**NFL to help launch professional flag football league**
Flag football continues to be on a rapid rise across the country, even being added as an official sport of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
The NFL [announced Monday](https://media.nfl.com/news-and-releases/corporate-communications/nfl-partners-with-tmrw-sports-and-world-class-investors-and-athl) it's partnering with TMRW sports to "develop and operate" a professional flag football league for both men and women. According to the press release, the new league "will launch with support from a broad and influential investor pool, including NFL clubs, established institutional and strategic investors, and current and former NFL players."
_Driving the investment group supporting the launch of the league is a list of NFL legends and active players, including Pro Football Hall of Famers Peyton Manning, Joe Montana, Steve Young and Larry Fitzgerald, as well as Tom Brady, Eli Manning, Justin Tuck, Ryan Nece and Dhani Jones, and current players Arik Armstead, Bobby Wagner and Russell Wilson. Together, they are investing in the league's future and helping to shape its long‑term vision as both stakeholders and ambassadors. In addition, a number of other prominent figures from the sports and entertainment world are also part of the investment group, including women's sports champions Billie Jean King, Ilana Kloss, Alex Morgan and Serena Williams._
"As the flag football movement continues its explosive global growth, a professional flag league completes the pathway for elite athletes to compete at every level of the game, from youth to high school and college, to the Olympic stage, and now professionally," said NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations Troy Vincent, Sr. "This is especially meaningful for girls and young women who are helping drive the sport's growth worldwide and who can now see their dreams in this game extend all the way to the professional level. Selecting TMRW Sports represents an important step in our long-term commitment to growing flag football and supporting the world-class athletes driving its momentum."