The NFL’s dedication to expanding flag football starts at the top.
Commissioner Roger Goodell is fully invested in developing the non-contact version of the most popular sport in the United States. Flag football introduces more people to the NFL, including people from all over the world, so it’s a wise decision commitment for a league that wants to become a global power.
“We always thought it was important,” Goodell told the Associated Press about making flag football a priority. “But I think we really feel, right now, that there is a strong push, a strong need, especially for women, to be able to participate in a sport that they haven’t had the opportunity to play. This was an opportunity for us to do it internationally, on a global basis, with young women and young men, and really build it at different levels, from youth to high school, college and maybe one day a professional league.
“It’s a long road, but it’s certainly worth it and we’re seeing that momentum grow, especially as the Olympics approach.”
The league says 20 million people in 100 different countries play flag football. It is the fastest growing sport in the world and will make its Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
The NFL led the effort to make this happen and this was just the beginning.
The league announced Tuesday that Toyota will become the presenting partner for NFL Flag tournaments across the country. Goodell spent two days last week in Aspen meeting with Toyota’s executive team about sponsorship and plans to attend the NFL Flag Championships next month at the Hall of Fame Village in Canton, Ohio. The event will feature more than 280 girls and boys teams representing regional NFL flag winners from across the United States, as well as six teams from countries around the world.
“Toyota understands the vision,” said Goodell. “I’ve always said that great partnerships are built on alignment, and I really feel great after spending time with them, from the company to the dealers, being able to see that this will actually play out in their communities. Their enthusiasm was overwhelming, but it also gave me great confidence that we have the right partner to really take this partnership to a new level and, obviously, take flag football to a new level.”
In addition attracting girls and young athletes in countries that are not exposed to football and by being a safer option for parents concerned about head injuries, the flag has opened doors for players in the United States who cannot afford equipment.
Five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. was one of those kids who grew up in Los Angeles. He switched to flag football because playing Pop Warner was a financial burden and he didn’t play tackle again until high school. Smith went on to become a two-time All-Pro, playing 16 seasons with the Carolina Panthers and Baltimore Ravens.
“The flag has always been a part of football that I think is a little underrated,” Smith said. “I look at the flag really to help introduce kids to the fundamentals of football because you don’t have to worry about getting hit, so they really focus on playing tight end, quarterback and catching a football. Not every kid who wants to play football initially in the first few seasons is excited about the possibility of getting hit, so I think the flag gives the opportunity to really focus on the fundamentals, focus on how football is actually implemented.
Goodell is excited to hear stories of international players who became involved in the NFL through flag football. He mentioned the unique journey of Phoebe Schecter, who fell in love with football in Britain, became an assistant coach for the Buffalo Bills and is now captain of the British women’s team, NFL analyst and global ambassador for the league’s flag.
“It changed her life, and hearing these stories about how it gave someone who really had no connection to the game the opportunity to play and understand it, and want to give back, was even more encouraging for us,” Goodell said.
Whenever the NFL makes a rule change to improve player safety, such as banning hip-drop tackling, many old-school fans and some players complain that the league is weakening itself and will eventually turn to flag football like the Pro Bowl.
“It doesn’t concern me at all,” Goodell said of the criticism. “Listen, you know the difference. You see. You know what it’s like to be on a football field and the difference in speed, in contact. It’s a very demanding sport, but our job is to eliminate techniques that we think are causing injuries and those injuries are quite serious. They are not only the end of the season, but also the end of the career. …
“We have been able to demonstrate over the last 15 years that we have made our sport safer, more competitive and more exciting at the same time. And more people are enjoying the game.”
So what is the ceiling for flag football? Could it become a professional sport in the future?
“When young athletes see a path to progress in the sport, obviously starting at the youth level and then high school all the way to playing in college, I think that’s when you’ll see the opportunity for professional leagues to evolve,” Goodell said. “That’s exciting, so I believe it will happen, seeing what’s happening at what I call the amateur level.”
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