USA Football Releases Statement On Summer Olympics Decision

Originally posted on The Spun | By Tzvi Machlin | Last updated May 20, 2025 5:58 PM ET

Most NFL fans have only found out in recent days that there was an American football body other than the National Football League. But with the 2028 Summer Olympics introducing flag football as a sport, USA Football is happy to partner with the NFL to get a winning team in place.

On Tuesday, the NFL voted on a resolution to permit NFL players to try out for the U.S. national flag football team ahead of the 2028 Olympics.

There is still a lot of ground work to be done to ensure that it's viable though. The league has to agree on how to manage insurance for players who may get injured, how to offer an appropriate amount of time for players to participate in flag football events and who gets to participate.

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - AUGUST 01: A general view is seen of the Olympic rings in the Olympic Park on August 1, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

But for USA Football CEO and executive director Scott Hallenbeck, just getting the approval was enough to make him thankful. In a statement released after the NFL's Olympics decision, Hallenbeck released a lengthy statement thanking the NFL for permitting players to participate.

“On behalf of USA Football, I’d like to thank NFL clubs for approving the resolution allowing NFL players to participate in the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles when flag football debuts on the Olympic stage. USA Football has had extensive discussions with the NFL on the potential of player participation, and we’re thrilled to see those efforts become a reality.

“As the National Governing Body of American football, we have a tremendous responsibility ahead of us — selecting, training and leading the U.S. Men’s and Women’s National Teams for LA28.

“We’re fortunate to have a talent pool that already features prominent flag football stars who have helped USA Football establish a gold-medal standard in international competition. Including players from the NFL only strengthens our ability to build the best U.S. Men’s National Team possible and achieve our ultimate goal for LA28: to bring home two gold medals in flag football.

Statement from Scott Hallenbeck, CEO and Executive Director of USA Football:

“On behalf of USA Football, I’d like to thank NFL clubs for approving the resolution allowing NFL players to participate in the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles when flag football debuts on the…
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 20, 2025

“We will continue to develop our high-performance plan that guides the creation of our National Teams. We look forward to working with the NFL on the specific opportunities that NFL players can use to showcase their skills and become eligible for selection to Team USA.”

For a 5-on-5 competition, spots on the roster are likely going to be at a premium.

Which NFL players are actually going to make the team?

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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