B.C. Lions’ quarterback Nathan Rourke accomplished something only four other Canadians have on Thursday night, but he’s not convinced he’s ready to represent the country on the Olympic stage quite yet.
“I certainly think that the Olympics is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so it wouldn’t be something that I would be opposed to,” Rourke said. “But I think I would be ignorant to say that I could just go and play it right away. I think that game is a little bit different, and as much as I’d love to give my best shot, I think there are people that are more equipped for it at the moment than I am.”
Flag football will make its Olympic debut in Los Angeles in 2028 with a six-team tournament, featuring 10-player rosters and five-on-five play at Exposition Park Stadium. The Summer Olympics will take place from July 14-30, 2028, with the flag football men’s and women’s tournaments running from July 15-22.
On Monday, the Canadian Football League announced that its board of governors had unanimously approved players to participate in the event, despite the fact that it will occur during the CFL season. They will now begin working with the Players’ Association, the International Federation of American Football, and relevant Olympic authorities to implement rules governing athlete participation at LA28.
On Thursday, Rourke was named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Canadian and Most Outstanding Player, joining Russ Jackson, Tony Gabriel, Jon Cornish, and Brady Oliviera as the only players to win both awards. That would presumably make the 27-year-old the favourite to lead Team Canada in 2028, though he seems uncertain.
“I’d love to have the opportunity if it’s given to me, but I’m not going to claim that I’m going to be able to make the team right away,” he insisted. “I think it’s a different sport.”
The NFL has already announced that its players will be eligible to participate in the Olympics. Just two active NFL QBs could potentially suit up for Canada: current Indianapolis Colts practice squad player Brett Rypien, who is entitled to citizenship through his father, and San Francisco 49ers rookie Kurtis Rourke, Nathan’s younger brother. Taylor Elgersma remains a free agent after spending training camp with the Green Bay Packers.
Nathan possesses a more mobile skillset than those players, which is often coveted in flag football despite quarterbacks being unable to run. The Victoria, B.C., born pivot threw for 5,290 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions over 16 regular-season starts in 2025, while rushing 61 times for 564 yards and 10 scores.
Former Ottawa Redblacks and Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ head coach Paul LaPolice is in charge of the Canadian senior men’s national team. He was the mentor for Rourke’s current head coach and offensive playcaller, Buck Pierce, seemingly making that a perfect schematic fit. However, Canada must qualify for the Olympics before any active professional players are added to the team.
The Canadian men won the bronze medal at the 2025 IFAF Americas Continental Championship in Panama this past September. Both the men’s and women’s teams from Canada have advanced to next year’s World Championships. The team’s current quarterback is Michael O’Connor, who served as Rourke’s backup with the Lions in 2022.
