Tom Brady Explains How Flag Football Could Grow Like the NFL With “Little Modifications”
Jan 19, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Tom Brady looks on from the sideline before the CFP National Championship college football game between the Indiana Hoosiers and the Miami Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images As flag football prepares for its Olympic debut and the National Football League continues investing in its global expansion, Tom Brady believes the sport’s growth may hinge on a few strategic tweaks rather than a complete overhaul of the game. Speaking after the inaugural Fanatics Flag Football Classic at BMO Stadium, Brady outlined how minor rule changes and stronger structural ties to traditional football could help flag football mirror the rise of the NFL itself.
Brady emphasized that the appeal of football, like competition, camaraderie, and skill, already exists in flag football, but he believes the sport could become more engaging for spectators by adjusting certain rules to encourage a more dynamic passing game. “I would love to see a little modification to some of the rules to bring a little more passing into it,” Brady said. “People really want to see those skill elements.
” Currently governed internationally by the International Federation of American Football, Olympic-style flag football is played in a fast-paced five-on-five format that prioritizes speed and agility over physical contact. Brady suggested that blending elements of seven-on-seven football with traditional flag rules could create a hybrid version that more closely resembles the structure fans associate with the NFL. “How do you grow globally when people don’t really want to play tackle football?
” he said. “Flag is the answer, but it has to be exciting to watch every single day. ” Flag football’s inclusion in Los Angeles 2028 represents the biggest moment in the sport’s history.
The Olympic format will feature a condensed field, no linemen, and strict limitations on contact, elements that make the game faster but also fundamentally different from tackle football. One of Brady’s more ambitious ideas involves leaning into the NFL’s existing conference structure. He floated the possibility of staging future exhibitions featuring American Football Conference versus National Football Conference teams, supplemented by elite international flag players.