As soon as NFL owners unanimously approved allowing players try out for Olympic flag football when it debuts at the 2028 Los Angeles Games, hypothetical rosters full of the game’s brightest stars started popping up.
One of the most popular names on those rosters? Vikings superstar Justin Jefferson. He certainly won’t have to be told twice.
“To be honest, I’m just [at] a loss of words,” Jefferson said shortly after the announcement. “Just seeing the amount of kids that are really involved in this sport, seeing the women and men being involved, seeing it now being on a global stage is something that’s so special.
“Just to think about the chances of playing in the Olympics and getting a gold medal is a dream, just reverting back to being a kid and watching the track and field meets, watching basketball win the gold medal. That’s something that, as a kid, I always wanted to be a part of, but football wasn’t global. So now that we’re expanding the game, and we’re going more globally, it’s pretty cool.”
Jefferson did an “Olympic Griddy” — a take on his touchdown celebration — exiting the stage after the press conference, according to ESPN’s Brooke Pryor.
Jefferson was named to the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) and the NFL’s Global Flag Football Ambassador program last year alongside Lamar Jackson, Dak Prescott, Amon-Ra St. Brown and several other NFL stars, past and present.
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Jefferson, who turns 26 in June, would be 29 by the time the 2028 Olympics begin, and while he acknowledged there’s a long time between now and then, he’s certainly a frontrunner for a spot on the 10-man roster at these early stages.
A four-time Pro Bowler and two-time first-team All-Pro, Jefferson has 7,432 career receiving yards, the most ever by a player through five seasons.
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