The Olympics are set to come to Los Angeles in four years, and for the first time ever, flag football will be an official event.
This has led some NFL players to suggest they should be part of it. A recent promotion featured Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts throwing a flaming ball over the cauldron at the top of the L.A. Coliseum.
Those who have been dedicated to flag football for a long time aren’t pleased.
Darrell “Housh” Doucette, the current quarterback of the U.S. national flag team, said, “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.”
He added, “Give the guys who helped this game get to where it’s at their respect.”
Doucette believes NFL players should have to earn their place on the flag team.
“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?” Doucette said. “They still have to go out there and compete.”
He also pointed out that the U.S. can win gold without NFL players.
“It’s not that we need these guys,” Doucette said. “Because we’re already great with who we have.”
While the NFL will likely want its players in the Olympics, individual teams might not be excited about letting them go from July 14 to July 30. Even if they miss only part of training camp, there’s always a risk of injury.
