LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes said he is eager to suit up for Team USA when flag football makes its Olympic debut at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.
“I definitely want to but I’ve seen some of those guys play the flag football and they are a little faster than I am,” Mahomes told reporters on Friday in Munich, where the Chiefs are set to play the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.
“I know there aren’t linemen blocking for you. I’ll be 31, 32 years old, so if I can still move around, I’m going to try to get out there and throw the football around in LA.
“Just don’t tell coach (Andy) Reid or (general manager Brett) Veach or anybody,” the two-time Super Bowl champion said with a laugh.
Flag football looks similar to tackle football, with passing and receiving, but requires little protective equipment, with play stopping when a defender pulls a cloth flag from the waist of an opponent.
With the backing of the NFL it was among five sports added to the program for the 2028 Games alongside cricket, lacrosse, squash and baseball-softball.
NFL executives have said the league will would work with the NFL Players Association and all 32 clubs to clear a pathway for the stars of the gridiron to have a chance to compete in the Games.
The Olympic stage could be a boon to the NFL, which is working to expand its global footprint.
Flag football’s governing body, the International Federation of American Football, has the final say over who makes the cut to play for their country.
(Reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles; Editing by Jamie Freed)
