As anticipation for the 2028 Olympic flag football tournament builds, Team USA quarterback Darrell Doucette has thrown down a challenge to NFL players who assume they can simply waltz onto the Olympic roster. Doucette, a flag football champion and MVP, believes that pro players from the NFL are not as proficient in the nuances of flag football as those who have dedicated their careers to the sport.
Darrell "Housh" Doucette, the quarterback of the U.S. national flag football team, is not one to mince words. When asked about the prospect of NFL players joining the Olympic team after the hype video featuring Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, Doucette expressed his displeasure.
"I think it's disrespectful that they just automatically assume that they're able to just join the Olympic team because of the person that they are — they didn't help grow this game to get to the Olympics," Doucette said. "Give the guys who helped this game get to where it's at their respect. … We just don't think they're going to be able to walk on the field and make the Olympic team because of the name, right? They still have to go out there and compete."
Doucette's sentiment stems from his belief that NFL players have not played flag football at a competitive level and that their transition to the sport will not be as seamless as they may believe.
"At the end of the day, I feel like I'm better than Patrick Mahomes because of my IQ of the game," Doucette said in an interview with TMZ Sports.
Mahomes, a Kansas City Chiefs superstar, responded to the chirping with a joking hand-to-heart reaction, showing that he is not taking Doucette's challenge too seriously.
While Doucette's comments may be seen as bold, they are not entirely without merit. Team USA has won gold in five of the 10 IFAF World Championships, while the United States is ranked No. 1 in the world in both men's and women's flag football.
Despite Doucette's challenge and the impressive record of Team USA, there are NFL players who have expressed interest in competing in the Olympic flag football tournament. Caleb Williams, the Chicago Bears' first overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft, and Joe Burrow, the Cincinnati Bengals' quarterback, have both expressed a desire to suit up for Team USA.
Whether NFL players will actually make the Olympic roster remains to be seen. Doucette and other Team USA players have made it clear that they will not simply hand over their spots to pro players. To earn a place on the team, NFL players will have to prove their worth on the flag football field.
The 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles will mark the debut of flag football in the Summer Olympics, and the competition is sure to be fierce. Doucette and his Team USA teammates are eager to prove that they are the best in the world and they welcome the challenge from any NFL players who think they can take their spot.
