NFL players want to compete in flag football in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Patrick Mahomes and Tyreek Hill are among those who have expressed interest.
“I’ve heard directly from a lot of players who want to participate and represent their country, whether it’s United States or the country that they came from,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said Tuesday.
But the NFLPA and the 32 NFL teams have a say in whether to put their players at risk of injury.
Owners discussed it during their annual meetings in Palm Beach, and Goodell expects to have an answer for the players soon.
“I think that’s something that we’ll continue discussions with not just the union, but also the clubs,” Goodell said. “I think both of those are things that will probably resolve sometime in the next 60 days.”
The 2028 Olympics take place July 14-30, which conflicts with the start of training camp.
“I do think that the Olympics is a critical moment for us in the flag development on a global basis,” Goodell said. “Listen, the Olympics are the pinnacle of international sport, and for us to be able to participate in that, to have both men’s and women’s flag teams participating from around the world, is a significant moment for us.
“So there is a lot of lead-up to that in the qualifications and how that happens, so that is clearly inspiring some of the work [for a professional football league].”
