Flag’s on Fire
From Flag Football Legend to Team USA Head Coach | Jorge Cascudo/Ep. 30
Episode 30 Description Long before flag football became an Olympic sport, Jorge Cascudo was already helping define what elite quarterback play looked like. On Episode 30 of Flags on Fire , Jorge joins Jason Kerrick for a wide-ranging conversation about his journey from a baseball pitcher in Miami to becoming one of the most accomplished quarterbacks in flag football history—and eventually the head coach of the Team USA Men’s National Team . Jorge grew up in a baseball family and earned a college scholarship as a pitcher. But after college, he discovered Miami’s flag football scene, put together a team with friends, went undefeated, won a championship, and never looked back. That journey eventually led to USA Football. In 2010, Jorge was selected to represent the United States and helped Team USA win its first gold medal. He would go on to spend roughly a decade with the national team, winning four gold medals and one silver while establishing himself as one of the most respected quarterbacks of his generation. Jorge also shares the fascinating story of how his playing career ended—and how coaching began. After failing to make Team USA in what he hoped would be one final run as a player, he received an unexpected call from Panama asking him to coach its national team. Jorge took the job, helped Panama earn its best-ever men’s finish at the time with a bronze medal, and eventually returned home to become head coach of Team USA. The conversation also dives deep into the modern Team USA selection process. Jorge explains just how difficult roster decisions have become, saying the U.S. has enough talent to potentially field two or three teams capable of competing for gold . We also discuss the looming impact of NFL talent on Olympic flag football, how Team USA evaluates players, how the international game has evolved, and what it will take to stay ahead as countries around the world continue to close the gap. And Jorge takes us inside Team USA’s latest World Championship run, where an unexpected loss to American Samoa forced the team onto a more difficult path before ultimately winning gold. Jorge called it one of the most meaningful championships he has ever been part of because of the adversity, resilience and character his team showed along the way. In this episode, we cover Jorge’s transition from baseball to flag football, his rise as an elite quarterback, Team USA’s early years, the evolution of offensive concepts, coaching Panama, building the current U.S. roster, NFL players and LA28, the USA-Mexico rivalry, and what Olympic flag football could become. For anyone interested in the history, present and future of flag football, this is a conversation with someone who has experienced nearly every stage of the sport’s evolution. ️ Episode 30 — Jorge Cascudo Flags on Fire #FlagsOnFire #JorgeCascudo #FlagFootball #TeamUSA #USAFootball #OlympicFlagFootball #LA28 #Olympics #FlagFootballCoach #FlagFootballQuarterback #MensFlagFootball #FootballPodcast #NFLFlag #TeamUSAFootball #WorldChampionships
