Doucette helms US to fifth straight flag football world title as sport readies for Olympic debut

Darrell “Housh” Doucette had an army of internet trolls ready to ram his own words down his throat after he publicly declared that he and the rest of the men’s USA national flag football team were betting on themselves to retain their roster spots even if challenged by NFL stars who want to join the squad for their sport’s debut as an Olympic event in 2028.

Those trolls are going to have to keep waiting after Doucette fired six touchdown passes to four different receivers to lead the US to a 53-21 victory over Austria to claim an unprecedented fifth consecutive flag football world championship.

“This is our sport – we feel like we are the pros,” Doucette said at the end of the television broadcast of Friday’s final at Finland’s Lahti stadium.

Seemingly referring, when prompted, to NFL players who have expressed interest in temporarily crossing over from their 11-on-11 tackle football game to the younger five-on-five, contactless format debuting at the Los Angeles Olympics in four years, Doucette added: “And whoever wants to come up with competition” for the reigning champions, “we’re looking forward to it.”

Doucette’s remarks capped off a four-day tournament that solidified how dominant the US has been in flag football even without resorting to household NFL names like Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow and Tyreek Hill, who – along with others of their ilk – all have spoken openly about their dreams of adding an Olympic gold medal to their résumés during the next Summer Games.

Coach Jorge Cascudo’s US men went 7-0 in Finland, outscoring their opponents 370-111. Their average margin of victory was 34.9 points per game as the US captured the sixth of the last seven world flag titles dating back to 2010.

Against Austria, Doucette – now a two-time world champion – delivered scoring throws to teammates Pablo Smith (twice), Ja’Deion High (twice), Laval Davis and Bruce Mapp. The NFL’s social media accounts even shared footage of one of Doucette’s TD passes – a 45-yarder from his own end zone – to High, who once played on Texas Tech University’s tackle football team alongside Mahomes.

But those plays constituted only a fraction of the US’s contributions from Doucette, who did not throw a single interception during the Americans’ stand in Finland. Earlier in the tournament, he caught and ran for touchdowns. And on defense he also intercepted a pass, demonstrating why the executives in charge of eventually selecting the Olympic roster have clearly stated their intention to give Doucette and his teammates every consideration to represent the US at the 2028 Games even if the NFL’s stars do ultimately opt to take on undergo the team’s trials process.

Yet those involved in the US’s scoring plays Friday on offense weren’t the only ones inflicting damage on Austria. Defensive players Johnluis “Lulu” Hernandez and Mike Daniels each intercepted passes that they ran back for touchdowns. Hernandez’s return covered the length of the 50-yard field.

Furthermore, pass rusher Michael Better pulled the opposing quarterback’s flag in Austria’s end zone for a safety that tacked on two points for the US, his tournament-best fourth sack.

“It wasn’t about me – it was a ‘we’, and it was a great thing for us to come out and win as a team overall,” Doucette said.

But he acknowledged the controversy stirred by his comments about him and his teammates having confidence in themselves to retain their spots on Team USA during the upcoming Olympic cycle, even if Mahomes and others in the NFL’s elite quarterback fraternity gun for his position – a prospect that for now remains only a possibility.

And he conceded that this world championship was even more special than it otherwise would have been with “everything that’s been going on in the background”.

“We … showed what we can do,” Doucette remarked during a televised interview.

In statements provided by the International Federation of American Football (IFAF), the sport’s governing body which organized the contest in Finland, he said: “We had a lot of eyes on our sport that we’ve never had before. And we need people to appreciate how much time and work we put into our game.”

US women repeat as champs

The US women’s flag football team on Friday defeated Mexico by a score of 31-18 to repeat as world champions.

American quarterback Vanita Krouch threw three touchdown passes, and Maci Joncich tossed a fourth score. US receivers Madison Fulford, Ashlea Klam, Izzy Geraci and Kennedy Foster each had TD receptions.

While their tournament did not receive as much US mainstream media attention as the men’s, the women’s final was compelling. Mexico upset the US at the 2022 World Games in Birmingham, Alabama. But the US had defeated Mexico in the finals of the 2021 world championship and 2023 Americas continental championship heading into Friday’s grudge match.