27 January 2024
NEW YORK — Flag football, known as an alternative to tackle football, has seen its organized leagues skyrocket in recent years. This growth has led it to become an Olympic sport for both men and women by 2028.
High school senior Nyjah Green is a standout in the flag football world. Growing up playing football, Green found limited opportunities for girls as she got older. “Girls can do the same thing as boys, literally,” she said.
She signed up for flag football after Arizona, along with seven other states, recognized it as a varsity sport. This move opened doors for her and many others, with 22 additional states considering doing the same. Green now looks forward to continuing her flag football career in college.
“I never expected this, I always had to play with the boys I was always playing. It was never girls,” Green said.
Universities, especially smaller ones, are beginning to add flag football programs and offer scholarships. This prompted one of the first female flag football players combines to be held in Houston—with 52 women from across Texas last month hoping to impress college coaches.
Flag football’s appeal lies in its fast pace and inclusivity, with rules allowing everyone on offense, except the quarterback, to catch and run with the ball. Defenders focus on pulling flags instead of tackling, significantly reducing the risk of injuries.
Lorenzo Alexander, a former NFL linebacker and two-time Pro Bowler, finds joy in coaching his daughter’s flag football team, preferring it as a safer alternative for his young sons as well.
“I didn’t let my sons play tackle. But this was a great alternative where they could still learn the game, get out here, work on your athleticism and really maybe even get a leg up on some guys that play primarily tackle football,” Alexander said.
A 2021 CDC study found children between 6 and 14 sustained 15 times more head impacts playing tackle football than flag football. Kids playing tackle football also experienced 23 times more high-magnitude head impact events each season.
“A lot of people like the kind of sort of lighter nature of the sport. And yes, there’s running and diving and potential risk of injury there. But it’s less severe impacts, fewer collisions, and that’s really appealing to a lot of people,” said Dr. Glynnis Zieman, a neurologist at Barrow Brain Injury & Sports Neurology Center in Arizona.
The NFL has also played a crucial role in promoting flag football. Through NFL FLAG, more than 1,800 leagues have been organized nationwide, with nearly 700,000 players.
Women constitute 25% of these athletes, marking the fastest-growing segment in the sport. Last year alone, nearly half a million girls between ages 6 and 17 played flag football, a 63% increase since 2019.
“It’s making those establishments or making those advancements for women’s sports and finally getting recognized,” said flag football player Morgan Wubker.
The expansion of women’s participation in flag football is not just about playing the game; it’s about recognition and advancement in sports, according to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.
“It’s brought young women into the sport and given them a chance to play, which I think is incredibly valuable to our future and rewarding,” said Goodell.