Building Olympic flag football rosters for USA, Canada with NFL stars

NFL owners voted Tuesday to allow the league's players to compete in flag football at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

The Olympic version will feature 10-person teams with five players per team on the field, which is 70 yards long (including two 10-yard end zones) and 25 yards wide. A new set of four downs is rewarded after the offense crosses midfield.

We've included 12 players for both the Canadian and American teams to account for possible alternates while abiding by the one player per NFL franchise restriction for Team USA. It's also probable that members of the U.S. Flag National Team will be included on the official rosters, but we're focusing on the NFL players who would excel in the sport's inaugural Olympic Games.

Team USA 🇺🇸

Mahomes isn't as athletic as Lamar Jackson or Jayden Daniels, but he's elusive, and no quarterback makes something out of nothing better. The two-time MVP and three-time Super Bowl champion leads all NFL quarterbacks in passing yards (32,352), touchdowns (245), passer rating (102.1), and more since he took over the starting job in 2018.

Hurts would be an asset taking snaps as the lone quarterback on the field, playing as a receiver or runner, or lining up alongside Mahomes for trick plays. The reigning Super Bowl MVP is also a global flag football ambassador.

There may be no receiver better suited to this sport than Jefferson. The LSU product has historic receiving production, elite athleticism, an insane catch radius, and the mindset necessary to dominate.

Chase is one of three players to win a receiving triple crown since 2000 after recording a 127/1,708/17 line in 2024. He's also a perfect complement to Jefferson; the pair won a College Football Playoff National Championship the last time they were on the same team.

Team USA has a lot of great athletes, but Gibbs earned the nickname "Sonic" thanks to his exceptional acceleration and top speed. If he gets the ball, good things will happen. The Lions benefited from that strategy to the tune of 1,929 scrimmage yards and 20 total touchdowns in 2024.

Robinson earns a nod as a do-it-all skill player that's fresh off a 15-touchdown, 1,887-scrimmage-yard campaign. Not many defenders will be able to keep up with his short-area quickness.

Bowers' physicality wouldn't factor in as a way to break tackles, but it would certainly play a role in boxing out defenders in the end zone. He won't be relegated to those duties, though, as nearly half of his 2024 receiving yardage came after the catch.

The 4.36-second 40-yard dash speed that helps Parsons chase down quarterbacks on Sundays would translate perfectly to the more condensed flag football field. The All-Pro edge rusher is an elite disruptor.

Warner would naturally occupy a hybrid role for Team USA, rushing or dropping into coverage as needed. The 49ers standout would be one of the older players on the roster, but his instincts and quickness translate to the smaller field.

A defensive back who can match Stingley's athleticism and ball production is hard to come by. The former top-three draft pick has tallied 10 interceptions and 31 pass deflections in 28 games over the last two NFL seasons.

Who could be a better running mate for Stingley than the reigning Defensive Player of the Year? Surtain has hauled in 11 interceptions and defended an additional 47 passes in 66 career contests. The Alabama product is a threat to score when he gets the ball in his hands, too - he's returned two of his picks for touchdowns.

The Patriots' top cover man rebounded from an injury-shortened rookie campaign to make the second-team All-Pro squad in 2024. The Oregon product is also an elite athlete: He possesses 4.38 speed and 98th percentile vertical (41.5 inches) and broad (133 inches) jumps among all players in the MockDraftable database.

Team Canada 🇨🇦

The CFL hasn't confirmed if its players will be permitted to participate in the 2028 Games, but we're including several players from the league to fill out Team Canada.

Rourke, the CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian of 2022, set a CFL single-season record during that campaign with a 78.7% completion rate. He offers solid athleticism in addition to his arm talent.

What's better than one Rourke brother? Two! The former Ohio Bobcat and Indiana Hoosier was drafted in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft after a strong final NCAA season. He gives Canada a second passing option and should have elite chemistry with his brother when they share the field.

Palmer deserves to be the top downfield option regardless of who's throwing the ball. The Toronto-born wideout has averaged at least 15 yards per reception and nine yards per target each of the last two campaigns.

Metchie would complement Palmer as a quicker pass-catching option. The 6-foot, 195-pounder has played a reserve role with the Texans since being selected in the second round of the 2022 draft, but Team Canada could lean on him heavily.

Only 14 players finished with more scrimmage yards than Hubbard's 1,366 in 2024. He also scored 11 total touchdowns, 10 of which were on the ground. Hubbard's above-average strength would be a boon against smaller defenders.

Brown narrowly fell short of 1,000 rushing yards in his first season as the Bengals' top option, finishing with 990 yards in 16 games. He also offers receiving upside, having tallied 54 receptions for 360 yards and four touchdowns on 64 targets in 2024.

Oliveira, the CFL's reigning Most Outstanding Player and Most Outstanding Canadian, has put up at least 1,300 rushing yards and 470 receiving yards in back-to-back campaigns. That kind of production is likely to draw interest from Team Canada.

Robinson offers elite length at 6-foot-6. The Ravens' 2023 fourth-rounder would be a headache for opponents, whether he's reaching for flags or interrupting passes as a coverage defender.

Team Canada's second set of brothers - and first pair of twins - is rounded out with Chase's brother Sidney. The safety offers elite athleticism, as evidenced by his 96th-percentile vertical jump (40.5 inches), 95th-percentile broad jump (130 inches), and 84th-percentile 40-yard dash (4.47 seconds) among all players in the MockDraftable database.

Holland is an above-average athlete with good size (6-foot-1, 205 pounds) and proven production (five interceptions and 25 pass deflections) at the NFL level. Opposing quarterbacks will need to be careful, as both Holland and Brown have recorded 99-yard pick-6s in their pro careers.

St-Juste is another defender with excellent size at 6-foot-3 and 202 pounds with a wingspan of almost 79 inches. He's showcased the benefits of his frame with 31 pass deflections across the last three seasons.

Ford's twin brother, Tre, narrowly missed out on a QB spot, but Team Canada will love Tyrell's turnover potential. The University of Waterloo product earned his first CFL All-Star nod with seven interceptions for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2024.

Other international players

The shifty All-Pro has both American and German citizenship, making him eligible to suit up for a potential Team Germany.

Team Greece would love the rangy defensive back's playmaking ability. The 6-foot-4, 220-pounder plays all over the field for the Ravens and would be tasked with doing the same on the flag football field.

Hamilton isn't the only NFLer born in Greece. Karlaftis, an Athens native, would pair with Hamilton to give Team Greece a strong duo to build around.

Hunter should be the first call if Jamaica wants to participate in flag football. The five-time Pro Bowler has an elite burst to close on opposing quarterbacks.

Nigeria has produced plenty of NFL talent, including Ojabo, fellow edge rusher Samson Ebukam, and wide receiver Nelson Agholor. Ojabo would be an intriguing pass-rusher.