r/flagfootball

Ever since flag football got added to the 2028 Olympics, I’ve noticed people constantly making hypothetical all-NFL Olympic rosters that would automatically dominate the sport.

I feel like people are overlooking how different flag football actually is from tackle football. A lot of people seem to treat it like it’s just regular football without pads, without getting hit, and without defensive linemen rushing at the quarterback, but it seems way more specialized than that.

The field is smaller, the pace is different, the routes and spacing are different, and there’s a much bigger emphasis on quick decision-making, agility, timing, chemistry, and flag-pulling technique. Some things that work in tackle football don’t even translate the same way in flag football. The USA national flag football team has won several gold medals at international competitions without any NFL players.

Darrell “Housh” Doucette has talked about this a lot too. He said it felt disrespectful that people automatically assumed NFL players could walk onto the Olympic team because of who they are, even though flag football players helped grow the sport to this level in the first place. He’s also talked about how flag football is its own game and not just tackle football without contact.

I’m not saying NFL players wouldn’t eventually become elite at it, because they probably would with time and practice, but I do think people underestimate how specialized flag football already is.

Hey all - posted on here a few weeks ago asking for goalline passing play help and it worked out tremendously. Coming back to the well now that the last post got us over the hump and into the playoffs.

Rules - NFL Flag rules, 6v6, Gr 2-3 (basically 9U), no rusher until the handoff, QB cannot run without a handoff first, first down at midfield, only 3 downs to score after the first down, within 5 yards of the 1st/goalline you must pass

Context - we are 3-3 and the “last team in” our playoffs. We are going up against a 5-1 team that is +68 in point differential (vs -13 for us) and gives up about 1 TD per game. We played them already and lost 21-0.

Team background - This is a Gr 2-3 league and our team is predominately 2nd graders, it’s a big success that they made the playoffs given how 2nd grade heavy they are, we have 1 stud and basically 8 or so “okay” kids, they defend well enough even against better teams. Our opponent is primarily 3rd graders, the other team “should” win this easily again. They on average give up 1 TD per game, on our best day I can only see us scoring once on them conventionally, so we are gonna have to manufacture something to score twice and give ourselves an honest shot.

Misdirection is immediately what came to mind when we drew this team again, we do a little of it and I have two practices before the playoff game because of MDW so I want to build on it and make it our identity for this game. I can’t imagine a scenario where we beat them deep or properly execute something like the Philly special, so not interested in reverse passes.

Send me whatever works best!

For those who responded to my last one, thank you! Went 4/6 in goal to go/XP situations, used I think all of the plays posted at one point or another, thanks all for that!

This is my first year coach any form of football. We’re gearing up for the playoffs starting next Friday. During the first half of the season we had really great success running the ball and were nearly unstoppable. Back half of the season we struggled a bit running and we can’t get anything going in the passing game. Lots of dropped balls/over and under throws/interceptions. With playoffs starting soon looking for advice to get the team rolling again. Any advice would be appreciated. I can post my playbook if it’ll help. Mainly use single back and trips. Just recently started working in a split back formation. Thank you in advance.

I'm a women interested in starting a co-ed flag football organization in an area where it does not exist. Thus far the reception from the protentional parent organization has been negative. I'm looking for some guidance or maybe some encouragement from any female in the football world. Due to the negativity, I'm considering starting an organization organically. Am I nuts?

I am coaching 9u 5v5, and no one wants to play QB. They all want to be wide receiver and running back. I held a "tryout" for each position, and 3 of the kids who tried out for QB could really throw the ball. When I named one of them starting QB, they told me they didn't want the spot, and then the others said they didn't want the spot either. I asked them why they tried out, and they said it looked fun, but they didn't want to be QB. Should I tell them they won't get much playing time if they choose another position? Should I make one of them play QB even if they don't want it? I've only coached a few sessions, so maybe it's common, but I've never had anyone not want to be QB. I have very simple plays, so I don't put a lot on their plates. I also don't take it too seriously, so I'm not a super vocal coach. Any advice would be appreciated.

I want to thank everyone for their input. I will tell the boys who can QB that they have to, but I will make sure they get to play other positions as well.

Hey everyone,

I’ve been playing and coaching flag football for a while, and one thing I always found frustrating was how hard it is to quickly draw, save, explain, and share plays with teammates.

So I built a free web app for flag football teams:

https://flagfootball.lol

It lets you:

• Draw offensive and defensive plays
• Create and organize playbooks
• Support different player counts, including 5v5, 7v7, 8v8, 9v9, 10v10, and 11v11
• Use it on mobile, tablet, or desktop
• Share plays with teammates
• Use it for game prep, practice planning, and post-game review

The desktop version works best for detailed play design, but the mobile version is useful for checking plays quickly or showing teammates on the field.

I’m still improving it, so I’d really appreciate any feedback from coaches, QBs, captains, or players:

What features would make this actually useful for your team?

Thanks!

I don't want to sound like sour grapes but I'm just curious, how does your league deal with teams that are, for lack of a better word, overpowered?

What I mean is, we have a league of 5 v 5 girls (12-14). There are about 6 teams in the division, but one team consists of players who not only have 4 plus years experience, but who are virutual all stars at every position. They hand picked their roster to have all pros at all positions and they don't appear to have more than one inexperienced player (if that). I call them "The All-Madden Team".

The remaining 5 teams consist of developing or players with less than 3 months experience. The rosters are made of a lottery of girls. (My team is one of the better of the remaining "developing teams" and all but two players on the roster have more than 3 months experience).

