The NFL has opened the door for their players to represent Team USA in flag football at the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympics. And while this may not sit well with everyone, Travis Kelce is among the NFL stars supporting Patrick Mahomes to play in LA28.
During a recent episode of the “New Heights” podcast with his brother Jason, the Kansas City Chiefs tight end addressed the comments made by Darrell Doucette III. The Team USA flag football QB sent a firm message to NFL players who want to play in the Olympics, claiming that they don’t deserve it.
“Is this guy afraid of competition?” Travis Kelce fired back. “I mean, may the best players play. Just have a tryout and the best players make the team. He’s just boxing out other people from joining the sport because they haven’t played the specific style of football?.”
What did the Team USA flag football QB say about NFL players in LA28?
Doucette voiced his clear opposition to seeing NFL players represent the country in the sport he’s been playing for a while now. During a recent interview with Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post, Doucette insisted that the current Team USA flag football players deserve to be in Los Angeles 2028.
Travis Kelce #87 and Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs speak before a game against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium on January 07, 2024 in Inglewood, California.
“The flag guys deserve their opportunity,” Doucette said. “That’s all we want. We felt like we worked hard to get the sport to where it’s at, and then when the NFL guys spoke about it, it was like we were getting kicked to the side. I felt like I was the guy who could speak out for my peers, for my brothers that’s been working hard to get to this level, for us not to be forgotten.”
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“This is a sport that we’ve played for a long time, and we feel like we are the best at it and we don’t need other guys,” added Doucette, who also said he’s willing to compete with NFL players for a spot. “But we all have one goal in mind, and that’s to represent our country. We’re definitely open to all competition. If those guys come in and ball out and they’re better than us, hats off to them. Go win that gold medal for our country.”
Doucette put himself above Mahomes
Not long ago, Doucette also made headlines by directly naming Mahomes. Not only did he claim that the current flag football team deserves to be called up, but also said he’s the better option to lead Team USA to an Olympic gold medal.
“I’m not hiding from the competition, none of my teammates nor anybody else in the flag football world are hiding from the competition,” Doucette said. “But at the end of the day, I feel like I’m better than Patrick Mahomes because of my IQ of the game. I know he’s right now the best in the league, I know he’s more accurate, I know he has all these intangibles, but when it comes to flag football, I feel like I know more than him.”
Kelce willing to show up in LA 2028
Apart from defending his Chiefs quarterback, Kelce also revealed his desire to participate in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games: “I’ve got to get hip to the rules, so I can get ahead of the curve.”
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Kelce is already 35 though, and it’s unclear whether he’ll continue playing in the NFL after the 2025 season. However, he doesn’t rule out to contribute on a different role in LA28: “Even if I’m just like an assistant coach or something. I gotta get in there somehow.”
