5 Browns Players Who Would Thrive In Olympic Flag Football
The International Olympic Committee made headlines in the football world Monday when it announced that flag football will officially be a sport included in the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
The NFL added even more spice to the news a day later — NFL executive Peter O’Reilly said Tuesday the league will work with and encourage current and former players to participate in the games, which will be the first time ever that flag football will be played on the Olympic stage.
It’s way too soon to tell which players could fill the rosters, but it’s fun to think about how some of the rosters would look now if the games were taking place sooner.
With a 5-on-5 format (and no offensive or defensive line play), speed and size would be paramount, and we’re taking those traits into consideration when we think about which current Cleveland Browns players we’d love to see on an Olympic flag football roster.
Sep 24, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns wide receiver Marquise Goodwin (3) runs with the ball during the first half against the Tennessee Titans at Cleveland Browns Stadium.
Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
WR Marquise Goodwin
Goodwin ran one of the fastest 40-yard dashes ever prior to being drafted in the NFL, running a 4.27 in the combine back in 2013. He’s 32 now but still carries an elite speed gear and would be a great deep threat in the flag football format — deep balls is all Goodwin has been known for throughout his career, evidenced by his 16.2 career yards per reception, which leads all Browns receivers.
Oct 1, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku (85) runs with the ball after a catch as Baltimore Ravens safety Geno Stone (26) defends during the first quarter at Cleveland Browns Stadium.
Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
TE David Njoku
The case for Njoku to be on a flag football is obvious by just looking at him — he’s the perfect prototypical tight end and would have both the speed and size to be one of the most impactful players on the field. Njoku would probably find it easy to make leaping catches in a flag football environment and could also take great pride in playing for Nigeria, where his ancestral roots lie and where his nickname, “Chief,” became an honorary title granted to him a year ago.
Oct 15, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns cornerback Greg Newsome II (0) signals to the crowd to make some noise during the third quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at Cleveland Browns Stadium.
Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports
CB Greg Newsome II
Any of the top three Browns cornerbacks, including Denzel Ward or M.J. Emerson Jr., would be a great fit for the flag football format, but we’ll go with Newsome because of the limitless energy he brings to his game. He not only has become one of the top slot corners in the league, but is also in the middle of just about every celebration the defense has after each play. He could also bring this sweet boombox with him when Team USA is introduced in the Opening Ceremony.
LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah
JOK is everything a defense would want in a flag football game. He’s one of the fastest linebackers in the NFL (which he displayed several times in the Browns’ Week 6 win over the 49ers) and could excel in covering the middle of the field. Owusu-Koramoah is of Ghanaian descent and has held multiple youth camps in the country since entering the NFL in 2021, and he could have another way of being a difference-maker for them by playing in the Olympics.
Sep 10, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb (24) runs the ball against the Cincinnati Bengals during the third quarter at Cleveland Browns Stadium.
Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports
RB Nick Chubb
This one feels obvious, right? While run plays likely won’t be much of a thing in the flag football format, Chubb can thrive in any type of football game, and if stiff arms are allowed, defenders would have a hard time picking his flags.
