At NFL meetings earlier this month the owners voted to allow players to participate in Olympic flag football, should they desire, when the sport debuts in the 2028 Games in Los Angeles. It is an exciting development in theory and also sparked what will be a years-long debate about who, exactly, should be representing the United States in the sport: professional football players or professional flag football players?
In the latest episode of the New Heights podcast, Jason Kelce presented a bold plan to his brother Travis to solve this particular dilemma: one winner-take-all game pitting NFL and flag football players against each other on the flag football field.
"Let's just have a flag football team of NFL players play these guys and see if they can win," the retired Kelce said. "May the best team win... I think a coach that is familiar with flag football should select an NFL-represented team. And that team should just play this flag football team that's been playing for a long time and feels like they are the best at it and they don't need other guys. Then whoever wins (goes to the Olympics)."
It would be great theater if anything. The NFL consists of some of the very best athletes in the world but flag football is not the same as tackle football on numerous levels. They'd surely adjust to the different rules quickly but can they do that while also beating a team filled with lifelong flag football players?
That's the big question. One that would be easily answered utilizing Kelce's solution, which could also be monetized by the participating parties. Think of the ratings!
An intriguing proposal from the longtime Philadelphia Eagles lineman.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Jason Kelce's Bold Plan to Determine If NFL Players Should Play Olympic Flag Football.
