When flag football makes its debut at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, the NFL should have a presence. League owners are expected to vote Tuesday in favor of NFL players taking part in the event at the Summer Games, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
It’s one of three major proposals league owners will debate at its May meetings. Owners are also expected to vote on whether to ban the tush-push and whether to alter how the playoffs are seeded. Both of those votes are expected Wednesday, per Schefter.
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While NFL players are expected to be approved to take part in flag football at the Olympics, some details regarding their participation may still need to be sorted out. The 2028 Summer Olympics will take place between July 14 and July 30. That’s right around when NFL training camps typically open, meaning the league and its teams will need to figure out how to how players can participate in the Olympics but still be ready for the NFL season.
The league reportedly has some ideas in place for how player participation will work, per Schefter. If the proposal is adopted, any player with an NFL contract will be eligible for Olympic flag football tryouts. One player per NFL team can appear on a national team, though a designated international player will be allowed to play for their home country, per Schefter. Teams will also get insurance policies and salary-cap relief if a player is injured during the Olympics.
Those restrictions are subject to league negotiations with both the NFLPA and “Olympics-related entities.”
Additionally, USA Football already has men’s and women’s flag football teams. Both clubs won the gold at the Flag Football World Championships in August. The men’s team that took part in that event was comprised of non-NFL players. It’s unclear what will happen with those players if NFL players are allowed to take part in the Olympics.
The 2028 Summer Olympics will be the first time flag football will be part of the games. The setup and rules of the event will differ from NFL-style football.
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Each team will feature 10 players total. Five players from each team can take the field at a time. Teams will play two 20-minute halves at the games.
The field will be smaller than a regulation NFL field. The Olympics will feature a 70 x 25 yard field, including 10 yards for each end zone. Teams will begin on their own five-yard line and have four downs to make it halfway down the field. Teams can elect to run or pass on each play. A down ends when a flag is removed from a player, when they go out of bounds or when a forward pass hits the ground.
If a team reaches the halfway point in four downs, they have four more downs to score a touchdown. If they are unable to do that, the other team takes possession of the ball on its own five-yard line.
After a touchdown is scored, a team can elect to go for an extra point by running a play from the five-yard line. A team can also go for two points from the 10-yard line.
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If teams are tied after 40 minutes of play, each team will receive possessions until one team achieves an unanswered score.
Given the popularity of football in the United States, Team USA is expected to be a favorite to win the gold at the event.
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