EN 
DE 
After going unsigned as a CFL free agent in 2023, quarterback Michael O’Connor thought his football career was over.
Now, three years later, the 30-year-old from Ottawa is pursuing a new dream: competing in the Olympics.
O’Connor is helping Canada’s men’s flag football team inch closer to qualifying for the 2028 Los Angeles Games. This summer, Canada could secure a spot in the sport’s Olympic debut.
“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.”
A top-two finish at the world championships in Germany will guarantee Canada’s place in Los Angeles. If the United States reaches the final, the second- and third-place teams will qualify, as the U.S. already has a host country berth.
Canada earned its spot at the worlds by winning bronze last summer at the IFAF Americas Flag Football Continental Championship in Panama. The U.S. and Mexico were named joint champions after weather forced the cancellation of the gold-medal game.
Canada finished the round robin with a 3-1 record but fell to Mexico 35-25 in the semifinals. They recovered to beat Panama 32-22 in the bronze medal game, with O’Connor tossing five touchdown passes. He believes their preparation will be crucial in Germany.
“We were third last year in Panama but I think we’ve made big strides since then,” said O’Connor. “Just in terms of cleaning up what plays we like to run and what field position 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.”
O’Connor, who stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 230 pounds, began his college career at Penn State in 2014 before transferring to the University of British Columbia. He led the Thunderbirds to a Vanier Cup title in 2015 and was selected 20th overall in the third round of the 2019 CFL draft by the Toronto Argonauts.
He signed with the Calgary Stampeders in 2020, though the CFL season was canceled due to the pandemic. O’Connor spent 2021 with Calgary before joining the B.C. Lions in 2022.
Over four CFL seasons, O’Connor dressed for 40 games but threw just 52 passes, completing 30 for 330 yards, with one touchdown, one interception, and a rushing touchdown.
Flag football differs significantly from the tackle game. Each side has five players on a 70-yard by 25-yard field. There is no contact or blocking, and defenses line up seven yards off the snap. Plays develop quickly in the condensed space.
“The field is only 25 yards wide so everything happens much quicker,” O’Connor said. “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.”
Even if Canada qualifies for the Olympics, O’Connor will have to compete for a roster spot. Both the CFL and NFL will allow their players to participate in the 2028 Games, which will increase competition.
Notably, B.C. Lions quarterback Nathan Rourke, the CFL’s top Canadian and outstanding player in 2023, has begun playing recreational flag football to prepare. If Canada reaches Los Angeles, he is expected to try out for the team.
With other top Canadian passers like Tre Ford (Hamilton Tiger-Cats), Kurtis Rourke (San Francisco 49ers), and Taylor Elgersma (UFL’s Birmingham Stallions), Canada has strong quarterback depth.
“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.”