Former Washington Redskins cornerback Darrell Green, a Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, will participate in trials for the U.S. men's flag football national team this week in Chula Vista, California.[1][2]
Green, 64, qualified through USA Football's digital combine and impressed evaluators despite being older than other participants, according to Callie Brownson, USA Football's senior director of high performance and national teams. She noted his testing results warranted a closer evaluation.[1][2]
The trials aim to select players for a training camp next month and potentially the 2026 U.S. squad for the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) Flag Football World Championships in Germany.[3] Flag football will debut as an Olympic sport at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.[4]
Drafted 28th overall in the first round by the Redskins out of Texas A&M-Kingsville in 1983, Green played his entire 20-year NFL career (1983-2002) with the franchise, now known as the Washington Commanders. He appeared in 295 regular-season games, recording 54 interceptions, including six returned for touchdowns, and 929 solo tackles.[5]
Green was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008. He won Super Bowls XXII and XXVI with Washington and earned seven Pro Bowl selections and four first-team All-Pro honors.[5][6]
Green recently spoke at his No. 28 jersey retirement ceremony on October 20, 2024, during Washington's game against the Carolina Panthers in Landover, Maryland.[7] He told USA Football: "I’m going to give it my best and I’ll walk away with my head up, either way."[1]
About 100 athletes, including former WNBA player Loryn Goodwin and ex-Florida State basketball guard O'Mariah Gordon, are competing for roster spots. The U.S. men have won six of the past seven IFAF Flag Football World Championships since 2010.[1][3]
Sources
- Fox News Digital. "Pro Football Hall of Famer Darrell Green, 64, aims to make US flag football team for LA Olympics." October 29, 2024. https://www.foxnews.com/sports/pro-football-hall-famer-darrell-green-64-aims-make-us-flag-football-team-la-olympics
- USA Football Instagram. "Hall of Famer Darrell Green joins USA Football Men's Flag National Team trials." October 28, 2024. https://www.instagram.com/p/DB7Z0w_xV3K/?hl=en
- USA Football. "USA Flag National Team Trials." Accessed October 30, 2024. https://www.usafootball.com/flag-national-teams/trials/
- LA28 Olympics. "Flag Football." Accessed October 30, 2024. https://la28.org/en/sports/flag-football/
- Pro-Football-Reference.com. "Darrell Green." Accessed October 30, 2024. https://www.profootballreference.com/players/G/GreeDa20.htm
- Pro Football Hall of Fame. "Darrell Green." Accessed October 30, 2024. https://www.profootballhof.com/players/darrell-green/
- Associated Press. Washington Commanders vs. Carolina Panthers game report. October 20, 2024. https://apnews.com/hub/washington-commanders
