4 Takeaways from Fanatics Flag Football Classic: American Football Dominates the Pros

BMO Stadium (Los Angeles) – Put some respect on the name. American football player Darrell Doucette spoke for the rest of his teammates after manhandling some of the NFL’s best players, winning the inaugural Fanatics Flag Football Championship on Saturday. An emotional and teary-eyed Doucette was grateful for the opportunity for his team to showcase their skills, letting the world know that what they do is very different from the tackling football played on Sundays. “These guys we competed against didn’t know what they were getting into,” Doucette said. “They just thought they were going to come play. But I think we gained a lot of respect from those guys. “Of course, we’re fans of those guys. We just love being in their presence, not necessarily competing against them, but being in their presence and having them accept us. They gave us a lot of respect and a lot of credit.” USA Football’s quick and shifty athletes routinely outplayed their NFL counterparts, while the more experienced national team players dominated play Saturday, finishing 3-0 in the round robin. Here are my takeaways: 1. Yes, Tom Brady can still play. On the first drive of the game, Brady engineered his most impressive two-play sequence of the day. He attempted to grab his flag by circling it to the left, then throwing a dart in the back of the end zone to Stefon Diggs then found his safety blanket in the pros, connecting with tight end Rob Gronkowski for the two-point version as the team’s founder took an 8-0 lead to start the game against USA Football. meritocracy. Whoever gives the team the best opportunity to win, he should be there. There’s still a long way to go before that happens, a few years. “But I think it’s good for NFL players to see what it’s all about. NFL players are great athletes. We were literally learning how to take down the flags two days ago. These guys have done a great job. I don’t want to take anything away from them. But there’s definitely a long way to go before the selection process takes place.” 2. USA Football is a clear winner The USA Football team achieved its goal of proving that it can compete with the NFL-level talent that was on the field in front of it on Saturday. More experienced and trained in flag football, this magic manifested itself when NFL players were routinely fooled schematically or simply couldn’t catch USA Football’s smaller, faster players on a smaller field in open space. It was surprising to see elite NFL athletes struggling to keep up with the United States soccer team, making one wonder how the selection process will play out in two years for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. “With that 5-on-5 field, it’s not as big as a natural soccer field,” Doucette said. “You can’t get into deep balls like they’re used to. A 40-yard sprint doesn’t mean anything. That’s 50 yards. You’re only going to run 40 yards when you run down the field to the end zone. So a 40 doesn’t matter. “It’s all about being able to be a little edgy or quicker. But we just wanted to show our talents. And these guys respected us. They treated us well all week, and it was a blessing. USA Football head coach Jorge Cascudo noticed, pointing to Beckham as an NFL player who could successfully transition to his team, Cascudo said. There is a place when you are interested. Come talk to me. 4. NFL players face a steep learning curve in flag football. Hall of Famer Luke Kuechly understands that NFL players have an uphill climb to learn the game of flag football and compete for a spot on the United States flag football team. look at it, you build it up with a corner and nickels (defenders) on the defensive side of the ball. And then fast, skilled guys on the other side of the ball. “It was a great opportunity for me to play. I loved it. The camaraderie, the camaraderie and the opportunity to put the cleats back on was great. … But it feels like a game of five dimes and corners on the defensive side of the ball.”