On Thursday, the USA Flag Football team added its first former NFL star, and he has a Pro Bowl and Rookie of the Year honors on his resume.
For the first time, American football will be played at the Summer Olympics. However, in 2028, it won’t be the football fans are used to in the NFL and college ranks. No, the version that will be on display at the Olympics will be flag football.
Since the addition was made official, there has been a growing debate on whether the USA Flag Football team should be made up of current and former NFL stars, or actual flag football veterans who helped to grow the sport. Last week, fans found out the two sports are actually quite different when the current USA National Team crushed three different squads made up of current and former NFL players.
However, that won’t stop NFL vets from trying to make the team, and one of them took another big step closer to the 2028 games this week.
One-time Washington Redskins (now Commanders) star Robert Griffin III revealed in a social media post that he has officially started training with the USA Flag Football team.
“God’s plan 🙏🏾. The work is just getting started,’ he wrote in the caption of an image post showcasing the roster for Team USA. “Excited to work with my new teammates 🫡 USA! USA! USA!”
After being the second overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, he immediately became a star in the league by winning NFC offense ROTY honors and going to the Pro Bowl. However, he regressed in his second season as he battled injuries. His problems staying healthy continued, and after stints with the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens, he walked away from the league in 2020.
Griffin III has transitioned into a career in sports media and has worked for Netflix and ESPN in the past, but the 36-year-old currently serves as an analyst for Fox Sports.
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After earning his journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos served as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sucka ... More about Jason Burgos