USA Football selects 2025 flag
football roster as NFL considers allowing players to play at Olympics
[May 20, 2025]
By PAT GRAHAM
USA Football has selected its national flag football teams for this
season only.
What those rosters — more specifically, the men's squad — might look
like before the sport makes its Olympic debut at the 2028 Los
Angeles Games remains unknown.
The NFL owners are discussing a proposal this week at their spring
meetings in Minnesota that would allow players under contract to
participate in flag football at the Olympics.
Should the resolution be approved by at least 24 of the 32 team
owners, the league could negotiate with the NFL Players Association,
Olympic officials and national governing bodies on the specifics of
letting NFL players participate.
Scott Hallenbeck, the CEO and executive director of USA Football,
said in a statement the organization is “thrilled that the topic
will be discussed.”
“If participation is approved, we stand ready to provide
opportunities for NFL players to be part of Team USA and compete
alongside established flag football stars and talent-transfer
athletes from other sports,” added Hallenbeck, whose organization
oversees the selection and training of the national teams for
international competitions. "We will field the best team possible in
pursuit of our ultimate goal of earning two gold medals for the
United States in flag football.”
On Monday, USA Football officially announced the 12-athlete rosters
for the 2025 men’s and women’s flag football national teams.
The squads will compete in September at the International Federation
of American Football (IFAF) Americas Continental Flag Football
Championship in Panama. The women's team also will play at the World
Games in Chengdu, China, in August.
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NFC wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11), of the Seattle Seahawks,
tries to evade AFC safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, of the Pittsburgh
Steelers, left, during the flag football event at the NFL Pro Bowl,
Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025, in Orlando. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara, File)
At the moment, the men's roster features no active
NFL players. There are several players who played tackle football in
college.
The NFL has been making a big push into flag football in the hopes
of increasing youth participation and opportunities for women in the
sport. The league played a role in helping the sport gain inclusion
into the Los Angeles Olympics.
The U.S. men's and women's squads both won gold medals last season
at the IFAF flag football world championships in Lahti, Finland. The
men have now won five straight IFAF flag football world
championships, while the women have won three in a row.
“The depth of talent in our athlete pool is the best it’s ever
been,” said Eric Mayes, the managing director of high performance
and national teams for USA Football.
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AP Pro Football Writer Josh Dubow contributed to this report.
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