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NFL team owners have approved a proposal for players to participate in the flag football tournament at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
Tuesday's vote at the spring league meeting in Minneapolis was unanimous, a source told ESPN, and the resolution now had to be approved by at least 24 of the 32 team owners.
It is an incredible honour for any athlete to represent their country at the Olympic Games, which are the pinnacle of world sport.
"I know firsthand that the inclusion of flag football in the Olympics has generated tremendous excitement among NFL players interested in the opportunity to compete for their country on a global stage. We are thrilled that they now have that opportunity," Goodell added.
The resolution on participation in flag football at the Olympic Games is one of several items expected to be voted on this week.
Owners will also vote on the Green Bay Packers' proposal to ban the controversial "tush push" play and the Detroit Lions' proposal to reclassify playoff teams according to their regular season record, although, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, those votes will be held until Wednesday.
The NFL's rules for its players to participate in Los Angeles 2028
The resolution on flag football sets out the rules and basic structure for how the NFL expects the process to work, subject to negotiations with the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) and Olympic-related entities.
These include:
- Permission for any NFL-contracted player to participate in the trials.
- A limit of one player per NFL team in each participating national team.
- Also allow a team's designated international player to play for their home country.
- The league-wide insurance policy to provide injury protection for any player injured while participating in an authorized flag football activity related to the Olympic Games.
- A salary cap credit for any injured player.
- The expectation that Olympic flag football teams will establish medical staff and field surfaces that meet the NFL's minimum standards.
- A schedule that does not unreasonably conflict with a player's NFL league and club commitments.
Roger Goodell, as well as Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and other key league executives, made clear their for participation in the Olympic Games during their most recent meetings in Palm Beach, Florida, last month.
The Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games are scheduled for July 14-30. NFL players are usually off during most of that period.
In the worst-case scenario, flag football participants would miss the start of training camps.