What would an NFL 'Dream Team' look like? Flag Football to the Olympics
The NFL's efforts to get flag football into the Olympic Games have paid off as the International Olympic Committee has approved the no-tackle version of football for the 2028 Games that will take place in Los Angeles. It's a huge win for the NFL, whose efforts have been apparent for multiple years now. From a […]
The NFL's efforts to get flag football into the Olympic Games have paid off as the International Olympic Committee has approved the no-tackle version of football for the 2028 Games that will take place in Los Angeles.
It's a huge win for the NFL, whose efforts have been apparent for multiple years now.
From a revamped version of the Pro Bowl featuring flag football games with Peyton Manning coaching a team to providing equipment to play the game worldwide, they've been pulling out all the stops. More eyeballs on flag football around the world will indirectly translate to more football fans, as well.
The league hasn't taken an official stand on whether or not NFL players will be allowed to play in the Olympics. Honestly, it sounds unlikely, considering the risk of injuries, which can happen even without contact. However, you never know. If their goal is to get more eyeballs, they could very well let them.
For now, we can have our fun and dive into what an NFL version of the "Dream Team" would look like. Before we do, a few disclaimers:
The flag football we'll see in the Olympics is 5-on-5 with a roster limit of 15 players. The following group of players is a just-for-fun exercise that doesn't consider how old these players will be in 2028. Instead, it's a "Dream Team" of the players that dominate the NFL today.
Our NFL ‘Dream Team’ for Flag Football
Quarterback: Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City Chiefs)
Can you imagine Mahomes’ no-look throws in a flag football game? We need to see it.
Listen, there are a lot of quarterbacks you can go with for flag (we'll get to our backup QB later). But ultimately, there might not be anyone better at scrambling while keeping his eyes downfield than Patrick Mahomes. Combined with his unique arm, he's the only correct choice. Plus, that sets us up for an iconic (hypothetical) reunion…
Wide Receiver: Tyreek Hill (Miami Dolphins)
Need I remind you they nickname this guy Cheetah?
Speed is an absolute must in flag football and Hill provides that and much more. He's great at finding soft spots versus zone and no one can really play him in man coverage one on one. He would be a cheat code in this format.
Get ready for the Usain Bolt comparisons if he ends up getting a shot at the Olympics.
Wide Receiver: Justin Jefferson (Minnesota Vikings)
Separation. Separation. Separation.
Jefferson is in the discussion to be the best route runner in the NFL and I'm not sure anyone could stop him in the Olympics. He could be the most complete wide receiver on our Dream Team roster.
Wide receiver: Davante Adams (Las Vegas Raiders)
Let's go ahead and lock down ourselves with a red-zone weapon. With his hands and height, Adams could give our unit all the answers needed. And hey, he won't be afraid to get creative here and there, as he showed us during the Pro Bowl Games earlier this year.
Running back: De’Von Achane (Miami Dolphins)
Wild card alert!
Remember what we said about speed? Well, Achane has reached both the second and third-highest top speed this season, per Next Gen Stats. The Dolphins rookie has been clocked in at 21.93 mph and 21.76 mph.
And, we need a running back who can catch. He checks that box as well. He's caught nine of ten targets and has the ninth-highest PFF receiving grade among running backs this year.
Rusher: Micah Parsons (Dallas Cowboys)
The battle to be the NFL”s best edge rusher is a crowded one. But in a flag context, even on defense, we want speed over anything else. Parsons is the runaway winner in this sense so he gets the starting role over our other edge rusher listed in our reserves down below.
Cornerback: Sauce Gardner (New York Jets)
Gardner is legit and he can play zone and man really well. We're not overthinking this one. He can erase one side of the field for us. Plus, again, he's crazy fast and can close in on receivers in the blink of an eye.
And hey, we know there are other young cornerbacks as promising if not more. That's why for CB2 we're going with…
Cornerback: Patrick Surtain (Denver Broncos)
Don’t let the Broncos’ disappointing season distract you from the fact that Surtain is still killing it. Just like Gardner, I’d trust Surtain in man coverage all day long. He’s produced against some of the top wide receivers in the NFL. He should do well in flag.
Linebacker: Fred Warner (San Francisco 49ers)
When you talk about versatile superhuman athletes in football, you better bring up Warner. His physical dominance might not be on display during a flag football game (or at least, it shouldn’t) but his sideline-to-sideline explosion will.
If you want to do some wild stuff with him like unexpectedly send him as a rusher or drop him to a deep zone, he'll deliver too. He needs to be on the Dream Team.
Safety: Minkah Fitzpatrick (Pittsburgh Steelers)
Give me Fitzpatrick’s versatility. While he’s a safety, we could also line him up at nickel cornerback if we needed. And hey, he was the third highest-graded PFF safety last season with six interceptions to his name. His football instincts and explosion make him a must-have on our team.
Reserves
Since we only have a 15-man roster to work with, we’re going with some of the best athletes who can help us win a gold medal if push comes to shove. Here are our five replacements:
- QB: Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
- Wide receiver: Drake London, Atlanta Falcons
- Safety/Rotational starter: Justin Simmons, Denver Broncos
- Safety/cornerback/weapon: Derwin James, LA Chargers
- Rusher: Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns
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