The Cardinals were a trailblazer on the flag football scene when they became the first team to fully air and produce a weekly high school girls flag football game of the week.
On Monday, Arizona was home to another monumental announcement for the sport's growth.
The NFL and TMRW Sports are partnering to launch a professional flag football league for both men and women, it was announced during the NFL's annual meeting at the Arizona Biltmore.
NFL clubs, investors, and current and former NFL players are backing the initiative. Legendary Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald joins Peyton Manning, Joe Montana, and Steve Young as the Hall of Famers supporting the league. Also among the partners are Tom Brady, Billie Jean King, Serena Williams, Alex Morgan, and other former athletes.
"You're also seeing it all around the world in the way that flag football has continued to grow," said Mike McCarley, founder and CEO of TMRW Sports. "What's been missing in that pathway is a professional league. That professional league is where these kids can aspire to go play and where the athletes will compete in the Olympics every four years can earn a living and do it in the sport that they grew up chasing and pursuing, that sport that they love, that is flag football.
There is no timeline on when the league will begin playing games, but the hope is to align with the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. The collaboration between TMRW Sports and the NFL has been two years in the making.
Before Fitzgerald was known as one of the best wide receivers to play the game, his first taste of football came on the flag football field. He was a quarterback, trying to use whatever skill a 6-year-old might posses to play the game. The passion for flag football never disappeared for Fitzgerald. Two weeks ago, he was on the sidelines during the Fanatics Flag Football Classic, watching Team USA play against some NFL stars.
"The guys had a really good time," Fitzgerald said. "I think they had a greater appreciation for how skilled the U.S. players were. They were like, 'Man, these dudes can play, like, they're really talented guys.' They may have walked in thinking this is an interesting thing that we can do, but I think the level of respect really rose as the competition began."
In anticipation for the Olympics, the pro league will showcase to the world that the United States is committed to the future of the sport. NFL teams voted unanimously to allow players to participate in the Olympics although details continue to be ironed out.
Throughout Arizona, multiple high school girls flag football players have represented Team USA in various competitions. In USA Today's Top 25 high school rankings, three schools are located in Arizona, headlined by No. 2 Hamilton High School.
This past season, Fitzgerald was in attendance to watch Hamilton play. On Hamilton's roster is Moriah Green, the granddaughter of Cardinals Ring of Honor member and star wide receiver Roy "Jetstream" Green.
"You kind of saw (the sport's growth)," Fitzgerald said. "It's really growing. These young ladies and men are very talented, and I think more scholarships will be available for them as they as they continue to grow the game."
The NFL continues to expand its footprint across the globe and flag football will do the same. Arizona residents have the opportunity to watch the talent right from their backyard.
Soon, the world will get to see it.
"They can play it in high school, and they can play it in college, and now they can play it professionally, and now they can win a gold medal doing it," Fitzgerald said. "I just think it was a natural progression, and I'm really excited that these young women (and men) around the globe will be able to represent their countries and their cities and be able to play this game that we all love."
