Flag Football is having a bit of a moment right now. Seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady recently returned to the field to compete in the Fanatics Flag Football Classic alongside other current and retired stars with the U.S. flag football national team, which will compete in the debut of flag football in the Olympics at the LA Summer Games in 2028.

The national team has since named former Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III to its official training camp roster ahead of the International Federation of American Football Flag Football World Championship in Düsseldorf, Germany, this August.

On Tuesday, the NFL announced a partnership with TMRW Sports aimed at the development of a professional flag football league for men and women that will be backed by all 32 NFL teams.

According to Sports Business Journal’s Ben Portnoy, the league is also exploring a partnership with the Big 12, with the effort being led by Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark and chief football & competition officer Scott Draper.

“We’re trying to meet the moment,” Draper told SBJ. “Our goal here is growth. Our goal is to advance Big 12 membership opportunities and growth for [the conference]. We see this as an opportunity to do that.”

“It’s well documented what [the NFL is] doing around flag … It really helps with their help and focus on flag. With our focus on flag, we’ll be able to really accelerate the growth of the sport not only at the collegiate level, but at the high school level.”

“This effort is really an extension of us doubling down on growing opportunities for women at the collegiate level,” Draper continued. “… This is just an extension of that growth mindset and the opportunity for us to be innovative and first.”

Emerging Sports for Women

This isn’t the first time there’s been buzz surrounding the flag football and the NCAA as a joint venture. Earlier this year, the NCAA named added it to its “Emerging Sports for Women” program.

“Adding flag football to the NCAA’s Emerging Sports for Women program is a historic milestone for the game,” NFL EVP of football operations Troy Vincent said. “This decision reflects the growing global enthusiasm for flag football and will open doors for young women to pursue their dreams and compete at the collegiate level.”

“We applaud the NCAA for this transformational decision and look forward to collaborating with them to ensure flag football continues its path toward championship status.”

With women’s sports having a major cultural moment in the U.S., the timing couldn’t be better to get the ball rolling on the NCAA officially adopting it as a scholarship sport.