Latest news with #OlympicFlagFootball
USA Today
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Zay Flowers says he plays \
Zay Flowers says he plays "real football' when asked about Flag Football at 2028 Olympics Zay Flowers says 'I play real football. I ain't really worried about going to the Olympics. I'm trying to win a Super Bowl' when asked about Flag Football Zay Flowers is one of the shiftiest players in the NFL, and the Ravens star would probably dominate the flag football scene at the Olympics. During Baltimore's fourth OTA session, Flowers was asked about possibly being on the Olympic Flag Football team in 2028, and shot the idea down. Flowers said he's a tackle football player when asked about the possibilities. The former Boston College pass catcher was solid as a rookie but took a significant leap in year two, earning his first Pro Bowl nod. This is history for Flowers and the Ravens, as he became the first Ravens wide receiver to earn a Pro Bowl nod in franchise history. His 1,059 receiving yards last season were tied for the ninth-highest single-season total in franchise history. His 1,905 career receiving yards are already 16th in franchise history, and his eyes should look toward teammate Mark Andrews, who's currently third in franchise history with 5,476 career receiving yards.
Time of India
29-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes could face off in LA2028 Olympic Flag Football as NFL legends target gold
A potential Brady-Mahomes clash looms at the LA2028 Olympic Flag Football (Getty Images) With Flag Football now an Olympic sport for LA2028, excitement is building over the potential for NFL legends like Tom Brady to compete. Despite turning 50, Brady's skill set and the sport's non-contact nature make his participation feasible, possibly leading to an Olympic showdown with Patrick Mahomes. A potential Brady-Mahomes clash looms at the LA2028 Olympic Flag Football The announcement that Flag Football will be a part of the LA2028 Olympics has generated significant buzz, particularly around the tantalizing possibility of iconic NFL players vying for a coveted Olympic medal. As former boxing champion Jeff Fenech eloquently stated, "An Olympic medal is the greatest achievement and honor that can be received by an athlete. I would swap any World Title to have won gold at the Olympics," underscoring the unparalleled prestige of Olympic triumph. The NFL's approval for its players to compete means an American "Dream Team" could form, with a high likelihood of securing Olympic gold given the USA's football pedigree. This has sparked intense speculation about which NFL stars will make the cut. The inclusion of Flag Football has naturally led to considerable conjecture about which high-profile athletes might be selected for Team USA. On the "Up and Adams Show," Kay Adams and Jason McCourty explored the compelling idea of Tom Brady leading the national squad. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo "You talk about the notoriety that that would bring-Brady under center doing that, that'd be awesome," Jason remarked, underscoring both Brady's widespread recognition and his potential positive influence on the team's performance. Despite Brady turning 50 by LA2028, Jason McCourty dismisses age as a significant obstacle for Flag Football, citing its reduced physicality. "I'm not going psycho mode, like I'm not getting hit, and he obviously can probably still throw the ball," Jason commented, emphasizing Brady's continued throwing prowess and tactical intelligence crucial for the sport. This suggests his enduring skill set fits the game's requirements. The prospect of elite NFL players joining flag football might not sit well with current participants. For instance, Darrell Doucette, a prominent American flag football personality, could have reservations about someone like Tom Brady entering the sport. As Jason noted, "If Darrell was pissed off about the other guys talking about [joining], they're going to come represent," suggesting a possible rift between established flag football players and the influx of professional football talent. Also Read: Tom Brady says public jokes about Gisele Bündchen damaged his kids and left him shattered As the LA2028 Olympics draw near, discussions are heating up regarding how football's greatest should qualify: through direct competition or by reputation. The potential inclusion of Tom Brady on the Olympic roster could redefine athletic greatness. This, however, would likely set up a monumental clash with another celebrated player, Patrick Mahomes, whom Brady has previously bested. It's shaping up to be an epic generational showdown. Get IPL 2025 match schedules , squads , points table , and live scores for CSK , MI , RCB , KKR , SRH , LSG , DC , GT , PBKS , and RR . Check the latest IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap standings.
