This is supposed to be the downtime of the NFL calendar. However, the news keeps on coming, whether it's the schedule release or the fact that the Jacksonville Jaguars could switch to the Prowler jerseys full-time. One of them could have serious ramifications and possibly affect two-way star Travis Hunter.
Not long after the NFL announced the schedule for the NFL season, a report surfaced that the league is exploring the possibility of letting its players partake in the flag football competitions in the 2028 Olympics.
Flag football will be featured for the first time in Olympic history in the Los Angeles edition in 2028. Since football is such a massive draw in he host country, it wouldn't be shocking if the committee makes a strong push to feature NFL players.
Maybe the NFL and the Olympic Committee can strike a deal to have players participate in flag football. The issue is that players would be taking on significant injury risk. Here's some of what Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports had to say on the subject matter:
"Players have comprehensive medical and disability insurance through their teams and the league, but injuries suffered in non-NFL activities like the Olympics may not be fully covered.
So, who would be footing the bill for the insurance policies for these players? The three options seem to be the players themselves, USA Football and the NFL and NFLPA. Having players take out their own personal insurance to cover playing for their country against millions of dollars in career earnings would be considered too burdensome, sources say."
For the sake of the argument, let's say the NFL told teams to borrow their superstars? Imagine they mandate that the Jaguars let Hunter play in the Olympics? Granted, he's just a rookie, but he's a media darling, and who wouldn't want to see the best two-way athlete, probably in the world, to participate?
If the Jaguars have no choice but to let him participate, they would hold their breath and hope things go well. However, that's not a risk they should deal with. Of course, there are many roadblocks, the biggest one will be insurance risk, to allow NFL players to participate in the Olympics, but the fact that it's a distant possibility doesn't make it any less concerning.
Travis Hunter is an example (but not the only one) of why NFL players shouldn't be in the Olympics
Of course, Travis Hunter wouldn't be the only Jaguars player who would be eligible to play in the Olympics. The likes of Trevor Lawrence and Brian Thomas Jr. would also be massive draws. The issue is that allowing them to compete in what could turn out to be a meaningless game will expose players to massive injury risks.
Sure, they could now hold the illustrious honor of being an Olympian, but do the benefits outweigh the risk? Again, it would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Hunter and any other players who wanted to join in. However, the last thing Jacksonville wants is to see its players taking on significant risk when it's not necessary. They could come out injury-free, but there's an equal chance that they get hurt and miss significant time or even a full season.
The bottom line is that everyone would like to see Travis Hunter take the Olympics by storm, but the truth is that it isn't worth it. The same is true for Trevor Lawrence and any other prominent players from other teams. This begs the question: Why let them participate when you can simply watch them play in the NFL?