NFL Embraces Flag Football as Sport Surges in Popularity

With the NFL's support, flag football has become one of the fastest-growing sports in the country, just in time for its debut at the 2028 Summer Olympics.

Jan. 28, 2026 at 8:47pm

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The NFL used to see flag football as a threat, but now the sport has surged in popularity with the league's embrace. Tyler Davis, a first-year wide receiver for the Team USA flag football team, retired from tackle football in 2019 due to injuries but found a second chance in flag football. The NFL is now heavily involved in the sport, with multiple flag games being showcased at the Super Bowl Experience and the Pro Bowl being adapted to a flag football format. Flag football's growth has been fueled by its accessibility and the NFL's recognition that it is additive to tackle football, especially for women.

Why it matters

The NFL's embrace of flag football has helped the sport become one of the fastest-growing in the country, providing more opportunities for youth and adults to participate in the game. The sport's debut at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, where NFL players will be allowed to compete, further solidifies its rising popularity and legitimacy.

The details

Tyler Davis, a 34-year-old former tackle football player, retired in 2019 due to injuries but found a second chance in flag football. After moving to Texas, he was urged by a friend to play in a local league, and he has since made the Team USA flag football team. The NFL is now heavily involved in the sport, with multiple flag games being showcased at the Super Bowl Experience and the Pro Bowl being adapted to a flag football format. The sport's growth has been fueled by its accessibility, with a set of flags costing only $10-$15, and the NFL's recognition that it is additive to tackle football, especially for women.

  • The California Interscholastic Federation approved girls flag football as a high school sport in 2023.
  • The NFL Flag national tournament is held annually in Canton, Ohio, at the Hall of Fame Village.
  • The 49ers' regional tournament to decide their 2027 representative sold out in record time.
  • The Pro Bowl is scheduled to be played in a flag football format on Tuesday before Super Bowl LX.

The players

Tyler Davis

A 34-year-old first-year wide receiver for the Team USA flag football team who retired from tackle football in 2019 due to injuries.

Clarence Davis

A former Oakland Raiders player and Tyler Davis' father, who suffered a stroke when Tyler was 1 year old.

Steve Young

A Hall of Fame quarterback and one of the Pro Bowl captains, who has experienced the growth of flag football at the grassroots level.

John Paye

The head coach of the Menlo School girls flag football team, who asked Steve Young to be an assistant coach.

Makena Cook

A quarterback from Orange Lutheran (Orange County) who was offered a full-ride flag football scholarship by Nebraska, the first of its kind among Power 4 schools.

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What they’re saying

“When I was a kid, I always wanted to be just like my dad. I wanted to do everything that he did. … I never really got to know my dad as who he truly was. But I have a lot of family that always tells me, even my mom tells me all the time, like I'm his twin. … I have his mannerisms and his smile and everything.”

— Tyler Davis, First-year wide receiver, Team USA flag football team

“There was a fear for a long time that flag would disrupt the growth of tackle. What I really appreciate is the recognition that flag is additive to tackle, and it's a whole other form of football that is unique, especially for women. I love that because the NFL getting involved in it is just going to supercharge the whole effort.”

— Steve Young, Hall of Fame quarterback, Pro Bowl captain

“I thought to myself, why is it that girls are so much faster to the details of the game? I just realized that football at its root… it's choreography. It's a glorified dance step, essentially. And once the girls understood it as that, as a timing plan, like concerted movement amongst each other, and how you could put pressure on linebackers or corners or safeties, honestly they exponentially learned.”

— Steve Young, Hall of Fame quarterback, Pro Bowl captain

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

The NFL's embrace of flag football has helped the sport become one of the fastest-growing in the country, providing more opportunities for youth and adults to participate in the game. The sport's debut at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, where NFL players will be allowed to compete, further solidifies its rising popularity and legitimacy, and could lead to even more growth and recognition in the years to come.