The 2024 Summer Olympics got underway in Paris on Friday, with athletes from 184 countries cruising down the river Seine before competing in 329 events across 45 different sports. Still, there will be one thing missing from the festivities in France: football.
Flag football will make its debut at the Los Angeles games in 2028, with Canada currently focused on the four-year road to qualification. However, after the U20 national team defeated Team Japan to secure their third consecutive gold medal at the IFAF World Junior Championships in Edmonton last month, many fans are dreaming about an international tackle tournament on the biggest stage in sports.
A group is already working hard at assembling a roster to qualify for the 2025 IFAF World Senior Men’s Championship in Germany, with tryouts taking place across the country for the first men’s national team in 14 years. That still won’t answer the question of what a true Team Canada would look like for a best-on-best competition at the Olympic games, which is where 3DownNation steps in.
Three years have passed since we answered that very question ahead of the delayed 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo and the football landscape has changed dramatically. Some of the selections aged like fine French wine, others now smell like stinky French cheese, but a new look was badly needed for Paris.
Our rules were simple: using IFAF’s standard 45-man roster limit, select the best possible Canadian team for an Olympic tournament played under American rules — as all international events currently are.
Only active players were eligible for selection — no dragging Andrew Harris out of retirement — but anyone entitled to citizenship was considered, regardless of whether they’ve ever lived in Canada. For this project, all players were assumed to be fully healthy but the roster had to be able to survive a two-week tournament with multiple games without replacements, meaning versatility was paramount in the roster construction.
We’ll start today by revealing Team Canada’s star-studded offence. Make sure to check back tomorrow when we unveil the defence and special teams.
* asterisks denote players who were selected for the team in 2021.

Quarterbacks
Nathan Rourke, New York Giants (Oakville, Ont.)* — There is no question as to who this country would want to lead their team on the international stage. The CFL’s 2022 Most Outstanding Canadian may not be getting the love we all hoped for from NFL teams, but he remains the greatest homegrown quarterbacking product since Russ Jackson. The G-Men will have a hard time giving Tommy DeVito reps once Rourke upsets Team USA.
Tre Ford, Edmonton Elks (Niagara Falls, Ont.) — Backup QB is a legitimate debate on this team with experienced NFL spot starter Brett Rypien eligible thanks to his father. However, versatility trumps a steady hand in this sort of competition and Ford’s 4.4-speed will provide an entirely different element to the offence. He’s also athletically capable of pinch-hitting at receiver, running back, or as a returner if the injury bug strikes late in the tournament.
Missing the cut: Brett Rypien, Chicago Bears | Kurtis Rourke, Indiana University | Casey Bauman, Los Angeles Chargers

Running backs
Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers (Sherwood Park, Alta.)* — Hubbard is a long way removed from his days in Heisman contention at Oklahoma State, but he’s still a feature NFL back who racked up 902 yards last season. He’s the easy choice to start on this team.
Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals (London, Ont.) — As the Indianapolis Colts learned the hard way last year, Brown is fast… like, very fast. He’ll provide an explosive change-of-pace option when spelling off Hubbard and gives a little more out of the backfield as well.
Brady Oliveira, Winnipeg Blue Bombers (Winnipeg, Man.) — The CFL’s reigning Most Outstanding Canadian ran straight through defences for over 2,000 yards from scrimmage last year. He can lower the shoulder with the best of them and will bring some serious physicality to the run game.
Missing the cut: Daniel Adeboboye, Toronto Argonauts | Jeshrun Antwi, Montreal Alouettes | Johnny Augustine, Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Tight ends
Dalton Kincaid, Buffalo Bills (Las Vegas, Nev.) — Team Canada gets very lucky with the addition of this American-born dual citizen, as the Bills’ 2023 first-round pick put up 637 receiving yards as a rookie. Kincaid is one of the best young tight ends in the NFL and would be one hell of a safety blanket for Rourke.
Theo Johnson, New York Giants (Windsor, Ont.)* — Physical freak doesn’t even begin to describe the Giants’ 2024 fourth-round pick, who could be in line to start as a rookie. Johnson’s got the size and physicality to be a valuable blocker in-line or as an H-back, though the Penn State product’s explosive burst means he can’t be discounted as a pass catcher either.
Tanner McLachlan, Cincinnati Bengals (Lethbridge, Alta.) — It’s worth debating whether three tight ends are too many for a roster this small but Cincinnati’s 2024 sixth-round draft pick splits the difference. At just 240 pounds, he’s a true flex option who looked like a poor man’s Travis Kelce during his time at the University of Arizona.
Missing the cut: N’Keal Harry, Minnesota Vikings* | Nikola Kalinic, Los Angeles Rams | Jevon Cottoy, B.C. Lions