USA Today
28-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Everything Texans WR Nico Collins said following Day 1 of voluntary OTA workouts
Everything Texans WR Nico Collins said following Day 1 of voluntary OTA workouts Here's everything Houston Texans Pro Bowl wide receiver Nico Collins said following Day 1 of voluntary OTA workouts at the Methodist Training Center. Q: On WR Christian Kirk and what he can bring to the offense Nico Collins: "Everything has impressed me. His work ethic, what he brings to the field, his leadership and just his advice. He is a guy that you need to get advice from. He has been around this game for a long time, so it's only right that you learn from him. I'm glad he is a part of this unit and glad he is a part of this team. It's only right that we build and keep going.' Q: On being a true number one wide receiver and how that makes him feel in that leadership role Collins: 'It feels crazy, but it's also a blessing. It shows you that time flies, but also it's a blessing to be in this position. There are a lot of guys that are looking up to me, so it's only right for me to go in and do my best work. Go in and do one percent and be better than I was yesterday. Be a great leader and be the guy that everyone is looking up to. It's only right that I come out here and get better each and every day and that's my goal." Q: On Nick Caley and learning the new offense Collins: 'That's what we're here for here OTAs around this time. This is where we learn the offense and learn the little things – football. This is where we find the little things that we need to work on and work on our craft so Sundays are easy. I'm glad that Nick Caley is here. He is dicing things up right now. For the offense, we have to continue to slow it down and learn it, so that we can go out there and operate and have fun doing it.' Q: On WR Jayden Higgins Collins: 'That boy is nice man. Both rookie receivers. The type of guys we're bringing in our playmakers. It's an honor to share the field with them and it's only right that we go out there and get each other better. Learn from each other and talk to each other about the route that we see and anything that they need to work on. I'm here, I'm here for them to lean on and I'm here to learn from him as well. That's the only way you can improve on your game. Just having an open mindset and being a learner.' Q: On what WR Christian Kirk will bring to the offense Collins: 'Slot magician man. Slot magic man, he is in the slot going crazy. That's one guy you need. Just another playmaker. Another guy in the offense that's going to make plays and that's one of them.' Q: On participating in Olympic Flag Football Collins: 'Oh yeah, for sure. We'd get a gold medal. I mean who doesn't want a gold medal. It's a blessing and something I want to be a part of, but if it happen then it happens and if it don't then it don't. It's a goal, it would be fun.' Q: On who on the team is the best at Flag Football Collins: 'I'd say Sting, too. He is an athlete and I'll say C.J. [Stroud] too.' Q: On the mindset to go against Stingley and making each other better Collins: 'Eager. That's what you want. That's the point and that's part of this game. You're going to line up against the best every play, so there is no reason to go out there and just half ass for no reason. You just have to go out there and compete because I'm getting you better and you're getting me better. I feel like that's the beauty of it. With Sting, Kamari [Lassiter], [Jalen] Pitre – It don't matter who it is. Whole defense and secondary, you know we're about to work and you know it's about to be competitive at practice then after we're going to talk about what we need to work on and things like that. I feel like that's the only way we can build our relationship as a team and as a unit and go to battle on Sundays.'
