As per recent developments, the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics is set to introduce flag football to the world stage. With Team USA already gearing up for the competition, the NFL is also playing its part in elevating it into a legitimate league sport.
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To push this vision forward, the league is hosting a high-profile panel discussion at next week’s annual owners’ meetings in Palm Beach, Florida. Interestingly enough, it’s the guest list that has fans talking.
WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark and tennis icon Serena Williams—two legends from outside the football world—are reportedly joining the discussion. They will sit alongside former Giants QB Eli Manning and Broncos co-owner Mellody Hobson to explore the NFL’s aspirations for flag football, especially among women.
At first glance, some fans were confused. The idea of a basketball and tennis player being invited to discuss flag football was a tough concept for them to grasp.
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One Redditor summed up fans’ confusion in the best manner possible by using a popular meme reference: “Polar bear in Arlington, Texas.”
While it’s understandable to see some fans being frustrated by the choice, things start making sense when one considers the impact Clark and Williams have had on the sports world.
Be it the basketball star redefining WNBA broadcasting records by garnering an average of 14.2 million viewers or Serena Williams’ resume reading 23 Grand Slam singles titles, 14 Grand Slam doubles titles, and four Olympic gold medals, these two women and their unparalleled success make them perfect candidates to inspire the next generation of female athletes.
Add to this the fact that the NFL is serious about growing flag football, with the sport already gaining traction in high schools and colleges, particularly among female athletes; it was unsurprising to see that a vast majority of netizens found merit in having Caitlin Clark and Serena Williams at the panel discussion.
“It’s just using their expertise as professional athletes to key in on how to market and represent this correctly to women. That seems fine enough, they both are massively influential,” said one Reddit user.
“It doesn’t seem that weird to me. These are the two biggest female athletes in America, besides maybe Angel Reese. If you want to promote women’s sports in any capacity, it’s probably good to have them involved,” another added.
Apart from Clark and Williams being two of the most inspiring female athletes in America, one crucial detail ties them to the NFL. The WNBA star, for instance, has recently expressed interest in eventually owning an NFL team. Meanwhile, the tennis icon is a part-owner of the Miami Dolphins.
Simply put, their presence sends a clear message: the NFL is serious about growing flag football. So, by bringing together sports icons like Clark and Williams alongside established football figures, the NFL is signaling its commitment to making flag football mainstream — not just as a feeder system for traditional football but as a standalone sport with Olympic prestige.
