Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray has expressed his openness to competing against the United States in flag football as part of the 2028 Summer Olympics. With the Olympics set to take place in Los Angeles, the inclusion of flag football as an official event has sparked excitement, and the possibility of seeing some of the NFL’s brightest stars on the international stage has captivated fans around the world.
However, the competition for roster spots on Team USA will be fierce. With top quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, and Josh Allen considered frontrunners to represent the nation, Murray is keeping his options open in case Team USA doesn’t come calling.
In an intriguing twist, Murray, who is one-quarter Korean, has said he would consider representing South Korea if given the opportunity.
Murray has previously spoken about the idea of playing for South Korea in the Olympics, indicating that it would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. “That would be an awesome experience if they asked me to do it,” Murray said during an interview with AMAZN HQ. “I’d have to take it into consideration… I think that’d be a great experience.” His openness to competing for South Korea adds an interesting element to the upcoming Olympics, as he could potentially face off against some of his fellow NFL stars while representing another nation.
The process for how many teams will qualify for the Olympics and how players will be selected differs by country, leaving a lot of uncertainty around how the teams will ultimately come together. Nonetheless, Murray’s willingness to explore options beyond Team USA shows his eagerness to compete on the world stage and make the most of the opportunity.
While the addition of NFL stars to the Olympics would undoubtedly bring more visibility to flag football, not everyone in the current flag football community is thrilled at the prospect.
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The U.S. national flag football team has won five consecutive world championships, and some of the players who have worked hard to elevate the sport worry that NFL stars might overshadow their contributions.
“I feel like I’m better than Patrick Mahomes because of my IQ of the game,” said Darrell Doucette, a quarterback for the USA flag football team, in an interview with TMZ. “We are fans of these guys, and like I said, we love the fact that they wanna go out and win the gold medal and represent the country, just like us. But we don’t want to be forgotten about because we are the ones who helped this game get to where it’s at.”
Doucette’s comments highlight the tension that could arise as established flag football players face the prospect of competing for spots against high-profile NFL stars who are relatively new to their version of the sport.
Despite the potential controversy, it is hard to deny that having an NFL star like Mahomes, Jackson, Allen, or even Murray leading a team in the Olympics would generate significant excitement for the event.
Fans around the world would be eager to see how some of the NFL’s biggest names adapt their skills to the flag football format, and the star power of these players could help elevate the sport to new heights on the global stage.
While it remains uncertain whether Kyler Murray will end up representing South Korea or any other team, his interest in playing in the Olympics adds another layer of intrigue to the 2028 Games.
The prospect of NFL stars competing in the event promises to make it one of the most anticipated Olympic competitions, and for Murray, it could be an opportunity to create a unique legacy—one that extends beyond the gridiron and onto the international stage.
