Vikings' Jefferson: Chance to be an Olympian 'a dream'

Minnesota Vikings star receiver Justin Jefferson is excited about the possibility of being an Olympian after the NFL passed a proposal to permit players to participate in flag football at the 2028 Games.

"I'm just at a loss of words," Jefferson said following Tuesday's announcement, according to ESPN's Brooke Pryor. "Just to think about the chances of playing in the Olympics and getting a gold medal is a dream, just reverting back to being a kid and watching the track and field meets, watching basketball win the gold medal.

"That's something that as a kid I always wanted to be a part of, but football wasn't global. So now that we're expanding the game and we're going more global, it's pretty cool."

Jefferson was named a global flag football ambassador in June 2023. He and other Pro Bowlers have gotten a taste of flag football since the Pro Bowl Games pivoted away from full pads in recent years.

"For them to change the rules up and for us to go from a regular game to now (a flag football) game, honestly, it was way more fun," Jefferson said.

The Olympic version of flag football will feature six men's teams and six women's teams composed of 10 players each. The games will be played in a five-on-five format.

The NFL still needs to negotiate with the NFL Players Association, Olympic officials, and national governing bodies on additional details regarding player participation.

While the All-Pro wideout is excited about the possibilities, he explained that trying out for the team is a decision he'll "definitely have to weigh."

"It's three years from now, it's three whole seasons that I'm going to have to go through," Jefferson said. "Of course, getting older, body is going to be different, but that's definitely always been a dream."