Robert Griffin III Targets 2028 Olympics With Team USA
What makes a former NFL starter trade cleats for flags and chase an Olympic ring? For Robert Griffin III, the answer is simple: the chance to wear red, white and blue again and compete at the sport’s biggest moments. Team USA is now part of that plan as Griffin, who spent eight seasons with the Washington Redskins, Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens, prepares for a new chapter on the flag gridiron.
Last month Griffin received an invitation to training games with Team USA as the squad builds toward the International Federation of American Football world championships later this year. The first round of training camp will be held April 16-19 and the second round will be held May 21-24. “That is the goal, and we’ve already taken the first step in that process,” Griffin said of making the Olympic team. “It’s 2026. What we’re all fighting for is to be a part of the 12 that goes to Germany and plays in the IFAF 2026 World Championships. Team USA, since (Darrell Doucette III) has joined the team, has not lost a game. I think they’re the five-time reigning IFAF world champions. They are doing this at a high level and all I’m trying to do is add to that greatness.”
Griffin also made his long-term aim plain: “But in 2028, I’ve already put that and said that is the goal. I want to go for gold with Team USA and I’m just going through every single step to make that happen and respecting these guys and respecting the flag football community along the way.” After the May sessions, a selection committee will cut a 24-player list to 18 for a June camp, then name the final 12 who will compete Aug. 13-16 at the world championships.
The window for making the team is tight and the process is structured; performance in April and May will determine who advances to June. Griffin’s path will depend on showing both his athletic skills and how quickly he adapts to flag’s faster, spacing-driven game.
Transitioning from tackle football to flag emphasizes quick reads and efficient footwork, areas where Griffin’s history as a mobile quarterback could pay off. His experience running pro-style offenses and reading defenses should help him, but flag football also rewards specialists with elite separation and hand technique; earning a roster spot will require sharpening those tools in short order.
Darell Doucette III has already proven to be one of the best flag football players in the world, as he led Team USA to victories in the Fanatics Flag Football Classic against NFL players on March 21, 2026 at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles. That reality raises the standard Griffin is trying to meet: a dominant, battle-tested Team USA won’t surrender its spot easily.
This move also speaks to a broader trend: high-profile athletes repurposing fame and skill to grow emerging sports. For Griffin, the calculus is straightforward — a chance to add Olympic hardware to a resume that already spans eight NFL seasons, and to contribute to a US squad aiming for sustained international dominance.
Whether Griffin ultimately earns one of the 12 spots, his pursuit will keep Team USA conversations lively this spring and summer. For now, the former Pro Bowler is in the hunt, chasing a dream that could culminate in Los Angeles in 2028 with the American team and an Olympic podium.