Aaron Rodgers urges better funding for US women’s flag football team

PARIS (AP) — Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers says the U.S. women’s flag football team deserves more financial support.

Rodgers, who in the past has made philanthropic investments in USA Football to support the women’s game, was asked Friday about the rising popularity of the non-contact version of the sport.

In Paris for the Steelers’ game against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, Rodgers said the growth of flag football has been “fantastic for our sport.”

“I’ve gotten to know some of the members of the U.S. women’s flag football national team. Phenomenal women, most of them have full-time jobs,” he said. “The pay is very scant, shall we say, and not equal. Not a big fan of that.”

Flag football, which has been a major focus of the NFL in marketing the sport to young people, will make its Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

“Olympic athletes in general, it’s a hard run for them, because most of them have full-time jobs,” Rodgers said. “They’re trying to prepare, and you have four years and one trial to make it to the Olympics. I think that there should be some some better pay for some of these individuals, especially the U.S. women’s national flag football team.”

The U.S. women’s team was the defending champion but lost to Canada in the title game at the flag football world championships in August.

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