Peyton Manning. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Who are the NFL legends and athletes investing in the new flag football league?

By Yagya Bhargava | Last updated Mar 30, 2026 5:18 PM ET

The NFL is going all in on flag football and it brought some serious names along for the ride.

The league announced a partnership with TMRW Sports on Tuesday to launch a professional flag football league covering both men's and women's competition. The timing makes sense.

Flag football now counts roughly 20 million participants worldwide and is set to debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

New flag football league gains star-studded backing

This league is being built to connect every level of the sport from youth programs through college and all the way up to professional play.

The investor list reads like a Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Joe Montana, Steve Young, Larry Fitzgerald and Eli Manning are all in, according to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo.

Justin Tuck, Ryan Nece and Dhani Jones round out the legends side while active players Arik Armstead, Bobby Wagner and Russell Wilson bring a current-day presence to the group. They are involved as investors and ambassadors helping shape where this league goes long term.

A lot of star power — NFL and otherwise — behind the launch of this league. https://t.co/tmeIPimwA4 pic.twitter.com/CpybJAIjiB
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 30, 2026

The reach goes beyond football, too. Billie Jean King, Ilana Kloss, Alex Morgan and Serena Williams are part of the ownership group bringing credibility from across the wider sports world.

On the institutional side, the backing is just as strong. Ariel Investments and Bessemer Venture Partners are joined by Silver Lake, Sixth Street, Blue Pool Capital and Dynasty Equity.

Alexis Ohanian's 776 is involved alongside APEX Capital, Arctos Partners, Bolt Ventures, Next Legacy Partners, Trenches Capital and Trybe Ventures, rounding out a deep financial base that signals real confidence in where flag football is headed.

NFL franchises and strategic stakeholders are also part of the broader investment group, making this one of the more ambitious league launches the sport has seen in years.

Yagya Bhargava

Yagya Bhargava began his professional journey as a chef, but his passion for sports eventually led him into sports journalism. He started writing in 2022 and has since published more than 5,000 articles covering the NFL and NBA. Along the way, he’s worked with outlets like The Cold Wire, Sportskeeda, The SportsRush, and The Big Lead

More must-reads: