Setting their sights on 2028, Panthers players are dreaming of the Olympics

[Carolina Panthers]

The 2028 Olympics will feature flag-football for the first time. It means the chance to win a gold is actually there for many who never thought it possible.

View the full article on Panthers.com

[tukafan21]

I can't see any way that under contract NFL players will be allowed to play by their teams, just way too much of an injury risk at a time they should be in training camp.

I'm guessing the only way NFL players are on the team, is if they are Free Agents and don't sign with a team so they can play and then sign after the games.

Also, what's the point?

The US could send out a team of high school Juniors and Seniors would sleep walk to gold, and even a team of younger players would be medal contenders.

I honestly don't understand why a sport that is essentially only played in one country is being added to the Olympics, it's cool that we're guaranteed another gold every olympics, but still weird.

[Panthercougar68]

6 minutes ago, tukafan21 said:

I can't see any way that under contract NFL players will be allowed to play by their teams, just way too much of an injury risk at a time they should be in training camp.

I'm guessing the only way NFL players are on the team, is if they are Free Agents and don't sign with a team so they can play and then sign after the games.

Also, what's the point?

The US could send out a team of high school Juniors and Seniors would sleep walk to gold, and even a team of younger players would be medal contenders.

I honestly don't understand why a sport that is essentially only played in one country is being added to the Olympics, it's cool that we're guaranteed another gold every olympics, but still weird.

That’s actually not the case and the US was owned during the trials. Youre gonna have to put effort to get gold.

[DJ feed me moore]

13 minutes ago, tukafan21 said:

I can't see any way that under contract NFL players will be allowed to play by their teams, just way too much of an injury risk at a time they should be in training camp.

I'm guessing the only way NFL players are on the team, is if they are Free Agents and don't sign with a team so they can play and then sign after the games.

Also, what's the point?

The US could send out a team of high school Juniors and Seniors would sleep walk to gold, and even a team of younger players would be medal contenders.

I honestly don't understand why a sport that is essentially only played in one country is being added to the Olympics, it's cool that we're guaranteed another gold every olympics, but still weird.

I think every one has a unique sport and this is what we went with, I doubt it will ever be an Olympic game ever again after 2028. I think getting the best HS players(rising seniors in the 29 class) would be more than enough to bring home gold.

[Navy_football]

8 hours ago, DJ feed me moore said:

I think every one has a unique sport and this is what we went with, I doubt it will ever be an Olympic game ever again after 2028. I think getting the best HS players(rising seniors in the 29 class) would be more than enough to bring home gold.

Maybe not rising seniors in HS... they're playing against grown men! 

They would get dominated in the trenches. But I do agree that a team of the best undrafted college players could pull it off. Or maybe the UFL all star squad.

[Icege]

9 hours ago, tukafan21 said:

I can't see any way that under contract NFL players will be allowed to play by their teams, just way too much of an injury risk at a time they should be in training camp.

I'm guessing the only way NFL players are on the team, is if they are Free Agents and don't sign with a team so they can play and then sign after the games.

Also, what's the point?

The US could send out a team of high school Juniors and Seniors would sleep walk to gold, and even a team of younger players would be medal contenders.

I honestly don't understand why a sport that is essentially only played in one country is being added to the Olympics, it's cool that we're guaranteed another gold every olympics, but still weird.

Came across this while trying to find out what led to the inclusion of flag football as well as other info such as the NFL's involvement.

Quote

“Flag Football is the future, and the tip of the spear for American Football’s international growth, with approximately 20 million flexible players across over 100 countries with gender balance in participation,” LA28 Sports Director Niccolo Campriani said during the IOC session officially announcing the five new sports.

“Lastly, the inclusion of flag football opens the door to a game-changing partnership with the NFL, the world’s largest professional league. NFL commitment in this journey is total – not a one-and-done – reflecting its long-term determination to collaborate with the International Federation of American Football and the Olympic Movement in the interest of sports worldwide.”

The decision to add flag football to the Olympics comes after the NFL and the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) partnered to form Vision28, a joint venture with the goal of continuing to grow the game globally.

In a press release published shortly after the announcement, the NFL describes flag football as “a short, fast, non-contact and gender-equal format, renowned as the most accessible and inclusive version of American football” and says that it’s “spearheading exceptional worldwide participation growth in American football, especially among women and girls.”

The NFL is not only open, but encouraging active players to participate in the Games in less than five years’ time, which would certainly make flag football one of the most-viewed sports in LA.

Along with flag football, squash will be making its Olympic debut at the 2028 Games, while lacrosse, cricket, and baseball/softball were also added after appearing in previous editions.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach noted that the new sports will put “iconic” American sports on display for the world.

“The choice of these five new sports is in line with the American sports culture and will showcase iconic American sports to the world, while bringing international sports to the United States. These sports will make the Olympic Games LA28 unique,” Bach said in a statement.

I can't recall off of the top of my head what events have been added before the Tokyo games, but for that Olympics they added skateboarding, sport climbing, surfing, karate, and baseball/softball which are all popular in Japan. I can dig them rotating a couple of events in order to highlight the host country's culture/history.

Looks like current NFL players are being encouraged to participate though.

BY9 to Tyreek Hill?

Edited August 8 by Icege

[CRA]

Panther bot is evolving!  Johnny 5 is alive! 

Panther bot already looking ahead to 2028.   It isn't dumb after all. 

[Zaximus]

If there is money to be made by the NFL I can definitely see players in there.  I mean NBA players since the 90's have been playing in the Olympics and that's more of a contact sport than flag football.

[tukafan21]

19 hours ago, Panthercougar68 said:

That’s actually not the case and the US was owned during the trials. Youre gonna have to put effort to get gold.

I guess my post was if they put together the best team possible, how young could they go and still walk to the gold.

As I'm sure during those trials, it was a bunch of guys who couldn't even make it into the Arena league.  But the elite HS Seniors, would DESTROY the rest of the world.

[tukafan21]

10 hours ago, Navy_football said:

Maybe not rising seniors in HS... they're playing against grown men! 

They would get dominated in the trenches. But I do agree that a team of the best undrafted college players could pull it off. Or maybe the UFL all star squad.

Dominated in the trenches?

Do you know how flag football works?  There literally are no trenches, it's all about speed, quickness, precision, and passing ability.

Which is why we would dominate it if they put together a team of NFL or even college players, as their actual football skills would be that superior, particularly for the QB's.

The question is how young could we go, still with elite players, to where kids going up against grown men would become too much to overcome because they're just faster and quicker than a bunch of 14 or 15 year olds