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NFL players enthusiastic about pursuing Olympic gold when flag football debuts

Flag football is one of 5 sports added to the Olympic program for 2028
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Tyreek Hill is a five-time All-Pro, eight-time Pro Bowl selection and a Super Bowl champion.

The speedy Miami Dolphins receiver likes the idea of also having an opportunity to pursue Olympic gold when the rapidly growing sport of flag football debuts in the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles, a sentiment shared by other NFL stars, including Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

Hill, Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and running back Raheem Mostert, Detroit Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Evan Engram are among the players representing the AFC and NFC at the Pro Bowl Games, which conclude Sunday with a seven-on-seven flag exhibition that will offer fans and a national television audience a sense of what the sport could look like with such highly skilled talent on the field.

B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 going to be really exciting,B次元官网网址 Tagovailoa said, adding he played flag football as a 5- or 6-year-old and is eager to see the makeup of the roster for Team USA in four years.

Flag football is one of five sports added to the Olympic program for 2028.

The NFL, which continues to expand its global brand, has expressed a willingness to work with the NFL Players Association, USA Football, the International Federation of American Football and the International Olympic Committee regarding the prospect of current and former players participating in Los Angeles.

B次元官网网址淭hose conversations around eligibility and process have started,B次元官网网址 league executive Peter OB次元官网网址橰eilly said.

B次元官网网址淥bviously, (thereB次元官网网址檚) a little bit of time, and thereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of great global flag football competitions to come in the years ahead that may be less on peopleB次元官网网址檚 radars B次元官网网址 world championships, world games B次元官网网址 but important things for us to work through, and weB次元官网网址檒l continue to do that,B次元官网网址 OB次元官网网址橰eilly added.

This is the second year that Pro Bowl week festivities have culminated with a non-contact flag game thatB次元官网网址檚 replaced the eventB次元官网网址檚 traditional tackle exhibition.

The NFL has helped spur the growth of flag football for young boys and girls throughout the world, in part through organizing clinics, camps and competitions while supporting the creation of college scholarships.

Youth teams of boys and girls from Australia, the Bahamas, Brazil, China, France, Germany, Ghana, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand and the United Kingdom traveled to Orlando, Florida, to compete in the International NFL Flag Championships during the Pro Bowl Games.

Canada, which won last yearB次元官网网址檚 NFL Flag International Division, made the trip to face U.S. flag teams in the National NFL Flag Championship event.

Former New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning, who is coaching the NFC in SundayB次元官网网址檚 flag game at Camping World Stadium, is supportive of the idea of NFL players participating in the Olympics.

B次元官网网址淚 think itB次元官网网址檚 great. The fact that they have an impact on that and growing the game of flag football,B次元官网网址 Manning said.

B次元官网网址淵ou see a lot of kids that are younger are playing flag football. In a lot of ways, thatB次元官网网址檚 how they get introduced to the game of football. They are big fans of it, understand it,B次元官网网址 the two-time Super Bowl champion added. B次元官网网址淓ven a lot of players now who are here grew up playing flag football or versions of it. B次元官网网址 ItB次元官网网址檚 a game on its own.B次元官网网址

Older brother Peyton Manning, a Hall of Famer as well as a two-time Super Bowl winner and coach of the AFC, also is enthusiastic about the growth of the fast-paced sport.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 excited for flag football and the Olympics,B次元官网网址 Peyton Manning said. B次元官网网址淚 heard Tyreek saying heB次元官网网址檇 like to make it, so it would a (tough) competition for people trying to competeB次元官网网址 for roster spots.

Hill and Mahomes are among the biggest names whoB次元官网网址檝e expressed interest in possibly playing for Team USA.

Mostert said he has never played organized flag football, but he is looking forward to SundayB次元官网网址檚 game between the NFLB次元官网网址檚 two conferences.

B次元官网网址淥bviously, flag football is a great sport. Everyone is really in tune with it,B次元官网网址 Mostert said.

B次元官网网址淚 think it does a lot for the game of football itself. ItB次元官网网址檚 definitely a safer, less contact version of the game, and it allows other countries be introduced to the game or even finding the great talent in their country and inside their lines playing this great sport,B次元官网网址 Engram said. B次元官网网址淭he Olympics have been the highest pinnacle of competition, so adding football to that is really cool.B次元官网网址

Count St. Brown among those who grew up playing flag football. HeB次元官网网址檚 thought about the possibility of playing in the Olympics but hasnB次元官网网址檛 decided if itB次元官网网址檚 for him.

B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 know yet. B次元官网网址 But maybe when I retire. Right now, I might get injured, whatever the case may be,B次元官网网址 St. Brown said. B次元官网网址淎fter IB次元官网网址檓 done playing, shoot, IB次元官网网址檇 love to get out there and do something.B次元官网网址

Fred Goodall, The Associated Press

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