NFL owners weigh player participation in flag football at Los Angeles Olympics
Several current NFL stars have expressed interest in competing in flag football in just over three years when the Summer Olympics return to the U.S.
On Thursday, the league announced team owners will consider a resolution concerning whether active players can participate in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
Last month, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said interest in competing in the Summer Olympics has been a hot topic in the league, adding a resolution on the issue may be forthcoming.
"Well, I've heard directly from a lot of players who want to participate and represent their country, whether it's the United States or a country that they came from," Goodell said in April.
"I think that's something that we'll continue to discuss with, not just the union, but also the clubs. I think both of those are things that we'll probably resolve sometime in the next 60 days."
The resolution that will be considered permits one player from each NFL roster to compete in the 2028 Games. An exemption would be granted for each team's designated international player representing his home country.
Injury protection and a salary cap credit for players injured while competing in the Olympics would also be instituted, according to the resolution. Agreements on standards for field surfaces would also be in place.
Flag football will debut as an Olympic sport in 2028. The Los Angeles Olympics will introduce four other new sports — baseball/softball, cricket, lacrosse and squash.
The 2028 Olympics are slated to begin in mid-July. The Games are not expected to overlap with NFL training camp schedules.
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