Darrell Green, a 64-year-old Pro Football Hall of Fame cornerback, participated in USA Football's open trials for the U.S. men's flag football national team on November 8-10, 2024, at the Olympic and Paralympic Training Center in Chula Vista, California.[1][2]
Green qualified for the in-person trials through a digital combine. USA Football senior director of high performance and national teams Callie Brownson said Green's testing results were impressive despite his age compared to other participants, warranting a closer evaluation.[2]
He aims to earn an invitation to national team training camp next month and a potential roster spot for the 2026 IFAF Flag Football World Championship.[2] Flag football will debut as an Olympic sport at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.[2]
The Washington Redskins selected Green in the first round (28th overall) of the 1983 NFL Draft out of Texas A&M-Kingsville. He played his entire 20-year career (1983-2002) with the franchise, now known as the Washington Commanders.[3]
Green won Super Bowls XXII and XXVI, earned seven Pro Bowl selections and one first-team All-Pro honor in 1991, and recorded 54 career interceptions, including six returned for touchdowns. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008.[3][4]
| Category | Total |
|---|---|
| Games | 295 |
| Combined tackles | 1,202 |
| Interceptions | 54 |
| INT TDs | 6 |
"I’m going to give it my best and I’ll walk away with my head up, either way," Green said.[2] Roughly 100 men and women competed in the trials, including former WNBA player Loryn Goodwin and ex-Florida State quarterback O’Mariah Gordon.[1]
The U.S. men's flag football team has dominated internationally, winning every IFAF World Championship since 2008.[2]
Sources
- Fox News, "Hall of Fame CB Darrell Green, 64, attends flag football Olympic trials: 'I'm going to give it my best'", November 11, 2024, https://www.foxnews.com/sports/pro-football-hall-famer-darrell-green-trials-u-s-flag-football-team-2028-olympics
- USA Football, "Men’s, Women’s Flag National Team Trials Set For This Weekend", November 7, 2024, https://usafootball.com/news/2024/november/7/mens-womens-flag-national-team-trials-set-for-this-weekend
- Sports Reference LLC, "Darrell Green Stats", accessed November 2024, https://www.profootballreference.com/players/G/GreeDa20.htm
- Pro Football Hall of Fame, "Darrell Green", accessed November 2024, https://www.profootballhof.com/players/darrell-green/