Jalen Hurts leads promo for Olympic flag football in 2028. Will NFL players be able to play?

With the current popularity of football, it feels like you can no longer have an Olympics in the United States without the sport’s involvement — so the Los Angeles Olympics will include it. Flag football is officially in the Games for 2028, and the NFL and global flag football ambassador Jalen Hurts are ready to pass the torch — literally.

“As we celebrate the successes of Paris 2024 and the ball is thrown to LA28, we have no doubt flag football is going to light up the Games when it makes its debut in four years time,” Pierre Trochet, the president of the International Federation of American Football, said in a statement. “Young, fast, creative and played by outstanding athletes, including our global flag football ambassador Jalen Hurts, the format is the perfect fit for the Games of a new generation.”

But despite Hurts’ appearance in the commercial, it’s still not clear whether NFL players will be allowed to compete in the Olympics. NBA and WNBA players have competed in the Olympics since 1992. NHL players played in their first Winter Olympics in 1998 but have not competed since 2014 because of insurance issues. MLB players have never competed at the Olympics, but Bryce Harper hopes to change that when baseball returns to the Games in 2028.

Some NFL players have already expressed their interest in competing, including Tyreek Hill, Tua Tagovailoa, and Patrick Mahomes.

“You know how amazing it would be to assemble a super team to play in the Olympics,” Hill said on his podcast.

The Paris Olympics conflicted with the opening weeks of NFL training camp, potentially presenting a hurdle for NFL player participation in 2028. The NFL released a statement in October when flag football was confirmed for the Games that it would work with the NFLPA to potentially create a pathway for the league’s players to compete.

“That opportunity for athletes to represent their countries, we understand the desire, what they have spoken out about, and what we will continue to do is work with the players, Players Association and the clubs in the time ahead to determine the process and then work with USA Football and IFAF on that,” NFL executive Peter O’Reilly said.

If NFL players do get the green light, it will be interesting to see who wants to play — and who even makes the cut.