Some NFL players have expressed their excitement about the possibility of playing flag football at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
They might want to temper their expectations.
Based on what transpired at the Fanatics Flag Football Classic, most won’t earn a spot on Team USA’s flag football squad.
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The current members of Team USA’s flag football team ran circles around the Wildcats and Founders, two teams filled with NFL stars and a few celebrities.
Team USA routed the Wildcats, led by NFL quarterbacks Joe Burrow and Jayden Daniels, 39-14 in the first game. Then Tom Brady and the Founders tested their skills against Team USA in the second contest.
Brady found Stefon Diggs for a touchdown to get the Founders out to an 8-0 advantage, but that was their lone highlight of the first half. Team USA rattled off 24 unanswered points in the first half to take a commanding 24-8 lead at halftime and its way to a 43-16 win.
It got so bad that Greg Olsen and Kevin Burkhardt wondered on the FOX broadcast if a mercy rule was applied in flag football.
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More: Winners (Team USA) and losers (NFL players) from Fanatics Flag Football Classic
The NFL players had a difficult time adjusting to flag football and its different rules. Luke Kuechly, who was recently elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame but came out of retirement to play in the event, was called for two defensive fouls in the first half of the initial game.
NFL players, past and present, had trouble grabbing flags from Team USA ball carriers. The Wildcats and Founders were penalized seven total times as they tried to slow down Team USA.
Flag football is about speed, quickness, being elusive and agility and less about physicality. NFL players had the speed and strength, but the experienced and well-trained flag football players on Team USA had the advantage in all other areas.
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“Make no mistake about it. These guys might not be the biggest guys, 6’4 or 6’3. But these guys are incredibly skilled, incredibly fast and at this point in the development of the game, they just have a better understanding of flag football than the NFL guys,” Olsen said on the FOX broadcast.
Brady summarized the experience well following the Founders’ loss to Team USA.
“My heart is hurting right now. My heart is really hurting,” Brady said on the FOX broadcast after the Founders blowout loss in the first game.
More: Fanatics Flag Football Classic highlights, results: Team USA dominates exhibition
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The Wildcats defeated their NFL peers, the Founders, in the third contest to set up a rematch with Team USA in the championship game.
The Wildcats had a moral victory in the championship game as they stayed within striking distance for most of the contest before falling 24-14.
Team USA scored on 14 of their 15 drives on Saturday. Darrell Doucette III, who made he headlines when he said he was better than Patrick Mahomes at flag football, backed up his big talk by scoring six total touchdowns and was named MVP of the Fanatics Flag Football Classic.
The entire Fanatics Flag Football Classic was a statement by Team USA’s current flag football members. Doucette and his flag football teammates who were on the field Saturday deserve a chance to represent the country at the 2028 Olympics.
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NFL permitted its players to participate in flag football at the 2028 Olympics. Each NFL team will be allowed to send one player to the Olympics, along with an additional international player if designated. It’ll be interesting to see NFL players try to make Team USA’s Olympic squad. There are players that definitely have a chance with more flag football reps, including some on the field Saturday.
Saquon Barkley looked like he can compete with the world’s best in flag football, scoring two touchdowns. He was elusive and explosive with the football. DeVonta Smith caught two touchdowns and Odell Beckham Jr. had three touchdown catches and a couple nice grabs. But the NFL players were thoroughly outmatched by a Team USA squad, that is the reigning IFAF Flag Football World champion.
Even though the flag footballers currently on Team USA aren’t household names, the selection process should prioritize them because they are the superior players at flag football.
Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fanatics Flag Football Classic shows who should represent US at Olympics