Needless to say, the results are obvious:

League play thru 5 weeks:

• All-Maden 27–0
• All-Maden 41–0
• All-Maden 35–0
• All-Maden 20–0
• All-Maden 27–0
• All-Maden 41–0
• All-Maden 27–0*

* this does not include a later afternoon game All Madden played against one of the weakest teams in the division so assume much of the same.

So their combined differential, at this point, is +218 (218 points to their opponents 0).

No team in the league has scored a touchdown against them.

In most games they have at least a 3 game touchdown lead at half time.

So yes, think very Harlem Globetrotters vs. Washington Generals vibe.

Questions:
Now, not trying to be a sore loser, but is this common?

Should certain divisions be reserved for new (less than 2 yrs) players and others for advanced players?

Should leagues allow stacked teams — with travel or tournament-level talent at nearly every position — to compete against brand-new or beginner players in a championship division where the outcome feels decided before the season even begins?

Not saying the studs can't play. They can play on a team as individuals but perhaps they can't play as a unit, i.e, they just can't form a super team to beat up young or developing teams.

Sorry so long......but just curious how (or even if) other leagues handle similar situtations.

This league puts rusher at 10 yards. Which I think is crazy.
I feel like those extra 3 yards is not worth the rush. Then on top of that the qb can run if he is rushed.
5v5 flag 10u.

Any input ? On best defense strategy ?

Maybe a bit of a silly question but does anyone actually run man defense when all offensive players are eligible to catch or run? With everyone being lined up one on one there would be zero safety help. Seems like a huge chance for big plays. Rather than play with this fire we just sit back in zone. Does anyone actually run a man defense in this case?

CONTEXT

2 Years ago I played primarily defence on a flag football team. I was a corner, pretty good, and only struggled with getting out of my own head. I played horribly in playoffs and had ptsd about playing for a while. I got back on the team the next season, and played primarily snapper, which gave me a lot of confidence in my skills and I played some defence as well - and we won the season! I played awesome, defence and offence! I became co-captain for the season! Everything is awesome!

Cut to this year. I have been demoted back to defence because we have a lot of good players, senior to me, on offence. Okay, whatever. But I, for the life of me, cannot seem to play well. They changed the shape of the flags this year (from 3 flags connected by a belt to 2 flags that pop off), and I always get TO the person I need to get the flags off of, and that's it. I miss the flag, get penalties for 'holding', everything sucks. I cannot get out of my own head. I have a coach who's hard on everyone, which I usually don't mind, but what gets to me more is that I feel like he's lost complete faith in me. I got moved from corner to linebacker, objectively better positioning but I'm playing really, really badly. I don't know what to do, everything I do is going downhill in this sport, and this is my sport.

I can't do a flag league out of this team either (I did that last year) because my coursework is way too high. Advice?

Does anyone else find it odd this new professional league is supposed to start in less than 2 years (original press release said league launch prior to 28 Olympics) and there are still zero details?

No cities/teams announced yet

No information on season format (how many games ect)

No info on if its 5V5 or 7V7

No information on what channels/streaming services are broadcasting these games

I guess as a rec league flag football player and a huge fan of the game Im getting ancy because I really want to be a big fan of this league but all they have given us is crumbs so far.

Hey, this is my first post here, so if I'm in the wrong group, just let me know.

My 13-year-old just started playing flag football on her school's modified team. She's got raw talent but needs some good training and conditioning. I'm hoping to train her over the summer and help her develop the skills she needs to get better. I'm looking for some tips, tricks, or drills we should focus on to start.

I'd love any resources I could check out. I don't think she's ready to jump into a summer league yet. I'm hoping to grow her skills a bit more before I get her on a field with more polished players. Like I said, this is her first time playing. Any help would be awesome!

In Washington state, there seems to be no 5v5 Boys flag after U14. Is this common?

Can someone share one or two plays they use against man coverage ?

Does anyone have any good video for girls flag football side-snapping from the center position? Ball position? Ball delivery? Etc?

6v6 co-ed, no blitzes, k-2nd, defenders can come in if there’s a handoff or fake hand off.

We play against a team that likes to run a play where they keep their best, fastest player behind the QB while sending everyone else deep to clear space. Then before the 4 second throw clock runs out they hand it off and the RB runs up field. We’ve stopped it before but inconsistently as the two closest defenders don’t always wait in the right spot or pull the flag.

I’m trying to optimize a defense that can cover a potential deep pass but is much more concerned about the run with all the space. I have the best safety in the league so I can keep him deep and run a single high if needed.

Hey guys looking for tips and or drills for my undersized QB. It's 5v5 7th/8th division NFL flag football rules. He's got a rocket for an arm I have tried all my other players and no one on my team can even barely throw a tight spiral or not let it hang up in the air wobbling around. Our last game the defense was sending 2 blitzers every time and he took about 6 or 7 sacks. He didn't throw any picks and had 2 td passes but besides shotgun and rollouts what kind of routes should I focus more on? And does anyone have some drills I can use in practice to help him make his throws faster with the pressure coming. Basically drills that would simulate game situations. Thanks in advance

Rec league, 3rd and 4th grade, 6v6.

Last game coming up and I have a couple players who haven't touched the ball often enough. Run plays are ok but they get tackled immediately. What are your go to plays for getting someone open who doesn't have size or speed? I have a few man-beaters that work well, but we do face zone occasionally, and I'm always looking for something new.

I play 5v5 women's league for reference

Recently I've transitioned out of blitz into coverage roles and to aid this I'm trying to put together a sort of personal training regimen to improve at the position, I want to be the best.

Aside from general speed training and working to increase my vertical jump, I'm not sure what other directions to go in. Any advice is appreciated! I have some issues with game IQ was well (when to instinctively bite short vs let the play develop and cover deep) but that just comes with time on the field I assume.