Latest news with #NFL-represented
Time of India
3 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Should NFL stars play Olympic flag football? Jason Kelce has a bold and old-school solution
As Olympic flag football talks taking the news headlines for its much-anticipated debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games, a new debate has been ignited—one that's been simmering beneath the surface since the sport's inclusion. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Who exactly should represent the United States on this global stage: world-class NFL stars or battle-hardened professional flag football athletes? Jason Kelce has a solid idea. Jason Kelce's proposal to determine NFL players' Olympic worth is too bold to ignore The conversation took an unexpected twist thanks to former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce, who floated a wild yet captivating idea during the latest New Heights podcast episode with his brother, Travis Kelce. His solution? A high-stakes, winner-take-all showdown between NFL players and elite flag football professionals. Inside the NFL Owner's Meeting + Gretzky on Ovechkin's Scoring Record, GOATs & NHL Playoffs | EP 141 "Let's just have a flag football team of NFL players play these guys and see if they can win," Kelce suggested. 'May the best team win... I think a coach that is familiar with flag football should select an NFL-represented team. And that team should just play this flag football team that's been playing for a long time and feels like they are the best at it and they don't need other guys. Then whoever wins (goes to the Olympics). " It's a proposal as simple as it is brilliant. At its core, it's more than just a game—it's a solution to a problem that doesn't yet have a clear answer. Should Olympic rosters favor experience in the flag football format or raw athleticism and name recognition from the NFL? Kelce's idea is tailor-made for drama. Picture a squad of NFL giants—freak athletes trained in the highest levels of American football—taking the field against flag football veterans who've spent their lives mastering the speed, finesse, and strategy required by the non-contact version of the game. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now While the NFL players might have the edge in physicality and agility, flag football isn't just tackle football without the hits. It demands different instincts, quicker decisions, and a mastery of spacing and evasion that even NFL pros might find disorienting. This hypothetical clash could deliver not just answers but entertainment gold. 'The Longest Yard' comparisons are unavoidable—except in this case, the underdogs are professionals in their own right, armed with experience and chemistry. Meanwhile, the NFL players would be the 'fish out of water,' navigating unfamiliar terrain where pure athletic dominance may not guarantee victory. Of course, one can't ignore the elephant in the room: injury risk. More practices, more reps, more exposure—all increase the chance of something going wrong for active NFL stars. But as Kelce implied, if they lose the qualifier, the issue becomes moot. They wouldn't be playing in the Olympics anyway. In a landscape where debates often stall over logistics and legacy, Jason Kelce's pitch provides a thrilling, competitive, and media-friendly path forward. The question is—will the powers that be dare to make it happen? Also Read:
NBC Sports
4 days ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Jason Kelce suggests game between flag team and tackle team to determine 2028 U.S. Olympic team
Last week, former Eagles center Jason Kelce helped save the tush push. This week, he has an idea for properly launching the Olympic flag football competition. Kelce offered up this idea during the latest episode of the New Heights podcast, via Austin Nivison of 'I think a coach that is familiar with flag football should select an NFL-represented team. That team should just play this flag football team that's been playing for a long time and feels like they are the best at it and don't need other guys.' The winning team would then be the Olympic team. Of course, the first challenge would be figuring out the players on the two teams that would meet in a winner-take-all showdown. But once the teams are set, it would be compelling. It would carry The Longest Yard vibes, with one hell of a twist. The more talented players would be the fish out of water. The more experienced players would be the physical Davids to the NFL Goliaths. Of course, more games and more practices and more reps increases the injury risk for the active NFL players. Of course, if they lose the Olympic qualifying showdown, the injury risk will be minimized. They wouldn't be playing in the Olympics at all.
