Flag football is providing Antony Auclair with the best of two worlds.
The Notre-Dame-des-Pins, Que., native is still playing the game at a very high level with the Canadian men's national team, but without the same threat of injury that comes with being an NFL tight end.
"I get to play football and it's still ultra competitive," said Auclair. "There's not supposed to be (contact in flag) but if you look you'll see pictures of me trying to make the catch with a defender's arm or hand in my face.
"It's football, there's always going to be some contact and injuries. But there's not always that threat of serious injury like when you play in the NFL."
Auclair spent six seasons in the NFL with Tampa Bay (2017-20), Houston (2021) and Tennessee (2022). He joined the Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent out of Laval and earned a Super Bowl ring when the squad defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 31—9 on Feb. 7, 2021.
Auclair retired Feb. 1, 2024, having registered 15 catches for 131 yards and one touchdown in 56 career NFL games.
But flag football is not only providing the 32-year-old an opportunity to resume playing but also compete at the 2028 Summer Games when the sport will make its Olympic debut.
At six foot six, Auclair is a huge target with a very large catch radius. But given the speed of the flag game, he's a trim 225 pounds now, down 40 pounds from his NFL playing weight.
"There's a bunch of different skill sets at receiver on a flag team," Auclair said. "There are these small dudes who do all of those moves, the hip-dip and jukes, that have a wow factor to it.
"And then some teams have bigger receivers like me who are going to shield defenders and go up for those contested catches. I think flag is a lot like basketball where centres are huge and then you have point guards who are smaller and faster."
Auclair helped Canada finish third last summer at the IFAF Americas Continental Championship in Panama. That qualified the Canadians for the world championships this summer in Germany.
The top two teams in Germany will garner Olympic berths. If the United States reaches the final, the top-three squads will advance as the Americans already have a spot as host.
The world championship isn't the final Olympic qualifying event. But failing to do so in Germany would mean participating in the '27 IFAF continental championship and then the final Olympic qualifier series in 2028.
Auclair tries not to look that far ahead but admits the idea of playing for a medal in Los Angeles has crossed his mind.
"It would be a dream," he said. "I'm a step-by-step kind of guy, I want to qualify and get a medal at the world championship but that (Olympic medal) would be insane.
"When you're growing up that's not something you think about because football wasn't there. It's just super cool now for a kid to grow up and see there's an opportunity to win a medal at the Olympics."
Even if Canada punches its ticket to the '28 Games this summer, there's no guarantee the current players will be on the Olympic squad. The program continually holds tryout camps and with both the CFL and NFL allowing its players to compete in Los Angeles, there would be significant competition for the 12 Olympic roster spots (10 active, two alternates).
"To me, Team Canada is no different than a professional team where every year you bring in new guys to training camp to compete," Auclair said. "Every year you've got to keep balling, keep being competitive and at your best."
To that end, Auclair is taking a professional attitude into his flag football preparation. He trains full-time much like he did as an NFL player while serving as a receivers/tight end coach at Laval and co-owning a Quebec City flag football league with his brother that last year had upwards of 60 teams.
Auclair said he and Canadian team members are aware of the impact competing in Los Angeles would have on flag football here.
"I like to think we're trying to set a path for Canada," he said. "I've played professional football but I never got the chance to wear the Maple Leaf and play against other countries, which is super cool and is an honour.
"I feel like we're trying to set a path for those kids."