The International Olympic Committee officially approved flag football to be implemented as a sport for the 2028 Summer Olympic Games. And you can add former NFL star Rob Gronkowski to the growing list of players who want to be on Team USA for the newly formed event.
Gronkowski is of course one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history, playing a massive role on four Super Bowl Championship teams during his decorated 11-year NFL career.
He last played in the NFL in 2021, retiring after the season due to the punishment that comes with professional football. However, flag football is a much less grueling game with the lack of contact involved. And Gronkowski revealed in a recent interview with TMZ that he would love to return to football to play in the 2028 Olympics.
“Hopefully there’s no tryouts and they just accept me,” said Gronkowski. “But I’m in. I’m going for that if there is flag football in the Olympics in 2028. USA going all the way!”
It seems like Gronkowski still has a love for the game of football, and it was solely the physicality of the NFL that caused him to ultimately retire. He even said that if the NFL has a flag football league of their own, he would certainly take part in it.
“I can tell you this,” Gronkowski added. “If there was a flag football league, an NFL flag football league, I would be playing in that currently as we speak.”
Fans took notice of Gronkowski’s comments and are absolutely in favor of Gronkowski taking part in the 2028 games.
Legendary
— Joe Staes (@joey444) October 14, 2023
https://twitter.com/KodiakCoding/status/1713189812004389065
Gronk 👀
— LATS👑👸🏻 (@LeannaA132822) October 14, 2023
Rob Gronkowski has expressed interest in joining a potential US flag-football team for the 2028 Summer Olympics.
(Via @TMZ_Sports)#NFL #RobGronkowski #Olympics pic.twitter.com/MNS7EyWJ23
— Sportskeeda Pro Football (@SKProFootball) October 14, 2023
Rob Gronkowski is already tasting gold 🥇
Gronkowski said he would end retirement to play flag football at the 2028 Olympics 👀 pic.twitter.com/Fh1H1HwQA6
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) October 17, 2023
It would certainly be awesome to be able to see a retired player like Gronkowski take part in football again in any fashion.
But it may not be the most realistic thing considering he will be 39 years old by the time the 2028 Olympics take place. And there are probably plenty of active NFL players who may be more deserving of spots on the team.
Only time will tell whether Gronkowski actually gets to play in the 2028 Olympics. But it is clearly something that fans would absolutely be in favor of.
[TMZ]
About Reice Shipley
Reice Shipley is a staff writer for Comeback Media that graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Sports Media. He previously worked at Barrett Sports Media and is a fan of all things Syracuse sports.