Flag football at Olympics: NFL players will reportedly be approved to take part in 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles
When flag football makes its debut at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, the NFL should have a presence. League team owners are expected to vote Tuesday in favor of NFL players taking part in the event at the Summer Games, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.
It's one of three major proposals league owners will debate at their May meetings this week. Club owners are also expected to vote on whether to ban the tush push and whether to alter how the playoffs are seeded. Both of those votes are expected Wednesday, per Schefter.
While NFL players are expected to be approved to take part in flag football at the Olympics, some details regarding their participation may still need to be sorted out. The 2028 Summer Olympics will take place between July 14 and July 30. That's right around when NFL training camps typically open, meaning the league and its teams will need to figure out how players can participate in the Olympics but still be ready for the NFL season.
The league reportedly has some ideas in place for how player participation will work, per Schefter. If the proposal is adopted, any player with an NFL contract will be eligible for Olympic flag football tryouts. One player per NFL team can appear on a national team, though a designated international player will be allowed to play for their home country, per Schefter. Teams will also get insurance policies and salary cap relief if a player is injured during the Olympics.
Those restrictions are subject to league negotiations with both the NFLPA and "Olympics-related entities."
The NFL views flag football as critical in its plans for international growth. And there is expected buy-in from players, Yahoo Sports' Charles Robinson reported:
George Atallah, a former high-ranking executive with the NFL Players Association for the past 16 years, has been talking to NFL players for years about the possibility of the Olympic experience. Now the founder and CEO of SOMEBODY consulting firm, Atallah's years of union experience gave him a blunt vantage: If there are coaches and front-office executives out there assuming star players won't get on board with being an Olympian in flag football, they're wrong.
'I disagree that stars won't want to play,' Atallah said. 'NFL players would be geeked. My opinion, from talking to players the last couple years about this, is that star players absolutely want to participate. And if the closest high-profile analog sport is the NBA, almost all of the players who have won a gold medal who are superstars, point to that medal as one of the top two highlights of their careers. And I think the same is going to be true for American NFL superstars. The gold medal, it just hits different when you've got the American flag behind it.'
USA Football already has men's and women's flag football teams. Both clubs won the gold at the Flag Football World Championships in August. The men's team that took part in that event was comprised of non-NFL players. It's unclear what will happen with those players if NFL players are allowed to take part in the Olympics.
The 2028 Summer Olympics will be the first time flag football will be part of the games. The setup and rules of the event will differ from NFL-style football.
Each team will feature 10 players total. Five players from each team can take the field at a time. Teams will play two 20-minute halves at the Games.
The field will be smaller than a regulation NFL field. The Olympics will feature a 70x25-yard field, including 10 yards for each end zone. Teams will begin on their own 5-yard line and have four downs to make it halfway down the field. Teams can elect to run or pass on each play. A down ends when a flag is removed from a player, when they go out of bounds or when a forward pass hits the ground.
If a team reaches the halfway point in four downs, they have four more downs to score a touchdown. If they are unable to do that, the other team takes possession of the ball on its own 5-yard line.
After a touchdown is scored, a team can elect to go for an extra point by running a play from the 5-yard line. A team can also go for two points from the 10-yard line.
If teams are tied after 40 minutes of play, each team will receive possessions until one team achieves an unanswered score.
