Latest news with #FlagFootball
USA Today
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Zay Flowers says he plays \
Zay Flowers says he plays "real football' when asked about Flag Football at 2028 Olympics Zay Flowers says 'I play real football. I ain't really worried about going to the Olympics. I'm trying to win a Super Bowl' when asked about Flag Football Zay Flowers is one of the shiftiest players in the NFL, and the Ravens star would probably dominate the flag football scene at the Olympics. During Baltimore's fourth OTA session, Flowers was asked about possibly being on the Olympic Flag Football team in 2028, and shot the idea down. Flowers said he's a tackle football player when asked about the possibilities. The former Boston College pass catcher was solid as a rookie but took a significant leap in year two, earning his first Pro Bowl nod. This is history for Flowers and the Ravens, as he became the first Ravens wide receiver to earn a Pro Bowl nod in franchise history. His 1,059 receiving yards last season were tied for the ninth-highest single-season total in franchise history. His 1,905 career receiving yards are already 16th in franchise history, and his eyes should look toward teammate Mark Andrews, who's currently third in franchise history with 5,476 career receiving yards.
ABC News
02-06-2025
- Business
- ABC News
America's National Football League invests heavily in Australian sporting market
It is billed as a game of ferocious hits and blistering speed, with strategies as technical as in a game of chess. Flag Football is to American Football what Oztag is to rugby league — non-contact — and will have a place in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. Its popularity is surging across the Australia. NFL Flag is the non-contact version of American Football where teams of five face-off wearing flag belts to replace the tackling, much like attacking team gets four attempts to advance the ball over the halfway line either by throwing the ball to a receiver or handing it off to a runner in a bid to reset the down (tag) count while the opposition to do so results in a turnover but if successful the attacking team will then have three more attempts to score by crossing the touch down line similar to scoring a try in rugby. Source: NFL Flag Year 9 students Jorja Knobloch and Maddie Simpson from Suncoast Christian College never imagined they would play the American sport. "We heard about it at school and heard they were having tryouts, so we thought we would go and see," Maddie said. "We loved it." "My mum told me that I should trial because why not?" Georgia said. "We went to the trials and lots of boys were there but we kept trying and have played Oztag before so that helped. "You've got to be good at switching ways fast, zigzagging and being able to catch the ball." Hundreds of Australian schools are now taking part and it has the US league, the NFL, bullish on the market here. Earlier this year, it was announced the sport would host its first regular season match in Australia at the MCG next year. NFL Australia and New Zealand (NFLAUNZ) general manager Charlotte Offord said the sport's growth had been exponential since its launch three years ago. "It's one of the world's fastest-growing sports, there are over 20 million players across the world now, and it is doubling its numbers in every market we are investing in. "The inclusion in LA28 was a really big moment for the sport and really uplifted the uptake, and we are very ambitious in our quest to try and get Flag Football into Brisbane 2032. It is a big punt on Australia if the NFL believes flag can hold its own against the country's most popular sports. For adults, athletics, cycling and swimming dominate, with millions participating across Australia. For under 15s, it would have to match or top the popularity of soccer, basketball, gymnastics and dancing to make it on the podium. But there is a base. Seven estimates 2.6 million people saw part of its NFL Super Bowl broadcast in February, when the Philadelphia Eagles took on the Kansas City Chiefs. In a statement, it said its TV coverage was watched by 892,000, up 11 per cent on the year before. Seven said its coverage of the entire NFL season reached 4.7 million people. The under-15s NFL Flag Football South State Championships were held on Queensland's Sunshine Coast last week, with the winning school Benowa State High to compete at the national championships on the Gold Coast later this month. The winner of that tournament will then fly to Canton in Ohio to compete against schools from around the world — with all expenses paid by the NFL. "Our quest is about how we can grow and globalise this game as we've been investing in international markets for about 20 years now," Ms Offord said. "We started two years ago with 5.7 million fans in Australia and we're now at 7.5 million. "We can see the potential for this market, and a Melbourne game next year will be the icing on the cake." That investment is paving the way for Australian athletes who once considered playing in the NFL to be a pipedream. Year 8 Varsity College student Kane Buchanan started playing three years ago and is already turning heads with his throwing ability. He said his dream was to become the first Australian quarterback drafted into the NFL. "Madden [an NFL video game] was a big help. "My first goal is playing high school football, then going onto college division 1, and then going to the NFL."
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Flag football tournament coming to Carlisle
A rapidly growing sport is set to showcase some of the North's finest talents at an upcoming tournament in Carlisle this weekend. Teams from Lancaster, Manchester, Warrington and more will be taking to the field and competing in the British American Football Association's National Flag Football League (NFFL) Division 1 tournament, hosted by the Border City Centurions. Taking place at Austin Friars School on Saturday, May 10, from 9am-3pm, the event hopes to inspire the next generation of Flag Football players and attract a local crowd. Nick Weston, head coach of Carlisle-based Border City Centurions, has been at the forefront of British American Football since 1989 and is a key figure in the sport's development in the UK. ADVERTISEMENT Nick Weston, head coach of Carlisle-based Border City Centurions. (Image: Supplied) 'Flag Football has never been more popular, with our club now boasting over 100 adult members and counting," he said. 'We are extremely proud of our successes so far, and this tournament offers us the perfect chance to showcase the sport right here in Carlisle. 'Whether you're a fan or a curious newcomer, I urge you to come along and support your local team!' Members of the public are encouraged to come and watch the Carlisle-based Border City Centurions play (Image: Supplied) Paul Branch, estates manager at Austin Friars School, said: 'We're always delighted to support local teams and clubs with hosting events and tournament such as this one. 'It's fantastic to see the growing popularity of Flag Football, and we're excited to welcome players and spectators from across the region to our grounds.' ADVERTISEMENT Flag Football is set to make its Olympic debut at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles, adding further momentum to the sport's explosive growth across the UK and globally. To learn about getting involved in Flag Football in Carlisle, search 'Border City Centurions American Football' on Facebook, or contact Nick Weston directly at bordercitycents@
USA Today
31-01-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
WATCH: Russell Wilson cooked at the 2025 Pro Bowl 2025 Skills Showdown
With Russell Wilson getting the 2025 Pro Bowl nod when he was asked to replace Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen, who was nursing a wrist injury, the Pittsburgh Steelers signal-caller made the most of his opportunity in the Skills Showdown on Thursday. More specifically, Wilson looked great during the Passing the Test game—a precision-focused challenge with a twist—additional bonus time could be added if the quarterback's partner could correctly answer five trivia-styled questions. Wilson was tasked with surpassing Detroit Lions QB Jared Goff's impressive score of 44 points and looked like he was on the right track as he scored 22 points with :43 seconds remaining. However, Wilson struggled to hit the last '5' target, ultimately trimming off 37 seconds until he was able to reset the targets. Russell Wilson's Pro Bowl showing. Had trouble clearing that '5' but not bad overall. #Steelers — Alex Kozora (@Alex_Kozora) January 31, 2025 Wilson still has the opportunity to impress when he participates in the Flag Football game during the 2025 Pro Bowl Championship on Sunday, February 2, at 3:00 PM EST.
