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Micah Parsons has Olympics fever and might be willing to sacrifice his NFL career to scratch that itch.
With the Paris Olympics Closing Ceremony barely in the rear-view mirror, the Dallas Cowboys linebacker revealed he might take a break after the 2027 NFL season to play flag football in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
“After 2027 ima take a break from football to prepare for the Olympics !” Parsons announced on X.
“I need to find a way to get in the Olympics by 2028!†he said. “What events yall think I can do?? Need ideas!!â€
Flag football is a non-contact version of football, where tackles are made by pulling off flags which all players wear on their hips.
An estimated 20 million people, in more than 100 countries across 6 continents, play the increasingly popular format, and the NFL is hopeful its inclusion in a home Olympics will help grow their own product overseas.
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts will serve as flag football’s global ambassador, and was recently featured in a promotional video announcing the sport to the LA28 sports program.
It’s still unclear if he’ll actually participate in the inaugural event, but several other NFL players have already expressed an interest in representing their country in the Games – potentially forming a Michael Jordan esque Dream Team of epic proportions.
Miami Dolphins’ quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and wide receiver Tyreek Hill have shown interest, with the latter asking fellow NFL players to “bring one home” in a post on X.
“You know how amazing it would be to assemble a super team to play in the Olympics,” Hill later said on his podcast.
Reigning Super Bowl MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes also stated his desire to try his hand at flag football.
“I definitely want to, but I’ve seen some of those guys play the flag football and they’re a little faster than I am,†he said last year.
“I know there’s not, like, linemen blocking for you. I’ll be 31, 32 years old, so if I can still move around then, I’m going to try to get out there and throw the football around maybe in LA. Just don’t tell Coach Reid or Veach or anybody,†he joked.
His Chiefs teammate Travis Kelce has also revealed that he would be interested in playing for an Olympic gold medal.
“I think we’re all just gonna be assistant coaches,†the 34-year-old Kelce said on his New Heights podcast. “But I need a gold medal, so I need to be on that roster somehow or someway.”
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Others joked that NFL GOAT Tom Brady could be tempted to come out of retirement to add a gold medal to his Hall of Fame resume.
The former New England signal caller made a career out of proving the naysayers wrong, and has hinted at coming out of retirement again in recent years, but he’ll be 51 by the time LA28 rolls around which is probably asking a little too much of him.
There are five players on each team in the Olympic version of flag football at any one time on the field. The players are drawn from 12-person squads, specializing in either offense or defense.
An offensive setup might look like a quarterback, center, two wide receivers and a running back.
For defense it could be one rusher, two defensive backs and two safeties.
The likes of Sauce Gardner, Maxx Crosby, Myles Garrett, Patrick Surtain II, or any one of the elite defensive players lining up alongside Parsons, would be a pretty frightening prospect for any team, non-contact or not.
Former NFL star Robert Griffin III suggested Parsons should try playing flag football in 2028, and thinks he’d be a perfect rusher.
“No need,” he responded to Parsons’ retirement hint.
“Just be the rusher in Flag Football. Most important position on the team. You have speed and are agile. It’s perfect for you.”
While flag football may be on the distant horizon for Parsons, right now he has a contract situation to resolve.
The star edge rusher is under contract through 2025 after the Cowboys exercised his fifth-year option, but beyond that he’s looking to get paid in keeping with his status as one of the NFL’s premier defensive players.