The inclusion of flag football in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games has ignited excitement among NFL stars. But representing their countries won’t be a simple matter of showing up; they’ll need to compete for roster spots against a dedicated core of flag football athletes. The challenge proved more significant than some anticipated, as evidenced by recent competition in Los Angeles.
On one side of the field at the Fanatics Flag Football Classic, a team boasting NFL quarterbacks Joe Burrow and Jayden Daniels, running back Saquon Barkley, and wide receivers Davante Adams, DeAndre Hopkins, and Odell Beckham Jr. Assembled. A collection of NFL talent whose combined net worth likely exceeds a billion dollars.
Facing them was the U.S. National Flag Football team, led by 5’7”, 135-pound quarterback Darrell “Housh” Doucette, and a roster largely unknown to the casual football fan.
This contrast was on full display last weekend at the inaugural Fanatics Flag Football Classic held at the Los Angeles Coliseum. The result? Doucette and his team secured two victories by a combined score of 63-28. They delivered the same outcome against a team featuring Tom Brady, Jalen Hurts, Ashton Jeanty, and Stefon Diggs.
Flag Football Gains Visibility
Antony Auclair, a former NFL player now representing the Canadian National Flag Football team, watched the broadcasts with keen interest. “It was fun to watch because it brought a lot of people to pay attention to flag football and realize how exciting it is, but it was a little taken lightly by the NFL players,” Auclair noted, as reported by Radio-Canada.
Auclair believes the NFL stars, after only a few days of practice and supplemented by social media influencers, were at a distinct disadvantage.
U.S. National Flag team quarterback Darrell Doucette (center) believes he won’t be relinquishing his spot on the team to NFL players ahead of the Los Angeles Games.
Photo: Associated Press / Caroline Brehman
“The guys on the American team have been playing together for four or five years,” Auclair explained. “Darnell Doucette is 36 years aged and has been playing this sport and competing in world tournaments for about 20 years.”
Two Distinct Sports
The tournament, Auclair argues, serves as a reminder to American – and Canadian – NFL players that they’ll need to quickly adapt to flag football if they hope to represent their countries at the 2028 Summer Games.
“The Games are coming up soon, and there are so many differences between the two sports! Just the movement, when you have the ball in your hands, and the defensive concepts, it’s completely different,” Auclair described.
“On defense, in flag football, there’s zero contact. At the point of reception, you can’t put your hand on a receiver while trying to bat the ball down. It takes time to adjust,” he continued.
Anthony Auclair has been part of the Canadian national flag football team since May 2023.
Photo: Courtesy of Antony Auclair
Adding to this is the risk of injury and the fact that many NFL players won’t be able to afford to miss a significant portion of their team’s training camp, potentially limiting the participation of NFL players in Los Angeles.
“I think it will be a good mix of true flag players and some NFL players. I was watching DeVonta Smith [of the Philadelphia Eagles] this weekend, and you could see he was starting to understand the movement of flag football a little more. Same with Jayden Daniels [of the Washington Commanders] as a quarterback.”
A Chance for Team Canada
Just over two years after officially retiring from the NFL, Antony Auclair is serious about his Olympic dream. The former tight end has lost 40 pounds and, at 32, is training “enormously,” while also presiding over his own expanding flag football league.
The closer we get to the Games, the more real it feels, but I’m a step-by-step guy. Right now, it’s about qualifying the country.
Only six countries will participate in the flag football tournament at the Los Angeles Games, leaving five spots behind the host American team. The World Championship, held in Germany this August, will automatically qualify the top two teams – excluding the United States – for the Games.
The remaining three spots will be contested in 2027. And if some NFL players attempt to join the Canadian team by then, Auclair will welcome the competition. “It’s the same principle as a professional team wanting the best players possible on the field. We compete for our positions every year.”
The Fanatics Flag Football Classic, held March 21, 2026, at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles – the future Olympic venue for flag football in 2028 – served as a significant showcase for the sport. USA Football organized the event, highlighting the growth of the game and the pathway to the highest level of competition.
The question of whether NFL stars will ultimately compete at the Los Angeles Olympics remains open. But one thing is clear: the competition won’t be handed to them. They’ll need to earn it against a dedicated and experienced field of flag football athletes. The next major checkpoint for international qualification is the World Championship in Germany this August.
