The Nugget

The NFL is eyeing the inclusion of its star players in Olympic flag football at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles, potentially creating a Dream Team similar to the NBA's 1992 team.

Make it stick

🏈 Flag football in the 2028 Olympics: The NFL hopes to capitalize on this opportunity, similar to the NBA's Dream Team.
💪 Mahomes and NFL stars' participation: Patrick Mahomes and other NFL stars could transform Olympic flag football's perception and popularity.
👊 Women's pro flag football: Discussions around creating a professional women’s flag football league are gaining momentum.

Growth and preparation: Flag football now boasts 20 million global players across 100 countries, spurred by investments from the NFL, USA Football, and the International Federation of American Football (IFAF).
Game mechanics: Unlike traditional tackle football, Olympic flag football will be played on a 25-yard wide by 50-yard long field with two twenty-minute halves.

Interest and hurdles: Major NFL players, including Patrick Mahomes, have expressed interest in participating. However, this will require negotiations between the NFL and the NFL Players Association to address player protection and insurance issues.
Impact potential: A star-studded NFL lineup could dramatically elevate the sport's profile at the Olympics.

Pro league speculation: High-ranking NFL sources have hinted at serious discussions about starting a professional women’s flag football league.
Current progress: Twelve states have sanctioned women’s flag football as a varsity high school sport, with increasing support at the collegiate level.

Midseason break and viewership: The WNBA paused for the Olympics, having recorded its most-watched season ever in the first half of 2024.
Young stars left out: Despite their popularity, young stars Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese were left off Team USA's lineup, raising debates about the selection process.
New TV rights deals: The WNBA made lucrative new national TV rights agreements worth around $200 million annually, with potential increases.

"Patrick Mahomes has said he’s interested in playing Olympic flag football."
"We have a great opportunity to build on the enthusiasm for women’s flag football ahead of the Olympics."
"Imagine a team with Patrick Mahomes, Justin Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase, Sauce Gardner, and Micah Parsons."
"Neither the NBA nor the WNBA can deny that in the last few years, we have seen unprecedented growth across all metrics."
"There is no excuse to undervalue the WNBA again."

This summary contains AI-generated information and may have important inaccuracies or omissions.