Quarterback Michael O’Connor, a 30-year-old Ottawa native, believed his football days ended after going unsigned as a CFL free agent in 2023. Now, he leads Canada’s men’s flag football team toward potential qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Path to Olympic Qualification
Canada stands on the brink of securing a spot in the sport’s Olympic debut. A top-two finish at the world championships in Germany this summer guarantees entry. If the United States reaches the final, second- and third-place teams also qualify, as the host nation already holds a berth.
The team earned its world championship spot with a bronze medal at last summer’s IFAF Americas Flag Football Continental Championship in Panama. Severe weather canceled the gold-medal game, declaring the U.S. and Mexico joint champions. Canada posted a 3-1 round-robin record, fell 35-25 to Mexico in the semifinals, then defeated Panama 32-22 for bronze. O’Connor threw five touchdown passes in the bronze victory.
“We’re just focused on what’s next and what we can do to get better,” O’Connor said recently. “But I’d be lying if I said I don’t think about it and just how cool it would be to play and possibly medal in the Olympics. It’s something I never thought would be possible.”
O’Connor highlights improved preparation: “We were third last year in Panama but I think we’ve made big strides since then. Just in terms of cleaning up what plays we like to run and what field position do we like to run them in. We’re looking forward to getting back on the world stage and showing everybody that, yeah, we had a good 2025 but we’re a better team now.”
From College to CFL and Beyond
The six-foot-four, 230-pound quarterback started at Penn State in 2014, transferred to the University of British Columbia, and led the Thunderbirds to a 2015 Vanier Cup title. Toronto selected him 20th overall in the 2019 CFL draft. He played for Calgary in 2021, B.C. Lions in 2022, and appeared in 40 regular-season games, completing 30 of 52 passes for 330 yards, one touchdown, one interception, and a rushing score.
Flag Football Dynamics
Flag football features five players per side on a 70-yard by 25-yard field, banning blocking and contact. Plays start with a snap to the quarterback and a rusher seven yards back.
“The field is only 25 yards wide so everything happens much quicker,” O’Connor explained. “Everything is more condensed and the rusher comes at you very quickly. And with the deep ball, because the field is so narrow you can’t really put too much air on it because the backside coverage can easily make a play. It’s a very different game but at the end of the day it’s still catching and throwing.”
Fierce Roster Competition Ahead
Even with qualification, O’Connor faces stiff competition. The CFL and NFL permit player participation in 2028. B.C. Lions star Nathan Rourke, last season’s top Canadian and outstanding player, trains in recreational flag leagues. Other contenders include Hamilton’s Tre Ford, San Francisco 49ers’ Kurtis Rourke, and UFL’s Taylor Elgersma.
“I can’t lie, I know I’d be disappointed to get to the Olympics and ultimately not be on that roster,” O’Connor admitted. “But at the end of the day it’s not about me and my feelings, it’s about what’s best for the country so I do understand that also. After I was done playing in the CFL, I kind of made peace with the game and was ready to move on. Then this opportunity came up and I’m really enjoying every moment of it.”