Time of India
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Justin Jefferson calls representing Team USA in the 2028 Olympics and winning a gold medal a dream
On May 20, the permitted NFL players to play flag football at the 2028 Olympics after 32 NFL owners voted with one accord. , NFL Commissioner, said at the NFL's spring meeting, 'It's an incredible honor for any athlete to represent their country in the Olympics, which is the pinnacle of global sport. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now I know first-hand that the inclusion of flag football in the Olympics had sparked a tremendous amount of excitement among NFL players interested in the chance to compete for their country on the world stage. We are thrilled that they will now have that chance.' Talking about this very chance, star wide receiver went heart-to-heart in the same spring meeting, standing alongside Commissioner Roger Goodell. Justin Jefferson reacts to the NFL allowing players to participate in the 2028 Olympics Justin Jefferson thought football wasn't global, but finds it 'pretty cool' now that football is expanding and more global 25-year-old Justin Jefferson shared at the NFL's spring meeting, 'I'm just at a loss for words. Just to think about the chances of playing in the Olympics and getting a gold medal is a dream. Just reverting back to being a kid and watching the track and field meets, watching basketball win the gold medal. That's something that, as a kid, I always wanted to be a part of, but football wasn't global. So now that we are expanding the game and we are going more global, it's pretty cool. Just seeing all the different countries being involved.' Roger Goodell on allowing NFL players to participate in Olympic Flag Football 👏 4-time Pro Bowler Justin Jefferson says he's always wanted to compete for his country at the Olympics Brooke Pryor, Reporter for NFL Nation at ESPN, reported that Justin Jefferson said in the meeting, 'That's the decision, I'll definitely have to weigh in a little bit. It's three years from now, it's three whole seasons that I'm going to have to go through. Of course, getting older, body is going to be different, but that's definitely always been a dream. It's always been something I always wanted to do, compete for your country versus all of the other countries in the rest of the world. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now I definitely would look forward to it if it came down to it, but that's definitely something to ask myself and see what's right.' On May 21, Michael David Smith, Managing Editor, Pro Football Talk, reported that Justin Jefferson doesn't know if he'll be chosen three years from now. But he is among the many players expressing interest in being among the 10 chosen for Team USA in 2028 Olympics. Also Read:
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
After decades of failing to capture deep global interest, the NFL has an answer to a "daunting" problem: Olympic flag football
NFL owners will consider whether or not to allow players to participate in 2028 Olympic flag football competitions. (Hassan Ahmad/Yahoo Sports) Nearly eight years ago, sitting on a couch in a hotel room in California, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones had the concept of Olympic flag football on the tip of his tongue and just couldn't find it. In an expansive 1-on-1 interview with Yahoo Sports in the summer of 2017, Jones was discussing the growth of the NFL as a globally consumed sport when the subject of untapped markets was broached. At the time, the league was positioning itself to continue a robust international expansion of games in the U.K., mainland Europe, Canada and Mexico, with the ultimate goal of creating a 33rd NFL team through an international aggregate of games — in the hopes of eventually having what amounted to a full season's slate of matchups played outside of the United States each season. Advertisement It was a shoot-for-the-moon dream that Jones and his fellow NFL owners thought could be achieved with persistence and measured purpose over the span of decades. But there was still a hanging thread that Jones couldn't stop thinking about. Specifically, how to get traction for the NFL in places where it was nothing more than an oddity. It was a question that, back in 2017, was being focused through China — largely because the English Premier League and the NBA had cultivated that country's hundreds of millions of potential fans in a way that the NFL could only dream of achieving. 'I don't have a good answer on China,' Jones said in 2017. 'It's daunting.' 'The numbers are there [to draw the NFL in]. But what our challenge is — whether it be London or Mexico City, which I think are prime areas for expansion — our real challenge is how to whip things up and see if Shanghai wants to beat Beijing. Can it rile them up and can they have that kind of competition? If you've got a culture that can create that, then we've got potential.' Later in the interview, Jones speculated that the answer might not be a NFL-down approach at all. That simply playing NFL games in the country isn't enough to seed sustainable enthusiasm. Maybe what was needed was to find a way to simply introduce China to football in the most easy, organic way possible. 'It might be giving people a reason to pick up a football for the first time and just go outside to play with it,' he said. 