NFL Flag Football

In 2002, the NFL began its college flag football initiative in cooperation with the National Intramural Recreation Sports Association. The project consists of NFL support for college teams in cities that are relatively close to NFL professional teams. The NFL provided teams with start-up gear such as footballs, line markers, and player gear. In addition, all students playing on the teams received NFL gift bags.

The program included 32 colleges, and, at the end of the season, two male, two female, and two co-ed teams were to participate in a championship playoff that was covered on radio. As an added boost, the NFL distributed 500,000 web decoders to students who could use them to purchase NFL gear at reduced rates online. The decoders required answers to trivia questions for the chance to win gear and/or one of two trips to Hawaii.

NFL Youth Flag Football

NFL youth flag football teams follow specific rules as defined by the NFL. Games run for 40 minutes and are divided into two halves. Youth flag football teams field five players with an additional five players on the bench. Games follow the same basic rules as most other flag football leagues, such as having three plays to get the ball across midfield. Players in the NFL youth league include boys and girls from 6-14 years of age.

An NFL youth flag football quarterback may not run with the football but must hand the ball off to another player behind the line of scrimmage. A player who takes the hand-off can throw the ball, but, once the ball has been handed off to an offensive player, the defense can rush and pull the ball carrier's flag. Play stops when an offensive ball carrier's flag is pulled, and substitutions can be made at that time. The games are managed by officials who usually wear typical black and white uniforms and carry penalty flags and whistles.