Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown has spent his NFL career building a strong connection with the team. Since joining Detroit in 2021, he has started 83 games, caught 608 passes for 6,909 yards and scored 49 touchdowns. Yet when discussing the possibility of playing flag football at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, St. Brown said he would like to represent Germany rather than the United States.
The idea is meaningful to him because of his family’s connection to Germany. Although St. Brown grew up in California, his mother, Miriam, was born in Leverkusen. He and his siblings spent several summers there, and he learned to speak German fluently. He also used the language during a media availability in Munich on November 13, 2026, ahead of the Lions’ game against the New England Patriots.
“I would love to play for the German national team for the flag Olympics,” St. Brown said. “That would be something off my bucket list that I’ve done. We’ve got, I think like, two years until that comes. So, hopefully we can make that work.”
Taking part would require more than simply expressing interest. St. Brown would need to manage the practical challenges of fitting a national-team tryout and the qualifying tournament into his NFL schedule. The qualifiers are scheduled for a few weeks before the Olympic Games, while NFL training camp would also need to be considered. St. Brown acknowledged that he was unsure about the logistics.
Germany is already a familiar place for the Lions receiver. He returns each summer to host a youth football camp, and the country has long been part of his family life. His connection to German football also stretches back to 2015, when he and his brother Osiris played for Germany in an under-19 football tournament.
St. Brown said his older brother Equanimeous could be interested in joining him if the opportunity becomes possible. Equanimeous, like his brothers, has a family connection to Germany through their mother.
“I think Equanimeous would love to be part of that,” St. Brown said when asked whether his brother might be interested. “I don’t know the logistics, I heard you have to try out. Whatever it takes, I feel like we’d be down to do it, if time permits. But yeah, I think he would be definitely down to play with me on Team Germany.”
For St. Brown, the prospect of wearing Germany’s colors would be a chance to honor the roots that have been part of his life since childhood. His comments did not suggest that he was turning away from the Lions or his NFL teammates. Instead, he described representing Germany as a personal goal—one he hopes could become possible if the timing and qualification process work out.
The Olympic possibility also came up during a significant week for Detroit. The Lions entered the Munich matchup with a 6-2 record, while the Patriots had lost two of their previous three games. St. Brown said he was looking forward to the game and joked about the prospect of scoring in Germany.
“I haven’t been in the end zone in some weeks so I feel like Germany would be a great time to touch the paint again,” he said.
The game gave St. Brown an opportunity to play in a country with deep personal significance to him. His interest in the 2028 Olympics adds another dimension to that connection: he could potentially return to Germany not only for family, football camps and an NFL game, but also to compete for the national team in flag football.
For now, the Olympic plan remains a possibility rather than a confirmed commitment. St. Brown would need to navigate the tryout and qualification requirements, along with the demands of his NFL schedule. Still, his enthusiasm is clear. If the logistics allow it, he and Equanimeous may both be interested in pursuing the chance to represent Germany at the Los Angeles Games.
