Pro Football Hall of Famer Darrell Green to trial for U.S. men's flag football national team
Darrell Green, a 64-year-old Pro Football Hall of Fame cornerback who played his entire 20-year NFL career with the Washington Redskins (now Commanders), is participating in trials for the U.S. men's flag football national team this week in Chula Vista, California.[1][2]
Green qualified through USA Football's digital combine. Callie Brownson, USA Football senior director of high performance and national teams, said Green's testing results were impressive despite his age relative to other participants, warranting a closer look by coaches.[1]
The trials at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center involve around 100 men and women athletes seeking national team attention. Among competitors are former WNBA player Loryn Goodwin and ex-Florida State guard O’Mariah Gordon.[1]
Green hopes to earn an invitation to training camp next month and a roster spot on the 2026 U.S. squad for the IFAF Flag Football World Championship in Germany over the summer.[1][3] Flag football will debut as an Olympic sport at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.[4]
Green was selected by the Redskins in the first round, 28th overall, of the 1983 NFL draft out of Texas A&M-Kingsville. Over 295 games, he recorded 54 interceptions, including six returned for touchdowns, and 1,202 combined tackles. He earned seven Pro Bowl selections, one first-team All-Pro honor in 1991, and won two Super Bowls (1988 and 1992). He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008 and had his No. 28 jersey retired by the franchise on October 20, 2024.[2][5]
Green said on USA Football's Instagram: "I’m going to give it my best and I’ll walk away with my head up, either way."[1]
The U.S. men's flag football team has won six of the last seven IFAF World Championships since 2010.[3][6]
Sources
- Fox News Digital
Pro Football Hall of Famer Darrell Green, 64, aiming to make U.S. flag football team for LA Olympics
October 25, 2024
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/pro-football-hall-famer-darrell-green-64-aiming-make-us-flag-football-team-la-olympics - USA Football
Flag National Team Trials - Chula Vista, CA
Accessed October 25, 2024
https://www.usafootball.com/flag-national-team-trials - IFAF
Flag Football World Championship
Accessed October 25, 2024
https://ifaf.org/flag-football/world-championship/ - IOC
Flag football confirmed for LA28
October 17, 2023
https://olympics.com/ioc/news/flag-football-confirmed-for-la28-as-olympic-games-programme-approved - Pro-Football-Reference
Darrell Green
Accessed October 25, 2024
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/G/GreeDa00.htm - Pro Football Hall of Fame
Darrell Green
Accessed October 25, 2024
https://www.profootballhof.com/players/darrell-green/
