Flag football QB expects to compete with NFL players for Olympic spots

Flag football will make its Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Games and many NFL players have expressed their desire to play for the USA. But Darrell Doucette, a veteran flag football quarterback, feels that the sport's current players shouldn't be written off so quickly.

"I think it's disrespectful that they just automatically assume that they're able to just join the Olympic team because of the person that they are," Doucette said. "They didn't help grow this game to get to the Olympics. Give the guys who helped this game get to where it's at their respect."

Doucette, 35, led the USA to flag football gold at the 2022 World Games and was named Most Valuable Players after helping the team win the Americas Continental Flag Football Championship in 2023.

"It's our turn to light up the LA28 Olympic Games," the NFL posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) in early August, accompanied by a video of Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts. International Federation of American Football president Pierre Trochet has named Hurts as a flag football global ambassador.

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and Chicago Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams have both expressed interest in playing flag football at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill even suggested the USA assemble a "Dream Team" with NFL players, as the country did when it first featured a men's basketball squad composed of NBA players at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

"We just don't think they're going to be able to walk on the field and make the Olympic team because of the name, right?" Doucette said. "They still have to go out there and compete."