Lamar Jackson Jabs at Flag Football Players for Assuming They Are Better Than NFL Athletes

In the past few weeks, the debate between American football and flag football has become a topic on everyone’s lips, especially with the latter being added to the 2028 Olympics. Team USA QB Darrell Doucette stoked the flames even further by claiming he is a better fit than the likes of Patrick Mahomes to lead the national team. Not so surprisingly, Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is having none of that.

Reacting to a highlight reel of flag football players evading defenders in rather creative ways, with a caption suggesting that NFL players aren’t quite up to their level, one Jackson fan tweeted that these flag football fans must not have seen the NFL QB’s tape. “They must not seen (Lamar Jackson’s) highlights,” wrote the user.

The reigning league MVP doubled down by retweeting the post and quipping that he and other NFL players haven’t forgotten how to play flag football. He even recalled playing the sport with a few kids in Munich, Germany, earlier this year, during what was initially supposed to be an autograph session.

He tweeted:

“(Laughing emoji) Like we don’t kno how to play flag FOOTBALL all of a sudden? I did that @ the Boys & Girls club (sleeping face emoji)”

A video of the same soon surfaced online, in which the Ravens’ quarterback can be seen skillfully evading those who were trying to grab his flags. In the brief clip, he can be seen donning sneakers and a hoodie; hence, fans were unsurprisingly impressed by the showing.

Flocking to the comments, some were quick to remark that Jackson left the defenders with broken ankles with his scrambling on the field, while others noted that the QB has since shed considerable weight, which will only enhance his agility now.

Even Jackson chimed in, saying he was only “messing around,” possibly agreeing with the user who posted the video and claimed that Jackson wasn’t even running at his fullest capacity. The QB also joked, “let the flag players have their league,” but issued a warning that if flag football players believe they are superior, he could always assemble a squad and meet them on the field.

So, the question remains: how did this beef initially start, and will it translate to anything in the coming future?

Darrell Doucette believes he has a better flag football IQ than Mahomes

During a conversation with TMZ, Team USA QB Darrell Doucette stated that he is a better fit to lead the flag football team in the upcoming Olympics, even calling it “disrespectful” that NFL players think they can waltz in and grab all the spots.

The 35-year-old athlete also claimed that flag football is a “totally different game,” in which he has gained more knowledge than that of NFL superstars like Patrick Mahomes. He said:

“At the end of the day, I feel like I’m better than Patrick Mahomes because of my IQ of the game.”

While the QB later clarified, saying, “I’m not saying I’m a better player overall,” the damage was done. Several NFL players, pundits, and fans have since blasted Doucette, arguing that while NFL players have the ability to transition to flag football, the same cannot be said for players like Doucette.

This argument does hold merit, considering that flag football players wouldn’t be playing the sport if they had the opportunity to play for an NFL franchise. That said, Mahomes did respond to the statement in a tweet, but took the high road instead.

Reacting to a post about what Doucette had said, the three-time Super Bowl champion shared the famous 50 Cent gif that goes: “I’m like, what he say f**k me for?”

With that being said, it’s worth noting that it’s highly unlikely we will see these NFL players in the Olympics. While it’s no surprise that they boast superior talent, their respective franchises are paying around $50 million to these quarterbacks, and a non-football injury could derail their season. At the end of the day, who would risk that for an Olympic gold?