‘I’m Better Than Patrick Mahomes’: USA Flag Football Star Says His ‘Knowledge’ of 5v5 Makes Him Better QB for Olympic Squad

Patrick Mahomes has many people trying to beat him and prove they’re better than him. However, he may not have seen this one coming.

Darrell “Housh” Doucette, the 5’8, 140-lb quarterback for Flag Football USA, says that when it comes to 5v5 football, he’s the best man for the job.

“At the end of the day, I feel like I’m better than Patrick Mahomes because of my IQ of the game,” he told TMZ. “I know he’s right now the best in the [NFL]. I know he’s more accurate. I know he has all these intangibles. But when it comes to flag football, I feel like I know more than him.”

He added, “I’m not saying I’m a better player overall, but until he steps on a 5v5 flag field, I’m going to feel that way until it’s proven otherwise! I’m a competitor and need to be proven wrong.”

Speculation about Mahomes’ inclusion in the 2028 Olympics as a USA Flag Football squad member picked up recently after the three-time Super Bowl winner confirmed his interest in participating in the Games. In addition, Bengals star QB Joe Burrow and NFL Top 100 #1 overall player Tyreek Hill said they would like to play.

Despite that load of NFL talent, Doucette believes his current 5v5 USA flag squad would defeat a 5-man team of NFL stars.

Doucette has done solid work in guiding the American squad to international success. In 2021, he helped lead the Americans to the IFAF Flag Football World Championship. Team USA also won the World Games in 2022 and the Americas Continental Flag Football Championship in 2023.

“I think it’s disrespectful that they just automatically assume that they’re able to just join the Olympic team because of the person that they are — they didn’t help grow this game to get to the Olympics,” Doucette III told the Guardian in a recent interview. “Give the guys who helped this game get to where it’s at their respect.”

Doucette stresses that he is not saying he is more talented than Mahomes or other NFL players who have expressed interest in playing for Team USA in the 2028 Olympics. He simply wants them to compete for the roster just like everyone else.

That being said, Doucette can expect a lot of competition.

The NFL sees a chance to grow the game internationally and is considering altering the 2028 off-season to allow more players to compete.

So, while one can certainly sympathize with Doucette and others who have helped grow the flag football game, the deck is stacked against them.