Is Flag Football Actually Safer?
Is Flag Football Actually Safer?
What Jake Hanson, Guardian Sports COO, Revealed at RCX and Why The LOOP Changes Everything
Here’s the thing nobody wants to say out loud at flag football practice: “no contact” doesn’t mean “no risk.”
Flag football is having its moment. Millions of kids and adults are lacing up cleats, running routes, and competing at every level from neighborhood parks to elite flag football tournaments. The sport is growing so fast it’s headed to the 2028 Olympics. And yet, while everything else about the game has leveled up , the competition, the coaching, the athleticism, the conversation about player safety has barely moved.
That changes now.
Stray elbows. Diving catches gone wrong. Two receivers running full speed to the same spot. These happen in flag football during every practice and game. What do most of those players have in common? They aren’t wearing any headgear. That’s a risk coaches don’t have to accept anymore, and at this year’s RCX Sports conference, Guardian Sports COO Jake Hanson made sure the flag football community knew exactly why.
What Jake Hanson Had to Say At RCX:
The central argument was simple and hard to argue with: the absence of tackling doesn’t eliminate head risk in flag football. It just changes the source of it.
Studies on youth sports consistently show that sub-concussive impacts, lower-force hits that don’t knock anyone out, accumulate over time and matter for developing brains. In flag football, these come from incidental contact: running into a defender going for your flags, catching a pass while a safety closes hard, or hitting the turf on a bad fall. It’s not violent. It’s just physics.
And here’s the stat that should stop every coach cold: flag football players experience meaningful head contact events at rates that are higher than most coaches assume — precisely because everyone assumes the sport is already safe.
Hanson’s point wasn’t to scare anyone out of the game. Flag football is safer than tackle, full stop. His point was that “safer” isn’t the same as “safe enough” — and that we now have the gear to close that gap.
Just because flag is non-contact, doesn’t mean there is no contact. That’s why we developed our LOOP product, for those incidental blows that occur when athletes are playing at full speed. Virginia Tech’s Helmet Lab tested our LOOP headgear and found it reduced peak linear acceleration by roughly 70% compared to bare head across all impact locations. It earned a 5-star rating, and is the top rated headband in the US market. As flag football heads toward its Olympic debut in 2028, players at every level deserve the same commitment to safety innovation that tackle has always had. LOOP is that answer.
Read More About What Jake Hanson Had to Say At RCX & How NFL Facemask Concussion Data Sports New Questions for Youth Football
What Is The LOOP?
This is where we put our money where our data is.
The LOOP headband was built to better protect flag football athletes where it matters most.
LOOP is the superior soft-shelled headband with precision fit and performance, built to better protect. Guardian Sports and Schutt teamed up to advance athlete safety through innovation.
The LOOP’s occipital hinge fit protects one of the head’s most vulnerable areas while staying lightweight and comfortable. Designed to stay secure without compromising style, so you can focus on your game.
Built to better protect where it matters most, the LOOP represents a new era in lightweight, high-performance protective gear. The LOOP provides athletes with breathable, sweat-wicking comfort and a precision fit. The new occipital hinge offers enhanced protection to one of the head’s most vulnerable areas while maintaining a secure, stylish fit. Awarded a 5-STAR rating by Virginia Tech, the LOOP reflects Guardian and Schutt’s ongoing dedication to safety and innovation. Available in small, medium, and large, the LOOP comes in black, white, optic yellow, and pink.
