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NFL owners are set to vote on whether players will be permitted to participate in flag football at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, a league memo released publicly and obtained by ESPN on Thursday (May 15) confirmed.
The resolution favoring the move states that, "participation by NFL players in flag football during the 2028 Summer Olympics ... will support such growth and advance several league interests, including increasing fan and public interest in flag football, expanding the global reach of the NFL, and providing greater opportunities for fan engagement and for our league partners," according to ESPN.
The resolution lays out rules and a basic structure for how the NFL would intend to make the process work. which would include negotiations with the NFL Players Association and Olympics-related entities include the following:
- Permission for any contracted player to participate in tryouts
- A limit of one player per NFL team on each participating national
- Allowing, in addition, a team's designated international player to represent their home country
- Leaguewide insurance polices to give injury protection for any player injured during Olympic flag football related activities
- Salary cap credit for players injured during Olympic flag football related activities
- Expectation that Olympic teams will have medical staffs and field surfaces meeting the NFL's minimum standards
- A schedule that "does not unreasonably conflict with an NFL player's league and club commitments."
NFL owners are scheduled to meet in Eagan, Minnesota, on Tuesday (May 20) to discuss a potential resolution for flag football at the Olympics, as well as other previously scheduled league business.