Despite being three years away, the flag football competition of the Olympics has been a hot topic of discussion amongst current NFL players.
Most recently, Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen spoke on the topic. Allen made it clear that he would love the chance to take home a gold medal for the United States.
“I’m not gonna disrespect the guys that are playing flag football right now, but, you know, if there’s an opportunity for me to try, I would absolutely love to,” Allen told reporters on Tuesday. “I’ve always wanted to compete for my country and, you know, every time the Olympics are on, I’m tuned in and glued to the screen. But I think there’s really no greater honor to do that. That’d be really cool.”
Flag football has developed into a much different game than the tackle football played on NFL gridirons, to the point where the current Team USA quarterback Darrell Doucette III has made headlines taking shots at NFL players, saying they shouldn't be given spots on the Olympic roster over longtime flag football players.
That being said, it's hard to imagine a reality where Allen wouldn't dominate the sport. The reigning NFL Most Valuable Player just completed his sixth consecutive season with 40 touchdowns. While Allen has one of the strongest arms in the NFL - averaging 4,048 yards per 17 games - he's also a threat as a runner.
Allen has logged 4,142 yards and 65 touchdowns on the ground in his NFL career, including back-to-back double digit rushing touchdown seasons. At 6-foot-5, Allen has an incredible combination of size, speed, and arm talent.
There are still many decisions that need to be made by USA Football regarding how the country's national team will be selected, but they'll be hard pressed to find a quarterback better equipped for the job than Josh Allen.