Wide receivers
Josh Palmer, Los Angeles Chargers (Brampton, Ont.)* — Palmer hasn’t quite turned into a household name in the NFL, but his consistent production through three seasons makes him a worthy number-one target for this team. With 1,703 career yards under his belt, the pride of the Flower City is already one of the most successful Canadian wideouts ever.
John Metchie III, Houston Texans (Brampton, Ont.)* — After missing his rookie season with cancer, Metchie was more of an afterthought than a feature in the Texans offence in year two. Nevertheless, I’m still a big believer in the upside he showed at Alabama, where he was twice named Canada’s top NCAA player. An Olympic tournament might be exactly what he needs to break out as a physical slot in this offence.
Elic Ayomanor, Stanford University (Medicine Hat, Alta.) — Just like USA basketball’s Dream Team, Canada needs a young amateur or two thrown in amidst the veteran pros. While Ayomanor may be just 20 years old, he showed in his freshman year that he can perform against the best by putting up 294 yards and three touchdowns on projected first-round 2025 NFL Draft pick Travis Hunter. With Rourke, Hubbard, Metchie, and Brown already locked into roster spots, every Jon Cornish Trophy winner in history makes this team.
Tyson Philpot, Montreal Alouettes (Delta, B.C.) — Spoiler alert: this squad will have two sets of twins but only one Philpot, as Tyson has wildly outpaced Jalen to this point in their pro careers. The 110th Grey Cup’s Most Valuable Canadian will have a role in the slot on offence, but will also serve as one of the primary returners and can step in at running back in an emergency.
Justin McInnis, B.C. Lions (Pierrefonds, Que.) — McInnis is on a historic receiving pace to start the 2024 season and at six-foot-five, he provides a sizeable red zone threat that this group otherwise lacks. Fallen star Chase Claypool is the stunning omission here, but I’m banking on Moose to give his nation more effort than a declining Mapletron can muster.
Missing the cut: Chase Claypool, Buffalo Bills* | Jared Wayne, Free Agent | Nic Demski, Winnipeg Blue Bombers | Samuel Emilus, Saskatchewan Roughriders | Kian Schaffer-Baker, Saskatchewan Roughriders | Kurleigh Gittens Jr., Edmonton Elks

Offensive linemen
Matthew Bergeron, Atlanta Falcons (Victoriaville, Que.) — Bergeron lived up to his status as a high second-round pick last year, starting every game at guard for the Falcons as a rookie. For this team, he’ll kick back out to his college position of offensive tackle and hopefully dominate just like he did at Syracuse.
Alaric Jackson, Los Angeles Rams (Windsor, Ont.) — Jackson has come a long way over the last three years, going from undrafted flyer to bonafide starter at left tackle for the Rams. He’s an easy choice to hold down Rourke’s blindside and will be one of two members of this team with a Super Bowl ring.
Sidy Sow, New England Patriots (Bromont, Que) — New England surprised some when they took Sow in the fourth round of the 2023 Draft but he delivered with 13 starts at guard as a rookie. With more games played than anyone in Eastern Michigan University history, he’s more seasoned than most 26-year-olds and will continue to start for his country.
Isaiah Adams, Arizona Cardinals (Ajax, Ont.) — Anyone who watched Adams at the University of Illinois over the past few years knows why he was a high third-round pick this year. He can kick out to tackle if needed but should start for Canada at his natural guard spot, where he can once again block for college teammate Chase Brown.
Dakoda Shepley, Dallas Cowboys (Windsor, Ont.)* — Only one UBC alumnus makes this team on the offensive line, with behemoth project Giovanni Manu and two-time J.P. Metras Trophy winner Theo Benedet just missing the cut. Shepley has yet to start an NFL game but he’s a four-year veteran who has been moulded into a viable centre, something this team otherwise lacked.
Carter O’Donnell, Arizona Cardinals (Red Deer, Alta)* — After three years riding the pine in Indianapolis, O’Donnell finally started three games last year after being picked up by the Cardinals. The University of Alberta product can plug in at guard or tackle as needed, providing excellent versatility.
Kyle Hergel, New Orleans Saints (Toronto, Ont.) — Selecting a seventh offensive lineman for this team was like picking a favourite child, with a bevy of CFL all-stars being left at home. In the end, Hergel gets my edge as the most highly-graded Canadian college player of the Pro Football Focus era. Unlike the NFL, I don’t care that he’s only six-foot-two and value the physicality he can bring at either centre or guard.
Missing the cut: Theo Benedet, Chicago Bears | Brandon Revenberg, Hamilton Tiger-Cats* | Giovanni Manu, Detroit Lions | Pier-Olivier Lestage, Montreal Alouettes | Ryan Hunter, Toronto Argonauts | Drew Desjarlais, Ottawa Redblacks | Anim Dankwah, Philadelphia Eagles