Empire State Review Contributor 
ForeverLawn Park at the Hall of Fame Village is alive with energy and competition as the 2025 NFL FLAG Championships kick off this weekend. From July 17 to July 20, nearly 300 teams—representing all 32 NFL franchises—are competing across 12 age and gender divisions. With around 3,000 youth athletes on site, including squads from Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, Great Britain, Mexico, and Puerto Rico, this global get-together underscores flag football’s explosive international popularity.
The tournament, presented by Toyota and operated by RCX Sports, continues its tradition of inclusion and accessibility. All games are free to attend for fans who register via NFL OnePass, enabling many families to experience this dynamic version of football at no cost. Coverage spans across ESPN, ABC, Disney’s suite of channels—including Disney+, Disney XD, and ESPN Deportes—as well as NFL+, totaling over 33 hours of broadcast between July 18 and 20.
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One of the weekend’s most eye-catching moments came in the 14U quarterfinals when 14-year-old Brysen Wright from Jaguars Elite pulled off an electrifying one-handed, back-shoulder touchdown catch—hailed as reminiscent of NFL greats like Odell Beckham Jr. and quickly going viral on social media. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes responded in astonishment, tweeting “Yooo what?!” and prompting over 7.4 million views across platforms.
A standout athletic talent, Wright is already drawing national attention. Standing 6‑foot‑3 and weighing 210 pounds, the Jacksonville native is a four-star recruit in the Class of 2028, with scholarship offers from elite college football programs including Ohio State, Alabama, LSU, Texas, Duke, and Florida State. He also recently inked his first NIL partnership with Wild Card, reportedly earning a five-figure deal comparable to earnings of first-round NFL rookies.
On the girls’ side, teams from major franchises are making strong impressions. A press event held July 17 featured the Ohio High School Athletic Association alongside representatives from the Bengals, Browns, and the NFL, spotlighting the rapid rise of girls’ flag football in Ohio. The high school girls’ division games will air equally across ESPN and Disney platforms, reflecting the league’s commitment to equality across the divisions.
College athletic programs are also taking note. Just two months ago, the Atlantic East Conference crowned Marymount University as its inaugural NCAA Division III women’s flag football champion—an expansion fueled by NFL and Olympic buzz.
This year’s tournament gains added significance because of flag football’s acceptance into the Olympic program. Beginning in Los Angeles 2028, the sport will debut with men’s and women’s medal events, with matches scheduled for primetime at BMO Stadium. In May, NFL owners unanimously agreed to allow players to represent the United States or other nations at the Games—even while still active in the NFL—marking a pivotal moment in globalizing American football.
The grassroots tournament in Canton reflects a broader transformation. Flag football is now played by more than 20 million people across more than 100 countries, thanks in part to backing from the NFL and organizations like USA Football, which was recently certified as the National Governing Body for football by the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee.
As the competition progresses over the weekend, attention is focused not only on who will take home national titles in the 14U boys and girls, but also on how these athletes might carry flag football’s momentum into college, professional, and Olympic stages.
