Drew Brees bringing flag football league to Toledo

7/12/2018
BY TYREL LINKHORN
BLADE STAFF WRITER
  • Panthers-Saints-Football-1

    New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) throws a touchdown pass to Coby Fleener, not pictured, under pressure from Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Kyle Love (77), in the second half of an NFL football game in New Orleans, Sunday, Oct. 16, 2016.

    ASSOCIATED PRESS

  • Can you go from playing flag football to winning a Super Bowl MVP?

    New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees did, and he clearly thinks that experience can resonate with both American youth and parents who might be wary about signing up their kid for a sport that’s increasingly being linked to neurodegenerative brain diseases.

    WATCH: Drew Brees heads flag football America in Toledo

    Late last year, Mr. Brees — who played flag football exclusively until he was a freshman in high school — launched a new co-ed flag football league called Football ‘N’ America. The organization has grown to include 11 cities, including a league in Toledo that will play its first games this fall.

    “A lot of parents aren't comfortable with allowing their kids to play tackle football yet,” Mr. Brees said in a phone interview. “In looking around the country we felt there was no uniform standard for flag football and we felt like we could really create the gold standard for that.”

    To read more, download Blade NewsSlide at bladenewsslide.com