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The arrival of flag football in the upcoming 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles has created a rare divide in the National Football League: Commissioner Roger Goodell and the league office united with the NFL Players Association in likely opposition with team owners over the issue of player participation.
For nearly two years, NFL leaders have been openly enthused about the prospect of active players being part of the talent pool for Olympic teams, both to help promote youth participation and advance the league’s expanding global ambitions. As several individual stars, such as Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill, have been similarly bullish about competing in Los Angeles, the union has also been publicly supportive of the concept.
Some team owners, however, have expressed injury concerns, while others have cited potential issues between the 2028 Olympics and the start of NFL training camps, both happening in late July.
“[It’s about] timing, availability, conflicts, that type of thing,” said Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. “But I wouldn’t be as concerned about the injuries, not with flag.”
Jones, however, still called others’ injury worries “valid.”
Goodell, for his part, hinted at last week’s NFL annual meeting in Florida that a resolution could arrive before the start of the 2025 season—if not much sooner—while pointing to continued lobbying from individual players.
“I think that’s something we’ll continue to discuss with, not just the union, but also the clubs,” he said. “I think both of those are things that we’ll probably resolve in the next 60 days.”
Other Leagues
Additional insurance coverage could be a critical answer to help bridge the divide. Similar issues have surfaced around the World Baseball Classic, with Major League Baseball players required to have insurance to participate. Some individual players with more extensive injury histories, such as Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw, have been denied coverage for the tournament, but the most recent iteration in 2023 featured many of the game’s biggest stars, including Shohei Ohtani, Mike Trout, Mookie Betts, and Bobby Witt Jr.
The NHL and NBA, similarly, have secured the participation of top players in events such as the Olympics and hockey’s 4 Nations Face-Off, with insurance costs a significant point of negotiation there, too. Who pays for the additional coverage in the flag football situation is likely to be a major consideration.
The LA28 debate is continuing as the NFL is reviewing bids for a proposed professional flag football league, including one from Reddit cofounder and prominent sports investor Alexis Ohanian.
