The New Orleans based flag football team, "Fighting Cancer" competed in the American Flag Football League Ultimate Final on July 18, 2018 and defeated ex-NFL players to win $1 million.
IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR THE AMERICAN FLAG FOOTBALL LEAGUE - Fighting Cancer's Charles Carmouche runs with the ball during the American Flag Football League (AFFL) U.S. Open of Football Ultimate Championship, Thursday, July 19, 2018 in Houston. Fighting Cancer won 26-6. (Aaron M. Sprecher/AP Images for American Flag Football League)
IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR THE AMERICAN FLAG FOOTBALL LEAGUE - Members of Fighting Cancer celebrate their victory after the American Flag Football League (AFFL) U.S. Open of Football Ultimate Championship, Thursday, July 19, 2018 in Houston. Fighting Cancer beat Godspeed 26-6. (Michael Wyke/AP Images for American Flag Football League)
IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR THE AMERICAN FLAG FOOTBALL LEAGUE - Fighting Cancer's Darrell Doucette, center celebrates with teammates after they defeated Godspeed at the American Flag Football League (AFFL) U.S. Open of Football Ultimate Championship, Thursday, July 19, 2018 in Houston. Fighting Cancer won 26-6. Fighting Cancer won 26-6. (Michael Wyke/AP Images for American Flag Football League)
IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR THE AMERICAN FLAG FOOTBALL LEAGUE - Fighting Cancer's Charles Carmouche runs with the ball during the American Flag Football League (AFFL) U.S. Open of Football Ultimate Championship, Thursday, July 19, 2018 in Houston. Fighting Cancer won 26-6. (Aaron M. Sprecher/AP Images for American Flag Football League)
IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR THE AMERICAN FLAG FOOTBALL LEAGUE - Godspeed's James Ihedigbo pulls the flag of Fighting Cancer's Jason Brown during the American Flag Football League (AFFL) U.S. Open of Football Ultimate Championship, Thursday, July 19, 2018 in Houston. Fighting Cancer won 26-6. (Michael Wyke/AP Images for American Flag Football League)
IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR THE AMERICAN FLAG FOOTBALL LEAGUE - Fighting Cancer's Darrell Doucette passes during the American Flag Football League (AFFL) U.S. Open of Football Ultimate Championship, Thursday, July 19, 2018 in Houston. Fighting Cancer won 26-6. (Michael Wyke/AP Images for American Flag Football League)
IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR THE AMERICAN FLAG FOOTBALL LEAGUE - Fighting Cancer's Charles Carmouche catches the ball during the American Flag Football League (AFFL) U.S. Open of Football Ultimate Championship, Thursday, July 19, 2018 in Houston. Fighting Cancer won 26-6. (Aaron M. Sprecher/AP Images for American Flag Football League)
IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR THE AMERICAN FLAG FOOTBALL LEAGUE - Fighting Cancer's Darrell Doucette runs with the ball during the American Flag Football League (AFFL) U.S. Open of Football Ultimate Championship, Thursday, July 19, 2018 in Houston. Fighting Cancer won 26-6. (Aaron M. Sprecher/AP Images for American Flag Football League)
IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR THE AMERICAN FLAG FOOTBALL LEAGUE - Fighting Cancer's Darrell Doucette, right, looks to pass at the American Flag Football League (AFFL) U.S. Open of Football Ultimate Championship, Thursday, July 19, 2018 in Houston. Fighting Cancer won 26-6. (Michael Wyke/AP Images for American Flag Football League)
IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR THE AMERICAN FLAG FOOTBALL LEAGUE - Fighting Cancer's Turhan Glover celebrates his touchdown during the American Flag Football League (AFFL) U.S. Open of Football Ultimate Championship, Thursday, July 19, 2018 in Houston. Fighting Cancer won 26-6. (Michael Wyke/AP Images for American Flag Football League)
IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR THE AMERICAN FLAG FOOTBALL LEAGUE - Fighting Cancer's Darrell Doucette, right, looks to pass at the American Flag Football League (AFFL) U.S. Open of Football Ultimate Championship, Thursday, July 19, 2018 in Houston. Fighting Cancer won 26-6. (Aaron M. Sprecher/AP Images for American Flag Football League)
IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR THE AMERICAN FLAG FOOTBALL LEAGUE - Fighting Cancer's Charles Carmouche receives the ball during the American Flag Football League (AFFL) U.S. Open of Football Ultimate Championship, Thursday, July 19, 2018 in Houston. Fighting Cancer won 26-6. (Michael Wyke/AP Images for American Flag Football League)
IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR THE AMERICAN FLAG FOOTBALL LEAGUE - Fighting Cancer's Charles Carmouche celebrates his touchdown with teammate Brandon McCray during the American Flag Football League (AFFL) U.S. Open of Football Ultimate Championship, Thursday, July 19, 2018 in Houston. Fighting Cancer won 26-6. (Michael Wyke/AP Images for American Flag Football League)
IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR THE AMERICAN FLAG FOOTBALL LEAGUE - Fighting Cancer's Charles Carmouche celebrates his touchdown with teammate Brandon McCray during the American Flag Football League (AFFL) U.S. Open of Football Ultimate Championship, Thursday, July 19, 2018 in Houston. Fighting Cancer won 26-6. (Michael Wyke/AP Images for American Flag Football League)
IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR THE AMERICAN FLAG FOOTBALL LEAGUE - Fighting Cancer's Robert Myers, right, evades Godspeed's Jeremy Wariner and runs the ball down the field for a touchdown during the American Flag Football League (AFFL) U.S. Open of Football Ultimate Championship, Thursday, July 19, 2018 in Houston. Fighting Cancer won 26-6. (Michael Wyke/AP Images for American Flag Football League)
What if I told you a team made up of former high school and collegiate athletes plus one former NFL player would defeat a team consisting of Olympic gold-medalists and NFL athletes with 61 years of experience? Well, that's exactly what people witnessed when they tuned in to NFL Network on Thursday, July 19 as the "amateur" New Orleans-based team, Fighting Cancer, defeated the pro team, Godspeed, 26-6 to win the Ultimate Final of the American Flag Football League.
Fighting Cancer, a team named to honor a former flag football player Jeff Fauria who died after battling cancer, has been playing together in New Orleans for six years. Former NFL wide receiver and New Orleans native Jacoby Jones told NOLA.com he used to play against the flag football team in the summer to keep his skills sharp for the next season. The team consists of 12 players, some of whom have never played a snap in organized tackle football. The tallest member of this squad is wide receiver Charles Carmouche, who played basketball at UNO and LSU and stands at 6 feet 3 and weighs 195 pounds. Former New Orleans Saint Harry Coleman is the second tallest at 6-2 and 218.
Godspeed is co-captained by Olympic track and field legend Michael Johnson, who won four Olympic gold medals and eight World Championships. He's accompanied by Pro Bowler Justin Forsett who spent eight years in the NFL. Their team consists of nine former NFL athletes who have a combined 61 years of experience, and two track and field Olympiads.
Fighting Cancer won seven games to advance through the 128-team amateur bracket of the American Flag Football League and put on an impressive performance against the pros to cap off its run.
Fighting Cancer was up 7-0 at halftime and never let the pros take the lead. Fighting Cancer's Coleman snagged an interception with eight minutes left and took it 10 yards before giving the ball to teammate Robert Myers who returned it for a 100-yard touchdown and a back-flip into the end zone. Fighting Cancer extended the lead to 26-0 halfway through the second before surrendering its lone touchdown.
Standout quarterback Darrell Doucette, who never played a snap of football in high school, threw for 242 yards and two touchdowns, and rushed for 88 yards.
