NFL stars DeAndre Hopkins, Joe Burrow and Kyle Juszczyk explained how they are approaching the exhibition games during the Fanatics Flag Football Classic in Los Angeles ahead of the 2028 Olympics
17:43 ET, 21 Mar 2026
NFL star DeAndre Hopkins explained the mindset the players had coming into the Fanatics Flag Football Classic
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NFL star DeAndre Hopkins explained the mindset the players had coming into the Fanatics Flag Football Classic(Image: MIRROR US SPORTS)
LOS ANGELES — The competitive nature in athletes never takes a day off, even for an exhibition.
On Saturday, Tom Brady, Jalen Hurts, Joe Burrow, and a bevy of other NFL stars took on Team USA's flag football team at BMO Stadium. The game originally was to be played in Saudia Arabia, but due to conflict in the Middle East, the exhibition was relocated to Los Angeles, a fitting location considering the 2028 Olympics in the city will feature the debut of flag football in the Games.
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Despite the nature of the game, it is clear that the NFL stars, like DeAndre Hopkins, were taking the game seriously, more seriously than initially believed. Their admission comes after Burrow shared his thoughts on potentially competing in the 2028 Olympics.
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"Yeah, it's a big challenge," Hopkins told Mirror US Sports when asked what the NFL stars think about Team USA's flag football success. Of note, Team USA have won five straight world championships and is coming into Saturday's matchup with a chip on its shoulder.
"I think that's the biggest challenge. But for us, it's kind of an advantage because we can watch film on those guys and we can get familiar with some of their plays." The NFL star added that while Saturday's festivities are a celebration of the sport, Hopkins stated that the league's players are taking it more seriously.
"I would say it's more of a 'lock-in' situation than fun. You know, we're trying to win. And, the guys are taking it serious. So I feel like the fun factor is kind of out the window," he concluded.
Joe Burrow explained how he relishes an opportunity to compete for an Olympic medal at some point in his life
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Joe Burrow explained how he relishes an opportunity to compete for an Olympic medal at some point in his life(Image: MIRROR US SPORTS)
When asked which aspect — competitiveness or fun — would be more apparent against his peers and Team USA, San Francisco 49ers star Kyle Juszczyk added simply to Mirror US Sport: "I think it's both. It's definitely gonna be fun, but we also wanna take it seriously and we wanna win."
The sentiment of wanting to win over having fun is one that Burrow shared, showing how locked in the NFL's stars are in winning. Speaking to reporters during a press conference Friday, the Cincinnati Bengals star explained what each player was thinking ahead of Saturday's tournament.
"Yeah, I'm not entirely sure what to expect from Saturday," the stat quarterback admitted.
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"You know, being on the field with the five guys, I know that they're going to have a big advantage against us. I have a lot of respect for their athleticism and their knowledge of the game, and we're just getting into the swing of things, and the guys are taking it seriously.
"I know we want to win, and I think it's why if you're going to do it, you go out and give it your all. If you don't want to do it, then you shouldn't be out there. So we're going to go out and try to win."
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That said, Burrow's team did not fare well in the first game of the afternoon.
The Burrow-led Wildcats only mustered 14 points while Team USA scored 39 points on 200 total yards. Hopkins and Burrow both scored touchdowns for the Wildcats.