Mahomes perplexed after flag football star makes bold claim

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes currently finds himself as a target of a flag football veteran.

U.S. flag football quarterback Darrell "Housh" Doucette made a bold claim Wednesday that captured the two-time NFL MVP's attention.

"At the end of the day, I feel like I'm better than Patrick Mahomes because of my IQ of the game," Doucette told TMZ Sports. "I know he's right now the best in the league, I know he's more accurate, I know he has all these intangibles. But when it comes to flag football, I feel like I know more than him."

Doucette added, "I'm not saying I'm a better player overall, but until he steps on a five-v-five flag field, I'm going to feel that way until it's proven otherwise. I'm a competitor and need to be proven wrong."

Mahomes, a two-time NFL MVP and three-time Super Bowl champion, was seemingly perplexed he was brought into the conversation by posting a GIF of rapper 50 Cent on X.

Doucette recently said in an interview with The Guardian that it's "disrespectful" to the flag football community for many to assume NFL players will be the ones to represent the U.S. when the sport makes it Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

Flag football is played on a narrow field and a five-on-five format. Doucette believes NFL players are much more accustomed to the physical nature of their profession than flag football, which requires the opposite approach. He also sees NFL stars needing to adjust to the nuances of flag football in guarding and timing.

Several NFL stars have previously expressed interest in joining the sport, including Mahomes, Joe Burrow, and Caleb Williams.

Doucette, who led the U.S. to gold at the 2022 World Games, envisions top receivers such as Justin Jefferson and Tyreek Hill making a seamless transition to flag football.

NFL executive VP Jeff Miller told reporters Monday that the league and union are in active discussions regarding player participation in flag football at the 2028 Olympics.

Doucette is open to welcoming NFL stars as long as they're required to try out for the national team just like players in the flag football community.

"I'm not hiding from the competition, and none of my teammates nor anybody else from the flag football world are hiding from the competition," he said.