The ideal Olympic flag football roster of NFLers should be weird. So weird.
The ideal Olympic flag football roster of NFLers should be weird. So weird.
America does not need a dream team. Not when it comes to flag football.
While the idea of megapowers forgoing NFL rivalries to drop some 1992 USA vs. Angola final scores on the 2028 Summer Olympics is tempting, it's unnecessary. We know the rest of the world is acclimating slowly to American football. European professional teams occasionally schedule games against our Division III college football teams. It's rarely pretty.
If Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology can beat Germany's Landsberg X-Press 82-0, Team USA probably doesn't need Josh Allen and Justin Jefferson to lock in a gold medal. While the 2028 Games will present an opportunity to grow the sport at a global level, it's also an easy way to funnel gold to the host nation in Los Angeles. Thus, my 2028 Olympics flag football wish list isn't NFL all-stars. It's a weird collection of extremely fun players who'll still win most games 38-6.
An Olympic flag football roster consists of 12 players -- five on the field at any given time. While players can specialize on one side of the ball or the other, it makes sense to load up on athletes who can excel on offense and defense. The offense is typically a quarterback, three receivers/running backs and a center, who snaps the ball and is then an eligible target. The defense is a mix of defensive backs, but players can also rush the quarterback as long as they're at least seven yards from the line of scrimmage when the ball is snapped.
Now that we know what the lineup will look like on the field, let's get a little weird with it:
Quarterback: Diego Pavia (currently enrolled at Vanderbilt University)
LOS ANGELES, WE'RE GETTING [EXPLETIVE] TURNT
Running back: Bryson Daily (currently enrolled at Army)
Daily is basically just a second mobile quarterback out of the backfield, albeit with more running chops than Pavia. Will his option game or physical running translate to flag football? No. Does it matter? Also, no.
Wide receiver/cornerback: Jacksonville Jaguars WR/CB Travis Hunter
OK, I know I said we shouldn't send our best NFL players to Los Angeles. But Hunter's highlight reels after dismantling Belgium with six touchdowns of 60 yards or more would be too incredible to pass up.
Wide receiver/running back: Denver Broncos WR/KR Marvin Mims
Mims is a two-time All-Pro as a returner. He also averaged 13 yards per catch (YAC) despite his average reception coming less than one yard downfield. No one in the league is better than running away from people.
Wide receiver/running back: Detroit Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs
11.4 yards after catch per reception. 5.6 yards per carry, 3.3 of which came before contact. Sure, some of that is because of the Lions' offensive line and Ben Johnson's scheme, but Gibbs is effectively a game of keep-away unto himself.
Running back: Darren Sproles (retired in 2019)
Sproles will be 45 years old in 2028. He will score eight touchdowns against Latvia. If he can't make it, Deuce Vaughn, another 5-foot-6 waterbug back out of Kansas State, can take his place.
Wide receiver/running back: Washington Commanders WR Deebo Samuel
Samuel will be 32 years old in 2028 and likely to have lost a step. We still stan a YAC king.
Defensive back: Chicago Bears CB Tyrique Stevenson
One of the few viable strategies against a roster of NFL players is to spam Hail Marys. And every Hail Mary is more interesting with Stevenson on the field.
Defensive back/center: Seattle Seahawks S Nick Emmanwori
Emmanwori is a meat missile at 6-foot-3 and 227 pounds with 4.3-second 40 speed. Flag football isn't the best setting for his downhill thumping style, but does work in a "wind him up, let him blast off" setting and as the guy who snaps the ball, then blasts whomever is rushing the passer out of their cleats before settling in for a 10-yard route.
Defensive back: Leonard Moore (currently enrolled at Notre Dame)
Guy knocked down 11 passes as a freshman for the Irish. He's gonna be a full-on problem by 2028.
Defensive back: Toronto Blue Jays OF Daulton Varsho
Look guys, center field is center field.
Rusher: Dallas Cowboys EDGE Micah Parsons
Foreign quarterbacks should leave Los Angeles with post traumatic stress disorder.
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