Darrell Doucette III, who served as the quarterback for Team USA's men's national flag football team, expressed confidence that the current roster is best suited to represent the United States in the sport's inaugural Olympic appearance during the 2028 Summer Games. Doucette stated, 'This is a sport that we’ve played for a long time, and we feel like we are the best at it and we don’t need other guys.' He emphasized the team's shared mission to represent their country, asserting that they remain open to competition, saying, 'If those guys come in and ball out and they’re better than us, hats off to them. Go win that gold medal for our country.'

Doucette also voiced concerns regarding the inclusion of NFL players in the Olympic flag football tournament after league owners approved the participation of professionals following the recent Spring League Meeting. He remarked on the feeling among current flag football players that they are being overlooked in favor of NFL athletes: 'We felt like we worked hard to get the sport to where it’s at, and then when the NFL guys spoke about it, it was like we were getting kicked to the side.' He expressed a desire for recognition, advocating for his teammates who have diligently prepared for this opportunity.

In his remarks, Doucette made a bold statement regarding his competitiveness, suggesting that he is better suited to lead Team USA than celebrated NFL quarterback Patrick Mahomes, a three-time Super Bowl MVP. 'At the end of the day, I feel like I'm better than Patrick Mahomes because of my IQ of the game,' he stated, acknowledging Mahomes' status as a leading player in the league while distinguishing their expertise in flag football. Doucette insisted that neither he nor his teammates are shying away from competition, stating, 'I know he’s right now the best in the league... when it comes to flag football, I feel like I know more than him.' Opinions from coaching professionals, such as Chad Palmer, further highlighted the divide between NFL talent and flag football players, with Palmer suggesting that the top players in football possess skills that may be unmatched in the flag football arena.