Football is a young man’s game. Once a player hits 32, the bottom can drop out at any moment. Running backs don’t get that same treatment. Once they hit 29, people are eager to write them off.
But the best-of-the-best quarterbacks can seemingly play forever. Tom Brady did it. Drew Brees did it. Aaron Rodgers recovered from a torn Achilles to play last season at age 40.
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Los Angeles Rams starter Matthew Stafford isn’t quite that old yet, but he’s close. At 37, Stafford is still putting up capable numbers as a starter. While Stafford could probably keep playing a few more years, he has no interest in seeing how his skills translate to the world of flag football.
NFL players were cleared to play the sport at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, but don’t expect to see Stafford take the field when the time comes. The long-time veteran joked that maybe he would be interested in coaching the team, but that’s about it.
That’s an appropriate response from Stafford, who will be 40 when the 2028 Summer Olympics begin. Even if he’s still playing in the NFL at that point, it’s unlikely he’s going to want to take on the challenge of prepping for the Olympics and then playing an entire NFL season.
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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes isn’t in the exact same position, but he offered up a similar reason for skipping out on the 2028 Olympics. Mahomes, 29, said he would leave flag football “to the younger guys.”
It’s silly to think of Mahomes as an old player, but he’s been in the NFL for eight seasons now and will be 32 when the 2028 Olympics begin. Mahomes could still be the best quarterback in the NFL at that time, but it sounds like he’s more than content to let someone in their early-to-mid 20s getting the starting nod in the Olympics.
Mahomes and Stafford are probably right, youth is the answer. The image of Stafford holding a clipboard and yelling out play calls on the sideline at the 2028 Olympics is so fun, however, that those in charge might need to make it a reality.
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