s designated international player may compete on behalf of their nation. The National Olympic Committees of each nation, including the US Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC), will select rosters of 10 athletes.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) agreed in October 2023 to include flag football for the first time in the history of the Games; therefore, this decision was expected. This means that NFL players will have their maiden Olympic appearance, which resembles the situation when NBA players first got an opportunity to appear in the Olympics, which was in 1992, forming a “Dream Team” that had no match in the event.

Regular U.S. Flag National Team Members Not Happy with NFL Players’ Possibility to Squeeze Into Squad

The NFL won’t be involved in the actual process of choosing which players will play for Team USA. That duty falls to USA Football, the organization responsible for choosing, preparing, and coaching the U.S. National Teams in flag football and tackle football.

Flag football competitions already exist all around the world, but only a few are semi-professional, while others are mostly amateur. One of these national leagues is the American Flag Football League. Hence, the big moral dilemma pops out: is it fair that NFL players are allowed to compete in the Olympics? Numerous media outlets in the United States have already reported that regular members of that country’s national flag team, the U.S. Flag National Team, aren’t happy that NFL stars think they can just walk into the national team and push them off the roster. How NFL players adapt to flag football is another question.

What Exactly Is Flag Football?

Unlike American football, flag football is played without physically tackling opponents. Instead, players wear rectangular markers around their waists, and the goal of the defense is to stop the offensive action by pulling these markers. The rules are, however, based on American football.

Flag football is popular because it is easier to organize (no extensive protective equipment, goals, etc. are required), safer, and more accessible, which is especially good for children and recreational players. It can be played with five, seven, or nine players on each team at any one time on the field. Accordingly, the dimensions of the field vary—it’s certainly smaller than for American football.

Olympic Flag Football Predictions: United States Will Win in 2028 Games

The world’s largest sports stage will host the high-octane, non-contact version of America’s favorite sport, and sportsbooks are already launching a variety of alluring prop bets and futures markets.

As anticipated, Team USA is a strong favorite of sites for American football betting to win the gold because of the country’s unmatched American football prowess. Intriguing player-specific markets, such as the likelihood that a current college player will make the starting lineup or who’ll start at quarterback for Team USA, are available to gamblers in addition to team futures.

Given that Team USA is rated at -300 at the moment, which indicates an almost 75% chance of winning gold, the oddsmakers aren’t definitely hedging their wagers. Given that the United States has the largest pool of top American football players and that several current and former NFL players are already known to be interested in playing, this shouldn’t be shocking. Only in the event that Team USA decides not to deploy elite players does the “Rest of World” side at +200 offer value. It would take a perfect storm of circumstances—injuries, indifference, or anarchy—for the Americans to lose unless there’s a last-minute change in strategy.

One of the prop bets that attracts gamblers’ attention is who’ll start at quarterback for Team USA. Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens leads the odds board at +200 because of his explosive dual-threat style, which is ideal for the fast-paced flag football format. The current NFL MVP, Josh Allen, is in third place (+500), as he provides value with his athleticism and improvisational flair.