The NFL’s popularity has never been higher around the World. On Tuesday, at the NFL Owners’ meetings, the league unanimously voted to allow NFL players to participate in the Summer Games in 2028 in Los Angeles.
The NFL voted on Tuesday to allow NFL players to participate in Flag Football, which will be an Olympic sport for the first time in 2028. With the games set for Los Angeles, the Owners felt this would be an outstanding marketing arm for the NFL.
For Kansas City Chiefs Quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, he’s made it very clear when this discussion took place last year that NFL Owners would consider allowing its stars to represent Team USA, Mahomes was all in with the opportunity to get Gold for his country.
Mahomes is already a three-time Super Bowl Champion (five-time participant) and a two-time NFL MVP, and he has played in the AFC Championship game every year since he became a starter in 2018.
It’s unclear how the NFL will determine who plays in the Summer Olympics, and it is still three years away. Mahomes will be 33 at the time of the games in Los Angeles, and I suspect many players will lobby to play flag football for Team USA.
The NFL is a Global phenomenon, and it’s likely that by the start of the LA Games, the league will have expanded its foreign markets to include 16 teams and eight games in other countries.
I suppose there’ll be some tryout, but the NFL will maximise this Olympic theatre, so I imagine they’ll have a say in which players get chosen to play. With this being the first year Flag Football is an Olympic Sport, the spotlight will be high for a successful outcome.
With the games in the United States, that helps the NFL sell this to their fan base. Further, since the games are the final twoo weeks of July, those participants won’t miss training camp. After all, the NFL is still king and the side show of Flag Football at the Olympics, does not take place of the NFL game.
Selfishly I hope Mahomes has two more Super Bowl wins, another MVP, and can add a Gold Medal to his incredible career for the Chiefs.
