NFL Partnership & $1M Grant Fuel Largest Collegiate Women's Flag Football League

FLORHAM PARK, NJ – December 02, 2025 – The landscape of collegiate athletics is set for a monumental shift with the announcement of a groundbreaking $1 million grant from the Betty Wold Johnson Foundation. This transformative investment, championed by New York Jets Chairman Woody Johnson, will fund the creation of the largest collegiate women's flag football league in the United States, set to launch in the spring of 2026 in partnership with the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC).

The initiative represents a pivotal moment for women's sports, creating an unprecedented, structured pathway for female athletes to compete at a high level. The league formalizes a pipeline that begins with youth programs and now extends through high school and into intercollegiate varsity competition, with clear aspirations toward future Olympic and professional opportunities.

A Game-Changing Play: Philanthropy Meets Pro Sports

The driving force behind this new league is a strategic alliance between major philanthropy and a professional sports powerhouse. The $1 million grant, directed by Woody Johnson, underscores a deep commitment from the Johnson family and the New York Jets to foster growth and provide tangible opportunities for women in football.

"Empowering young women through football has always been central to our mission," said Woody Johnson in the official announcement. "Partnering with the ECAC to launch this league creates a clear pathway for student-athletes to compete, grow, and lead—on the field and beyond." He added that the initiative is the next logical step in a broader vision: "collegiate play, Olympic dreams, and a future professional league."

This sentiment is echoed at the highest levels of the sport. Troy Vincent Sr., NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations, hailed the league's creation as a "significant milestone for women's sports." He praised the Jets organization as pioneers in the field, stating, "By establishing the largest collegiate women's flag football league, we are collectively building a future where young women can dream bigger and continue playing the sport they love in a competitive setting."

Each of the fifteen founding schools will receive a grant to offset the significant costs of launching a new varsity program, including expenses for equipment, uniforms, coaching staff, and travel. ECAC Commissioner Dan Coonan emphasized the critical role of this financial backing, noting that the league simply "doesn't happen" without it. This direct investment removes a major barrier to entry for many institutions, accelerating the sport's adoption at the varsity level.

From Grassroots to Collegiate Gridiron

This collegiate league is not a standalone initiative but the culmination of over a decade of dedicated grassroots work by the New York Jets. The organization's involvement dates back to 2011, when it helped launch a varsity high school league, and has since expanded dramatically. The Jets currently fund 260 girls' flag football club teams across New York and New Jersey, providing opportunities for more than 7,500 young athletes.

This sustained support has been instrumental in the sport's official recognition. Girls' flag football became a sanctioned varsity sport in New York in 2024, with New Jersey expected to follow suit in 2026. This groundwork has created a deep pool of talent and interest, making a collegiate league the natural next step.

"It is amazing to see the evolution of girls flag football from 2011 to today," said Jesse Linder, the Jets Vice President of Community Relations. "The New York Jets are proud to have played a role in this growth and can't wait to see where it goes from here. A pathway to the Olympics and professional flag football is being forged."

Structuring the Future: The ECAC League and the National Context

The ECAC, an 88-year-old conference with over 200 member schools, provides the new league with an established administrative and competitive framework. The conference's experience sponsoring championships and leagues across all three NCAA divisions makes it an ideal partner to bring this ambitious project to life.

"The ECAC is thrilled to be partnering with the New York Jets and the Betty Wold Johnson Foundation to provide a premium intercollegiate flag football league for hundreds of young women athletes," said Commissioner Coonan.

The league will kick off in February 2026 with a 7-on-7 format. The inaugural season will involve ten institutions: Allegheny College, Eastern University, Franciscan University, Kean University, Long Island University, Mercy University, Mercyhurst University, Montclair State University, Mount St. Mary's University, and Penn State Schuylkill. Five more schools—Caldwell University, Dominican University, Fairleigh Dickinson, Union College, and Sweet Briar College—are set to join in 2027. The season will culminate in a championship game in May, planned for MetLife Stadium in future years but slated for the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center in 2026 due to the FIFA World Cup.

While the ECAC league is the largest single-conference launch to date, it joins a rapidly expanding national movement. The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) has sponsored a women's flag football championship for five years. More recently, the NCAA's Committee on Women's Athletics recommended that all three divisions add flag football to the Emerging Sports for Women program—a critical step toward gaining full NCAA championship status. This momentum, combined with flag football's inclusion in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, is fueling unprecedented interest from schools nationwide.

"A Pathway to Their Dreams": Voices Shaping the New Era

The impact of the announcement is reverberating throughout the sports community, especially among those who will be directly involved. For coaches, players, and advisors, the league represents validation and a world of new possibilities.

"This league is more than just games—it's about creating opportunities and building a future for women in football," said Callie Brownson, the Jets Flag Football Advisor. "The Betty Wold Johnson Foundation's support ensures that young women can compete at the highest level, develop as leaders, and see a clear pathway to their dreams."

Amanda Ruller, the head flag football coach at Eastern University, highlighted the importance of the Jets' brand and resources. "There's so much visibility that the Jets are providing for the sport that we love and the community loves, and people love watching it," she remarked, emphasizing how the partnership lends immediate credibility and influence.

For the student-athletes themselves, the opportunity is inspiring. Sierra Wishnefsky, an athlete at Penn State Schuylkill, reflected on the message it sends to the next generation. "I couldn't imagine being a little girl and seeing, 'they're playing in a league sponsored by the New York Jets, an NFL team,'" she said. "Just having the name there—this conference is going to open so many doors."

The fusion of philanthropic vision, professional sports infrastructure, and established collegiate governance has created a powerful new model for athletic development. This landmark initiative is not just launching a league; it is building an ecosystem designed to support female athletes from their first flag pull to, potentially, the world's biggest sporting stages.