New England Patriots v Chicago Bears | Michael Reaves/GettyImages

The New England Patriots are one of many teams that could see some of their best players light it up on an international stage, as the NFL has officially approved a proposal to allow NFL players to participate in flag football during the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

Wide receiver Stefon Diggs has been talking about the idea of possibly participating in the game, as it could see multiple star NFL players helping their country win a gold medal. However, the Patriots should know as well as any franchise that playing flag football can bring about the end of a player’s career.

Former Patriots star Robert Edwards is a tragic story that will likely be so scary to some players that they will eschew the chance to win a gold medal to make sure they don’t end up like No. 47.

Robert Edwards injury shows why Patriots shouldn’t participate in flag football

Edwards was picked 18th overall in the 1998 NFL Draft, four picks before Randy Moss and nine choices before Alan Faneca. The Georgia running back looked like the next Terrell Davis when he jumped out of the gate, as he put together one of the finest rushing seasons in Patriots history.

Edwards ran for 1,115 yards and piled up an extra 331 yards with 12 touchdowns from scrimmage as a rookie in 1998. That promise was cut short with an injury that was so frightening that it turned him into a cautionary tale that agents tell their players about nonstop.

Edwards, while playing in a flag football game, destroyed his knee to such a sharp degree that there were fears he would lose parts of his leg and was informed he may never walk properly again. Edwards would miss three straight seasons, played a handful of games in 2002 for the Dolphins, and finished his career in Canada.

Edwards suffered a complete knee dislocation, damaging all four knee tendons while tearing three, and picked up major nerve and artery damage. The game was not an official NFL event, but a separate event by a third party, which means the league had no insurance on the game and Edwards was not paid a cent in compensation.

While this is obviously the most extreme example of what could happen, players like Diggs will likely choose not to participate in an event the United States will assuredly win no matter what, over fears that they could become the next Edwards if their leg takes one or two awkward steps.