With NFL players allowed to play in 2028 Olympics, who would make the USA’s flag football Dream Team?
And you thought the 1992 United States men’s basketball team crushed the competition.
The NFL’s team owners approved a resolution on Tuesday that allows NFL players to participate in the 2028 Olympics in flag football. It would allow one player from each team, plus a designated international player, to play. Nothing against those international players, but USA vs. anyone in flag football would make the Dream Team vs. Angola look competitive.
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The game of flag football is five on five, so let’s pick the United States’ 2028 Dream Team starting lineup for flag football using NFL players:
Offense
QB: Patrick Mahomes
Lamar Jackson would have been the pick if running was allowed, but quarterbacks can’t run in flag football. Jackson would still be a fine pick because he’s a great passer too, but we’ll go with Mahomes. Because nobody could go wrong picking Mahomes to be their quarterback.
One underrated option: Jared Goff, who won last season’s Pro Bowl Game’s offensive MVP and a skills competition there. He’s a perfect pocket distributor. But we can take only one player from each team and …
Jahmyr Gibbs of the Detroit Lions runs upfield during the 2025 NFL Pro Bowl Games. (Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images)
(Perry Knotts via Getty Images)
RB: Jahmyr Gibbs
The quarterback can hand it off to a running back or throw, but the running back has to be an elusive threat out of the backfield with the ability to catch. Sorry Derrick Henry, you can’t run over the poor defenders in this game. We’ve seen Gibbs absolutely dust NFL defenders in open space, and good luck to the German or French defender catching up to Gibbs.
WR: Justin Jefferson
We could try to get cute and make an argument like “Marvin Mims Jr. had the most separation in the NFL last season so he should be the pick,” or “KaVontae Turpin would be the fastest receiver on the field” but let’s be real. If nobody can cover Jefferson in the pros, nobody can cover him in the Olympics either.
WR: Ja’Marr Chase
See above. There could be some contrarian argument that this or that slot receiver would be better suited for flag football, or that Xavier Worthy’s speed should be considered. You pick one of them, and then tell the NFL’s triple crown winner he’s not in the starting lineup.
WR: Tyreek Hill
Hill has made the NFL look like he’s already playing flag football. There’s some worry he didn’t look like the same explosive player last season. But Hill is practically built for this game. Though it’s tough to say no to players like Malik Nabers, Brian Thomas Jr. and Nico Collins for the final starting spot.
(Davis Long/Yahoo Sports)
Defense
Rusher: Micah Parsons
In flag football, one player usually rushes, and Parsons will be just fine at that. His background as an off-ball linebacker at Penn State also helps a little bit. He gets a slight nod over T.J. Watt and Myles Garrett. An international quarterback seeing any of them bearing down might cause any of them to pass out.
CB: Travis Hunter
Yeah, he hasn’t played an NFL game yet. But he wouldn’t have any problem playing both ways in a flag football world. And his body control is already as good as anyone in the NFL already. Pity the poor defender trying to grab his flag after the catch, if he can even get any playing time as a receiver.
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CB: Patrick Surtain II
Perhaps we can argue that slot cornerbacks are actually better for flag football, considering the speed and space element involved. I’ll assume last season’s NFL Defensive Player of the Year will be fine in any environment.
CB: Cooper DeJean
We do have some recent tape of NFL stars playing flag football, from the Pro Bowl Games last season. Vikings cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. had three pick-6s and was the defensive MVP of that game and should be considered based on that, but we already have Justin Jefferson from the Vikings. Instead, let’s go with DeJean, who had the highest Pro Football Focus grade of any cornerback as a rookie for the Philadelphia Eagles last season, and has experience playing safety, slot corner and outside corner. Besides, the Super Bowl champion Eagles have to have some representation.
S: Kyle Hamilton
Hamilton is the latest Swiss Army knife safety in the NFL, making plays everywhere for the Baltimore Ravens. That versatility is perfect for an Olympic flag football team. Not that it should matter much, given the rest of the starting lineup.
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