No sooner has the dust settled on the United States men’s national team brushing aside NFL stars past and present on the Fanatics flag football field than a former NFL rookie of the year has been named to their squad following tryouts.
The reigning five-time world champions are battling not to be replaced by NFL stars and have impressed that those with Olympic Games aspirations should go through the standard process to make the team: tryouts, camps, tournaments.
Robert Griffin III, a Heisman Trophy winner and subsequently the second overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, is following that very path, the same one that has led the likes of fellow quarterback Darrell Doucette III (pictured) to make the U.S. national team.
“Proud and honored to announce that I will be going for gold in flag football with the USA National Team in 2028,” said Griffin on his X account. “The journey starts now and there is no greater honor than wearing USA across your chest and representing something more than yourself.”
The road to LA28 is a winding one. Griffin will have to beat out either Doucette or Nico Casares, who were both on top form in the Fanatics Classic, for a spot under center from within the 24-player squad that USA Football announced has emerged from tryouts. Then he will have to impress at the 2026 IFAF World Flag in Düsseldorf, the 2027 IFAF Americas continental championships and the tryouts and camps that follow.
Born in Japan, Griffin grew up in Texas where he broke state records for the 110-meter and 300-meter hurdles in high school, was named college football’s star athlete in 2011 and won Pro Bowl honors with the then Washington Redskins during his 2012 NFL Rookie of the Year season. RGIII was an elite dual-threat NFL quarterback, combining speed, pinpoint passing and elusive scrambling, making him an interesting flag football prospect. He is 36 years old, the same age as the current USA men’s quarterback Doucette.
“This year was the most competitive trials process USA Football has ever seen,” said USA Football Senior Director of High Performance and National Team Operations, Callie Brownson. “The growing interest in flag football ahead of its Olympic debut is driving elite athletes from across the country to pursue the sport.
“Our Selection Committee had to make some difficult decisions, but we are excited to announce the 24 men and women who will advance to U.S. National Team Training Camp and help us build toward defending our world championship crowns in Düsseldorf, Germany.”
The men’s and women’s rosters announced this week comprise of 24 athletes, including those who represented the U.S. as part of the 2025 national teams and 12 athletes selected through tryouts held from March 19-22. All athletes will attend training camps from April 16-19 and May 21-24 at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center in California.
2026 U.S. Men’s National Team Roster
Name; Position; Residence
Noah Bickley; WR/Rush; Wylie, Texas+
Daniel Blair; Rush/Ath; Kansas City, Mo.
Aamir Brown; DB/WR; Philadelphia, Pa.*
Velton Brown Jr.; WR/DB; Orlando, Fla.*
Isaiah Calhoun; DB/WR; Plano, Texas*
Nico Casares; QB; Miami, Fla.*
Jorge Cascudo; WR/LB; Miami, Fla.
Antonio Coleman; QB/Ath; Prince George’s County, Md.+
Mike Daniels; DB/WR; Miami, Fla.*
Tyler Davis; WR/DB; Austin, Texas*
Laval Davis; Rush/WR; Jacksonville, Fla.*
Darrell “Housh” Doucette III; QB/Ath; New Orleans, La.*
Robert Griffin III; QB; Spring, Texas
Johnluis “Lulu” Hernandez; C/DB; Miami, Fla.+
Ja'Deion High; WR/DB; Lubbock, Texas*
Lennox Howard; WR/DB; Miami, Fla.+
Jamie Kennedy; DB/WR; Jacksonville, Fla.*
Justin McMullen; DB/C; Miami, Fla.
Jordan Oquendo; LB/WR; Spring Hill, Fla.
Andre Powell; Rush/WR; Royal Palm, Fla.
David “Bobo” Price; QB/LB; Callahan, Fla.
Laderrick “Pablo” Smith; Ath; Pompano Beach, Fla.*
D'ionte “Boo” Smith; WR/DB; Kansas City, Mo.
Shawn Theard Jr.; WR/Rush; New Orleans, La.*
Head Coach: Jorge Cascudo; Miami, Fla.
Assistant Coach: Willy Perez; Baldwin City, Kan.
Assistant Coach: Rudy Fernandez; Las Vegas, Nev.
2026 U.S. Women’s National Team Roster
Name; Position; Residence
Deliah Autry-Jones; LB/DB; Tampa, Fla.*
Laneah Bryan; DB/WR; El Paso, Texas*
NyKeeta Christopher; DB/WR; Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Amber Clark-Robinson; DB; Greenville, N.C.*
Ashley Edwards; DB/WR; San Antonio, Texas*
Valentina Fanetti; QB; West Palm Beach, Fla.+
Jessica Finley; WR/DB; Staten Island, N.Y.
Kennedy Foster; WR/DB; Kansas City, Mo.
Madison Fulford; WR/DB; Los Angeles, Calif.*
Isabella “Izzy” Geraci; WR/DB; North Ridgeville, Ohio*
Loryn Goodwin; DB/WR; Dallas, Texas
O'Mariah Gordon; WR/DB; Sarasota, Fla.
Kaitlyn Herb; Rush/C; Pensacola, Fla.
Brianna Hernandez-Silva; Ath; Austin, Texas*
Akemi Higa; QB; Las Vegas, Nev.
Brooklin Hill; WR/DB; Las Vegas, Nev.
London Jenkins; WR/Rush: Jacksonville, Fla.*
Maci Joncich; WR/QB; Gainesville, Fla.*
Ashlea Klam; C/DB; Austin, Texas*
Vanita Krouch; QB; Dallas, Texas*
Kerri McMahan; WR/DB St. Louis, Mo.
Kendra Meredith; DB/WR; Germantown, Md.
Addison “Addie” Orsborn; Rush; Austin, Texas*
Kaylie Phillips; QB/C; Las Vegas, Nev.
Head Coach: Saaid Mortazavi; Miami, Fla.
Assistant Coach: Mary Kate Beach; Charlotte, N.C.
Assistant Coach: Matthew Hernandez; Tampa, Fla.
*Indicates 2025 U.S. National Team Member
+Indicates 2025 U.S. National Team Alternate
Photo: USA Football
