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Flag football at Olympics: 10 must-have NFL players for Dream Team
NFL owners unanimously approved on Tuesday a proposal that will allow players to participate in flag football at the 2028 Summer Olympics. Now they just need a team. Here’s ours.
Per nflflag.com, flag football teams feature five players per side with hybrid positions for running backs and wide receivers. On offense, it's a center, quarterback and three RB/WR players. On defense, it's a pass-rusher, two safeties and two defensive backs.
QB | Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson deserves serious consideration, but he’ll be 31 years old when the Olympics roll around. Daniels will be 27 and should still have fresh legs when the Games open in L.A.
The 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year led the Commanders NFC Championship Game and racked up a total of 31 touchdowns and 4,459 yards last season.
C | Creed Humphrey, Kansas City Chiefs
Humphrey has three Pro Bowl selections, two Super Bowl championships and an All-Pro nomination in his first four seasons. Easily the best pass-blocker among NFL centers, he’ll fit nicely in front of Daniels.
WR/RB | Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals
The 25-year-old pass-catcher has more touchdowns (46) than any receiver since he joined the league in 2021. He set career marks with 1,708 yards and 17 scores in 2024 and put up his fourth straight 1,000-yard season. He’ll likely have three more by 2028.
WR/RB | Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings
"Just to think about the chances of playing in the Olympics and getting a gold medal, it’s a dream," Jefferson told reporters following Tuesday's announcement at the NFL's spring meeting in Minneapolis.
Minnesota’s 25-year-old pass-catcher has more yards (7,432) than any receiver since he entered the league in 2020. He tied a career mark with 10 touchdowns last year and is coming off his fifth straight 1,000-yard season.
WR/RB | Ashton Jeanty, Las Vegas Raiders
The sixth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft hasn’t played an NFL snap, but his college numbers are impossible to ignore. Jeanty averaged seven yards per carry to lead the FBS with 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns last season. Per Pro Football Focus, he led the FBS by forcing 152 missed tackles last season, 49 more than runner-up Cam Skattebo. He will also be only 24 years old during the Games.
RUSH | Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys
In flag football, the pass-rusher starts seven yards from the line of scrimmage, quite a runway for the perennial Pro Bowler. Few players have been as impactful as Parsons over the past four seasons.
The 25-year-old's 52.5 sacks are fifth-most among NFL players since 2021, but of the top-five players, he’s the only one who will still be under 30 for the Olympics.
DB | Cooper DeJean, Philadelphia Eagles
The 22-year-old cornerback had quite a rookie season with an epic takedown of Ravens running back Derrick Henry and a pick-six in Super Bowl LIX. PFF ranks him as the NFL’s best cornerback with the second-best grades against the run, an aspect flag defenders see more often.
DB | Pat Surtain II, Denver Broncos
Three Pro Bowl appearances, two All-Pro nominations and 11 interceptions in his first four seasons earned Surtain a four-year, $96M contract extension last year. Still, $96M won’t buy a gold medal.
S | Kerby Joseph, Detroit Lions
Joseph signed a four-year, $86M contract extension with the Lions after leading the NFL with nine interceptions in 2024. With two forced fumbles, 17 interceptions and a touchdown in his three-year career, Joseph is a must-have for the NFL’s Olympic roster.
S | Kyle Hamilton, Baltimore Ravens
Considered the league’s second-best safety behind Joseph by PFF, Hamilton has five interceptions in three seasons, but at 6-foot-4, he’s three inches taller than Joseph and perfectly suited to handle jump-ball-style passes in the end zone.
More must-reads:
- What NFL's decision on 2028 Olympics means for league, players
- Justin Jefferson makes his thoughts on flag football in Olympics very clear
- The 'Single-season sack leaders by NFL team' quiz
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