Josh Allen Eyes 2028 Olympic Flag Football Spot as NFL Backs 1 Player per Team

Q: With only one spot per team, which superstars will miss their shot at Olympic glory?

Many NFL stars are likely to miss out, because the real bottleneck is not just the one-player-per-team rule but the much smaller final Olympic roster and the specialized nature of flag football. The NFL has approved a framework allowing one active player per franchise, plus designated international players, to pursue the 2028 Los Angeles Games. That creates a theoretical pool of up to 32 NFL players, but Team USA’s flag football roster is expected to be far smaller, around 10 players. Flag football specialists have said only “one or two” NFL players may realistically make the final U.S. team. That means even high-profile names such as Josh Allen, who has openly said he wants to play, and Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain, who has also shown strong interest, are far from guaranteed a place. If another player from their own team is judged a better fit, they could be blocked before the national team selection even begins. The bigger issue is that flag football rewards a different skill set than tackle football: quickness in space, short-area agility, timing, and experience with the sport’s rules and strategies. An exhibition in which established flag players outperformed NFL talent reinforced that point. So the superstars most likely to miss their shot are not just lesser-known hopefuls, but potentially marquee NFL names across the league. Unless they are both elite fits for flag football and the top candidate from their own franchise, many will be left out of Olympic contention.

1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 9

Josh Allen said he would be "very honored" to play flag football for Team USA at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, adding he is interested in competing for his country.
The 2024 NFL MVP said watching flag football showed him its different skill demands, noting he can throw "with the best of them" but is more used to running through defenders than evading them.
Roger Goodell said many NFL players want to participate and that the Olympic schedule should allow active players — and possibly recently retired stars — to compete before training camps open.
A May 2025 resolution presented to NFL owners would permit 1 player from each roster to join the 2028 Games, with an extra exemption for a team's designated international player.

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Fox News2h ago

Josh Allen "Very Honored" to Play Flag Football for Team USA at 2028 Olympics

Can NFL stars actually win Olympic gold, or will dedicated flag football specialists dominate?

Is Olympic flag football the NFL's secret weapon for global sports domination?

With only one spot per team, which superstars will miss their shot at Olympic glory?

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Fox News2h ago

Josh Allen "Very Honored" to Play Flag Football for Team USA at 2028 Olympics

Josh Allen Eyes 2028 Olympic Flag Football Spot as NFL Backs 1 Player per Team

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