NFL owners to vote on 2028 Olympics flag football participation; which Saints should play?
A recent report by Tom Pelissero of NFL Network provides some clarity, reporting that NFL owners will be discussing a resolution to the process at this week's annual league meetings, and this could allow players in the league to participate in the 2028 Olympics. The rules are similar to those of normal American football, the key difference being that it is a five-on-five game being played, with 12 total players on each team. With the Metro Select Saints winning back-to-back boys 15U championships in a row, the New Orleans Saints have some local support to send their own players to the Olympics.
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So, could the Saints send anyone realistically among the talent pool of NFL players? There are two players who immediately come to mind on the offensive side of the ball, and with the positional differences being minimal given how few players are on the field, it is all about athletic abilities and being able to do their job well.
Rashid Shaheed would be the most obvious choice, as speed kills, and having a player who can move at the raw pace he does is a killer in any version of the sport. There are few in the NFL who can keep up with him on defense, if any, so pairing him up with the best of the best in the American market against the rest of the world is bound to pan out well.
Additionally, one that may work out well is Alvin Kamara, even despite the lack of running game in many cases. His talents can be displayed in any version of the sport as well, and his elusiveness makes him an asset in a sport where keeping your flags away from opponents is paramount. Given his ability to catch the ball like a wide receiver anyway, that would not be any concern for the offense he is put in.
It will be intriguing to see how this situation resolves itself in the coming days, and if the NFL is willing to allow players from the league to go to the Olympics and compete for their country.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: 2028 Olympics: Which Saints players should compete in flag football?
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Chicago Tribune
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Fox News
14 minutes ago
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Before joining FOX Sports as an NFL reporter and columnist, Henry McKenna spent seven years covering the Patriots for USA TODAY Sports Media Group and Boston Globe Media. Follow him on Twitter at @henrycmckenna. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!
Fox News
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2025 Big Bets Report: Bettor Turns $10 into $30k via 13-Leg Parlay
Plenty of people question why anyone would bet on NFL preseason odds. But sharp bettors who do their research often find edges that don't exist in the regular season. And for the public betting masses, let's be honest: They can't get enough of the NFL, no matter the time of year. With that, a Caesars Sportsbook customer was in midseason parlay form with NFL preseason Week 2 odds, and it paid off handsomely. Read on for more on that customer's wager and other notable bets on NFL and College Football Playoff odds. Moneyline Madness There were three preseason games last Thursday, leaving 13 to go on the Friday-Saturday-Sunday schedule. And at some point on Friday, a bettor decided to get in on all 13 of those games at once. The customer placed a $10, 13-leg moneyline parlay bet, meaning every team chosen — including several underdogs — had to win outright. Obviously, there's a lot of luck involved in winning these lottery-ticket types of wagers. Even more so with this one. Friday's Lions-Falcons game was called with 6:31 remaining in the fourth quarter, after a potentially serious injury suffered by Lions safety Morice Norris. Thankfully, after staying overnight in an Atlanta hospital, Norris flew back to Detroit on Saturday and is doing well in concussion protocol. As for the game outcome, most sportsbooks' house rules require 55 minutes of game time in order for a betting result to be official. The Lions-Falcons game was suspended after 53:29, with Detroit leading 17-10. The bettor had Atlanta moneyline as one leg, but that was voided due to the game not meeting the time requirement. However, the wager was still live, now as a 12-leg parlay. Then on Sunday, the Dolphins and Bears played to a 24-24 tie. The bettor had the Dolphins moneyline, but in the event of a tie, that result is discarded, too. So the parlay dropped to 11 legs. And as fate would have it, the remaining 11 legs hit. The only semi-sweat: The Cardinals got a field goal with 3:47 remaining, as the final points in a 20-17 victory over the Chiefs. So even though the parlay dropped from 13 legs to 11 legs, that 10 bucks still turned into a whopping $30,978. You can't argue with that kind of ROI. Super Bowl Dreams The Bills and Ravens are +600 co-favorites in DraftKings Sportsbook's Super Bowl odds. Close behind are the defending champion Eagles (+700) and the Chiefs (+850), with the popular Lions the +1100 fifth choice. Those teams are all seeing plenty of action to lift the Lombardi Trophy on Feb. 8. But as mentioned last week, at this time of year, fans of the worst teams have high hopes, too. That includes a New York Jets backer with a somewhat curiously sized bet. The DraftKings customer put $3,196.96 — yep, 96 cents too — on Jets +25000 to win the Super Bowl. In easier-to-digest numbers, that's 250/1 odds, putting New York 30th among the 32 NFL teams. If somehow Justin Fields & Co. do the unthinkable, then the bettor wins a massive $799,240 (total payout $802,436.96). Running Men A Caesars Sports customer is hoping the Packers have their rushing attack in good order this season. The bettor put $200 on the Packers recording at least one rushing touchdown in every regular-season game. The odds of doing so are a sizable +6000. So, if Green Bay manages to do it, then the bettor profits $12,000. Caesars also took another notable bet tied to running backs, and this one is a much longer shot. A customer put $500 on Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty winning the NFL MVP award, at odds of +25000 (250/1). It's highly unlikely, but the payout is a healthy $62,500 if Jeanty has a rookie season for the ages. I Like Big Bets and I Cannot Lie A BetMGM customer in Arizona has got some serious interest in who wins the College Football Playoff. And the customer has three options to cash out for a lot of money. In late June, the bettor showed up at BetMGM's sportsbook adjacent to the Arizona Cardinals' stadium in Glendale, Ariz. The customer proceeded to make three major wagers: At the moment, Texas is the +475 favorite in BetMGM's college football national championship odds. Penn State is the +700 fourth choice, and Clemson has climbed to the +900 co-fifth choice, joined by Oregon. The bettor's total investment is $615,000. The potential profit on Texas and Penn State titles is exactly the same, at $1.5 million. A Clemson title is ostensibly the same, with a profit of $1.495 million. It's gonna be a long haul to the Jan. 19 championship game. Perennial title contenders Georgia and Alabama, among others, will have a say in who goes out on top. All I can say is good luck, and remind the rest of you that these big bets often come from high-roller types who can afford them. Keep it reasonable. Never bet more than you can afford to lose. Patrick Everson is a sports betting analyst for FOX Sports and senior reporter for He is a distinguished journalist in the national sports betting space. He's based in Las Vegas, where he enjoys golfing in 110-degree heat. Follow him on X: @PatrickE_Vegas. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!
