Two of football’s most recognizable names just made the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics a whole lot more interesting. Joe Burrow and Robert Griffin III have both publicly declared their desire to represent Team USA in flag football. One is still an active NFL quarterback, lighting up the league. The other is a retired Heisman winner hungry for a second act. Both want gold, and neither is hiding it.
Flag football is making its Olympic debut in Los Angeles in 2028, and the race for roster spots is already heating up. The sport is faster, sharper, and more strategic than most people realize. With NFL stars now entering the conversation, the flag football world is paying close attention to every move.
Read on to find out what this means for Team USA, the sport, and the road to Los Angeles.
Flag football is finally going to the Olympics
Flag football has earned its place on the world’s biggest stage. The International Olympic Committee officially confirmed the sport’s inclusion in the 2028 Los Angeles Games in October 2023, making it one of five new additions to the Olympic program. It is a massive moment for a sport that has been quietly growing for decades.
The format will feature six nations competing in both men’s and women’s divisions. Each team will field five players at a time, with rosters capped at ten. The competition will follow non-contact 5v5 rules set by the International Federation of American Football, making it a distinctly different game from the NFL.
Joe Burrow steps into the Olympic conversation
Joe Burrow did not dance around his ambitions. Speaking before the inaugural Fanatics Flag Football Classic in Los Angeles, the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback made his interest crystal clear. He said he has dreamed about the Olympics since childhood and sees flag football as his first real shot at that stage.
Burrow said the moment flag football was announced as an Olympic sport, he was immediately excited. Burrow is a three-time Pro Bowler, and he called the chance to compete for gold something he had thought about for a very long time.
Fun fact: Joe Burrow won the Heisman Trophy in 2019, exactly eight years after RG III won it in 2011. They are the only two Heisman winners publicly campaigning for the same Olympic roster spot.
RG III announces his Olympic mission
Robert Griffin III followed up Burrow’s comments with a bold announcement of his own. The former Washington quarterback posted on social media that he would be going for gold with the USA National Team in 2028. His message was passionate and patriotic, calling it the greatest honor to wear USA across his chest.
Griffin hasn’t played in the NFL since 2021, when he was with the Baltimore Ravens and appeared in 56 games across his career. Now 36 years old, He has described this transition as a “new chapter” on the international stage rather than a traditional NFL comeback.
What the Fanatics flag football classic revealed
The inaugural Fanatics Flag Football Classic was supposed to be an exciting showcase. It turned into a wake-up call. Team USA’s national flag football squad went a perfect 3-0 against rosters packed with Pro Bowlers and Super Bowl champions. The final combined score told the real story.
Team USA outscored all NFL opponents by a combined 106 to 44 across three games. Burrow’s Wildcats FFC beat Tom Brady’s Founders FFC 34-26 in round robin play, but then lost to Team USA 24-14 in the championship game. It was a competitive series showcasing impressive talent on the field.
The pushback from the flag football community
Not everyone is rolling out the red carpet for NFL stars. Darrell “Housh” Doucette, who has quarterbacked the USA men’s national flag football team since 2021, spoke up loudly. He said it felt disrespectful for NFL players to assume they could simply walk onto the Olympic roster because of their fame.
Doucette emphasized that the flag football community fought for Olympic inclusion and would not be sidelined. His Team USA demonstrated their determination by dominating every match at the Fanatics Classic, showcasing their skills and commitment to the sport and proving they are a force to be reckoned with.
How the roster selection process actually works
USA Football, not the NFL, controls who makes the Olympic team, and Roger Goodell has said the NFL will not be involved in that selection process. NFL owners unanimously voted in May 2025 to allow NFL players to go through a tryout or qualification process, with a maximum of one player from each NFL team allowed on each national team.
USA Football CEO Scott Hallenbeck said the selection process will involve both elite flag football players and select NFL stars. The procedures must be approved by the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee and are expected to be finalized by the fourth quarter of 2026.
What RG III brings to the table
Griffin’s case for a roster spot is more nuanced than it might appear. His dual-threat ability as a passer and runner mirrors exactly what flag football rewards. Quick decision-making, field mobility, and accuracy under pressure were once his greatest strengths during his standout 2012 rookie season with Washington.
Griffin has made clear that NFL players would need to commit seriously to learning flag football if they want a legitimate chance to make Team USA. His athletic profile and football background may help, but success in flag football still requires mastering a different discipline.
Fun fact: Before his NFL career took off, Griffin finished first in the 400-meter hurdles at both the Big 12 Conference Championship and the NCAA Midwest Regional Championship at Baylor University.
The bigger picture for flag football in America
This story is about more than two quarterbacks chasing headlines. It is about the legitimacy of flag football as a serious global sport. The NFL has lobbied hard for the sport’s Olympic inclusion, and star players showing genuine interest helps build that credibility with a worldwide audience.
The ideal Olympic roster for Team USA would prioritize speed, quickness, and versatility above all else. An estimated 20 million people across more than 100 countries currently play flag football. The sport is growing fast, and its non-contact format makes it accessible to players of all ages. The 2028 Olympics could push those numbers even higher.
TL;DR
- Joe Burrow publicly stated his desire to play for Team USA in flag football at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
- Robert Griffin III announced on social media that he is going for gold with the USA National Team in 2028.
- Team USA’s flag football specialists dominated NFL stars 106-44 at the Fanatics Flag Football Classic.
- USA Football, not the NFL, controls the final Olympic roster selection process.
This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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