Given the popularity of football in the United States, Team USA is expected to be a favorite to win the gold at the event.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
43 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Historic College Football Program Lands Former National Championship Coach
Historic College Football Program Lands Former National Championship Coach originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Tennessee Volunteers made an addition to their coaching staff Monday. CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz reported the Volunteers hired defensive assistant coach Marion Hobby. Advertisement An ex-Tennessee first-team All-SEC player, Hobby will serve as a defensive analyst for the Volunteers. "Hobby, a former All-SEC player at Tennessee, has coached in four NFL conference championship games (Saints, Jaguars, Bengals 2x) and a Super Bowl," Zenitz posted on X. "Hobby was also part of Clemson's 2016 national championship team." Hobby spent the past four seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals as their defensive line coach. The longtime assist had been an NFL defensive line coach since 2017. From 2017-18, he coached the Jacksonville Jaguars defensive line. Before joining the Bengals, Hobby coached for the Miami Dolphins from 2019-20. New Tennessee Volunteers defensive assistant Marion Hobby© Albert Cesare-Imagn Images Hobby played defensive end at Tennessee in the late 1980s. The Minnesota Vikings drafted him at No. 74 overall during the third round of the 1990 NFL Draft. Advertisement Hobby never appeared in a game for the Vikings, but he played 42 contests for the New England Patriots. The defensive end began his coaching career as a strength and conditioning coach for the Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks in 1995. Hobby was an assistant strength and conditioning coach with Tennessee's 1998 national championship team. He received his first opportunity to coach a defensive line unit with the Ole Miss Rebels in 1999. Hobby coached at Ole Miss for five years and then spent one season with the Clemson Tigers before jumping to the NFL with the New Orleans Saints. After two seasons with the Saints, Hobby returned to the college ranks with the Duke Blue Devils. He then became co-defensive coordinator at Clemson from 2011-16 before going back to the NFL. Advertisement Clearly, Hobby will bring decades of experience to the Tennessee defensive staff. "The Volunteers are hoping to get back to the College Football Playoff, and adding an experienced coach who knows what it takes to succeed in Knoxville is a huge move," wrote On3's Steve Samra. Related: Tennessee Football Gets Good News on Coveted Running Back This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 9, 2025, where it first appeared.


USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Former Ohio State tight end Jeremy Ruckert responds to being reunited with Justin Fields
Former Ohio State tight end Jeremy Ruckert responds to being reunited with Justin Fields Former Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields seems to have found himself a new opportunity to seize a major role in the NFL with the New York Jets after signing a two-year deal with the club. A byproduct of that is that he gets a chance to reconnect with a couple of other former Buckeyes that he played with in Columbus. We've already heard from receiver Garrett Wilson on his excitement to play with the former Heisman Finalist and first-round NFL draft pick, but the electric receiver isn't the only former OSU player donning a Jets uniform. Former tight end Jeremy Ruckert, who played for Ohio State from 2018 to 2021, got to block for and catch passes from Fields on the banks of the Olentangy for two years. So yeah, he too has some history with the guy the Jets' brass hopes turns around the fortunes of the J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets. Ruckert was asked by the New York media what it means to be playing with his college teammate again, and was excited more for the team than himself. "Any time you get a chance to reconnect with one of your teammates, whether it's in the League or college, it's great,: Ruckert told reporters. "I'm excited where we're going as a team and the culture we're setting, and I think he's (Fields) perfect for that role, and just these last couple of weeks to get back on the same page and get our timing right with all the guys. It's been special to be a part of that, but also kind of get the other guys rolling and continue to grow as a unit." If you are an Ohio State fan, there aren't too many storylines that jump out more than what Fields does in New York. If he can use his athletic gifts the right way and still find a way to stay poised and present in the pocket, we could see a budding star coming to light just a little later than we thought. Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on X.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Trent Williams Has Strong Words Amid Retirement Speculation
Trent Williams Has Strong Words Amid Retirement Speculation originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Trent Williams has anchored the left side of the San Francisco 49er's offensive line since being acquired in 2020, and at 36 years old, speculation around his future remain intact. The three-time First-Team All-Pro remains one of the league's highest-graded offensive tackles, earning an 85.6 overall grade from Pro Football Focus in 2024 — sixth amongst offensive tackles. Advertisement Originally selected fourth overall in the 2010 NFL Draft by Washington, Williams has played 14 NFL seasons, the last five with the San Francisco 49ers in which he's led an offensive line that carried the team to multiple Super Bowl appearances. He started 10 games for the 49ers in the 2024 regular season, yet the 49ers season still ended in disappointment. After finishing with a 6-11 record gifting them the eleventh overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft, rumors began to circulate of Williams' replacement being selected. San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Trent Williams Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports The veteran left tackle addressed the growing retirement chatter this week, along with his commitment to playing in the NFL long-term. 'I'm definitely not going to retire with something left in the tank,' Williams said. Williams also noted that when the time does come to step away, he plans to give the 49ers' front office advance notice to ensure they have time to prepare for his replacement. Advertisement In addition to protecting Brock Purdy's blind side, he's a vocal leader and locker room cornerstone in Kyle Shanahan's offense. As the 49ers reload for another Super Bowl run, Williams' words reinforce a clear message — he's not done. Related: Trent Williams Attends 49ers OTAs This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 11, 2025, where it first appeared.