“I am better than Patrick Mahomes.” Those five words, uttered by flag football star Darrell “Housh” Doucette, have ignited a firestorm that’s threatening to turn the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics into a gridiron grudge match. As if challenging the three-time Super Bowl MVP wasn’t enough, Doucette’s claim has drawn the ire of another NFL powerhouse: Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson.

And just like that, the battle lines were drawn between NFL titans and flag football underdogs, with Olympic gold hanging in the balance. It all kicked off when Jackson, the human highlight reel, took to X on August 24, 2024, to defend the honor of NFL players everywhere. “Like we don’t kno how to play flag FOOTBALL all of a sudden? I did that @ the Boys & Girls club,” Jackson fired back. But he wasn’t done.

In a follow-up tweet, he laid down the gauntlet: “I was just messing around let the flag players have their league. But if they ever feel like us NFL players not that let me assemble the squad.” This digital duel was sparked by Doucette’s bold claims. In an interview with The Guardian, he suggested that NFL players shouldn’t automatically assume they’d cut the Olympic flag football team.

But it was his jaw-dropping statement to TMZ Sports on August 21, 2024, that set the football world ablaze. “At the end of the day, I feel like I’m better than Patrick Mahomes because of my IQ of the game,” Doucette declared, adding fuel to an already raging fire.

Mahomes, never one to back down from a challenge, responded with a viral NSFW 50 Cent reaction meme, perfectly encapsulating the collective “Say what now?” from NFL players across the league. But this isn’t just about hurt feelings and bruised egos. With flag football set to make its Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games, the stakes are higher.

The NFL and NFLPA are already in huddle mode, working out the logistics to allow their stars to compete on the world stage. Jeff Miller, NFL executive vice president, told reporters on August 20, 2024, “The amount of enthusiasm that we’ve seen among our players or more broadly for flag football in ’28 … has been remarkable.”

It’s not just lip service either. High-profile players like Joe Burrow are chomping at the bit to represent Team USA. “I really want to play for the Olympic flag football team,” Burrow gushed during an appearance on Pardon My Take. “Like me, Ja’marr (Chase), Justin (Jefferson). Me and my friends out there playing football. … I think it’d be really cool.”

Flag Football’s Olympic dream!

The NFL’s top dogs are going head to head with flag football underdogs as the 2028 Olympics looms, and the stakes are high. Doucette and his compatriots, of course, have never been a pushover. After all, they have played a major part in bringing their sport into the Olympics.

The U.S. flag football team has been on a tear, clinching the last four IFAF Flag Football World Championships. Doucette has been a key player since 2020 in helping his country win the 2021 World Championship title and the 2022 World Games crown. In addition, he was instrumental in winning the tournament MVP accolade when he led his side to triumph in the 2023 Americas Continental championship.

However, it is impossible to ignore the NFL’s star factor. ESPN Stephen Holder asked Pro Bowlers during February’s Pro Bowl activities in Orlando whom they thought would excel at Olympic-level flag football. Among other things, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield kept naming Lamar Jackson and stated: “After hearing some of the rules and how you can rush the passer, you’ve got to go with Lamar. Guys have got to keep up with him.”

CB Jalen Ramsey put his money where his mouth is, asserting that teammate Tyreek Hill would have a “field day” in flag football because corners can’t press. Tua Tagovailoa too shouted out his sentiment: “How do you chase a guy like that? I mean, he’s running all over the place. Perfect skill set. He makes it tough.”

Jessie Bates of the Atlanta Falcons, the safety player, weighed in on the unique challenges of flag football by saying, “You can’t have somebody who’s just going to be a statue back there. You’ve got to have somebody who can move. Lamar would probably be my No. 1 pick because if you get a rusher, you can take off.”

But as the argument rages on one thing is crystal clear; it will not be an easy task getting Olympic gold in flag football. With NFL stars such as Jackson ready to “assemble the squad” and professional players from the world of flag football fighting tooth and nail for recognition; we are headed for a showdown that will make the Super Bowl look like a friendly game of catch. So guys grab your flags – this is going to be one helluva ride!