“Let’s bring one home.” That’s what Miami Dolphins’ wide receiver Tyreek Hill said after NFL owners voted in May 2025 to allow players to participate in Olympic flag football for the first time in the Olympic Games. And he wasn’t alone in his excitement: Patrick Mahomes, Jalen Hurts, Micah Parsons, and a handful of other NFL stars were dreaming big about the 2028 Olympics. But here’s the reality: no NFL star gets a free pass.

Even the league’s brightest names have to go through the same qualification process as everyone else. So, what does that process look like?

NFL players who want to compete must undergo the standard tryouts and qualifications that any Olympic hopeful faces under national governing bodies. USA Football, the organization in charge of team selection, will run the trial

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