'Which really isn't simple at all.' Advertisement What Jones was getting at was a singular idea that has long created the wall between true global interest in the NFL versus the aggressively targeted international traction that currently exists: Getting people interested in the game itself — or some version of it — rather than getting people interested specifically in the NFL. Enter flag football and the grand stage of the 2028 Olympic Summer Games in Los Angeles. It's arguably the best answer the NFL has ever had to motivate the entire world to pick up a football and play with it — especially if some of the people picking up a football for their country also happen to be NFL players. That's what's at stake during next week's NFL spring meetings in Minneapolis, when owners will consider a proposal to allow the league's players to try out for flag football teams in the 2028 Summer Games. If the proposal gains enough traction for a vote, 75% of the league's owners — 24 of 32 — would have to approve the measure. And right now, when you talk to C-suite executives across the NFL, there appears to be some definitive support that goes beyond NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. 'This is a good of the game issue maybe more than the good of the team,' one NFC team president said. 'But that's what the league has always been built on. … It's a great opportunity around the [Olympic] Games and gives the NFL unprecedented growth [opportunities] as well as an amazing lead into training camp.' Advertisement Added an AFC team president: 'It's a smart way — and I honestly believe a carefully thought-out way — to finally be part of that global stage every four years. I get the injury [concern], but every other major professional sport in America has been part of the Olympics for 30 years or more now. The NBA, NHL and Major League Baseball have all been able to shoulder that risk. Now [the NFL] can be a part of it with moderately less risk than what happens on an NFL field.' While the logistics of making an Olympic flag football team while also playing in the NFL aren't yet known, some of the guardrails are, among them: The league would allow one player on each NFL roster to try out for one country's Olympic team — leaving the door open for multiple players on a single team to play in the Olympics if they are eligible for non-U.S. rosters. For example, one player could try out for the U.S. team, while another could try out for the Canadian team if they meet ancestry requirements. Each team's international pathway player could also try out for their country's team. Flag football teams would need to meet a standard of medical care and playing surface mandates to be eligible for NFL players. It would also need to augment all parts of its schedule so that the player's NFL schedule would take precedent over everything else. Insurance coverage across the league to protect players in the event of an injury that derives from any flag football-related activities. Beyond that, a salary cap credit to any team that loses a player to a flag football-related injury. Players like Jacksonville Jaguars receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (7) compete in flag football games at the Pro Bowl every year. Will we soon see NFL players in the Olympics? (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) That's still a rough outline of the hurdles to even make NFL player participation possible. And it clearly acknowledges that there will be some athletic risk involved — something that has also been shown in some youth flag football studies indicating injury rates to be far lower than contact football, but hardly injury free. Given that reality, there's a palpable reticence inside the personnel executives whose entire world is a team-first mentality. Advertisement 'Pandora's box,' one longtime and high-ranking AFC executive said. 'Think of the Robert Edwards injury years ago, blowing out his knee playing flag football on the beach.' A 1998 first-round pick of the New England Patriots, Edwards put up 1,446 yards rushing and receiving and 12 total touchdowns as a rookie — only to have his career derailed after suffering a frightening knee injury playing flag football at the Pro Bowl. He barely avoided amputation after the injury and didn't play again until the 2002 season, when he had a brief one-season comeback with the Miami Dolphins that saw him play sparingly. That's the flag football nightmare scenario for those who remember it, and it's why some NFL contracts have clauses written into them that prohibit any participation in flag football. Of course, for a league trying to solve remaining barriers to global consumption — and crack Jerry Jones' 'daunting' question of how to get people in China to pick up a football — the potential rewards sometimes mitigate the potential risk. And it's not just the owners who are interested, either. George Atallah, a former high-ranking executive with the NFL Player's Association for the last 16 years, has been talking to NFL players for years about the possibility of the Olympic experience. His 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. Advertisement '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.' In turn, Atallah noted, the sport itself hits different for the world population when it doesn't require the necessity of a large amount of expensive equipment. He pointed to soccer being a worldwide phenomenon, and the fast absorption of basketball across the planet — which was largely aided by only needing a ball and something to aim for with it. Advertisement 'The flag football opportunity gives the league a chance to grow the game with very little barriers to entry — for both players and fans,' Atallah said. 'That's the whole thing. Soccer, it's a field and a ball. Basketball, it's a ball and a hoop.' Atallah also noted that flag football also takes away the gender barrier that has forever existed on the playing field in the NFL. So not only does it put a football in the hands of new fans watching it on the Olympics for the first time — it puts that ball in potentially every hand. Every hand … possibly every country … revisited and grown in between every four years of a worldwide Olympic audience. Allowing NFL players to be a part of that may not be the NFL's solution to finally breaking down doors to a truly global fan base, but it might be the best one yet. And that's why it's front and center on the agenda of NFL owners this week.
