Football is the ultimate team sport. Every play is designed like a machine, with individuals doing their part to keep things running. If one person fails, the entire team could fail.
It’s the same story whether you’re on offense or defense. Every football position serves a purpose, especially in flag football where you’ll find fewer players on the field. While tackle football consists of 11 players, NFL FLAG football teams compete 5 on 5.
The positions in football differ depending on how many players there are. If you’re new to 5 on 5 flag football, the below football positions chart will help you get a better understanding of where each player lines up and what their role is on the field.
Players who have a well-rounded skill set make the most impact in an offensive football position. They can throw, catch, and quickly run complicated pass routes. They have the ability to read the field and know how to adapt their football position during a play to successfully advance downfield. Here are the offense football positions explained:
Quarterback - Think of the quarterback as the team’s offensive leader. This football position is responsible for calling the play or receiving direction from the coach and then communicating it to the rest of the team. In NFL FLAG football, every play begins with a snap to the quarterback, who then decides to hand it off or pass it. They’re a central part of the team as they touch the ball on every drive and are highly visible players.
Skills required for a quarterback include:
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Good vision of the field
Ability to read the defense
Passing fundamentals, such as wind up, release, accuracy, and strength
Quickness to avoid a defensive pass rush
Leadership skills and mental toughness under pressure
Center - A center is responsible for snapping the ball to the quarterback and reading the opposing team’s defense. This football position differs the most compared to its tackle counterpart. Centers actually become a receivers after snapping the ball, so you’ll often find them running a pass route immediately after the snap.
Skills required for a center include:
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Proper coordination to accurately snap the ball to the quarterback to begin the play
Quick reflexes
Ability to read the defensive team while clearly communicating with the quarterback
Similar skills as a receiver: Ability to sharply increase speed and take off downfield for a pass, correct technique to grip the ball and successfully catch a pass
Wide receiver - The wide receiver’s main job is to catch a pass and advance down the field or score. They’re constantly running precise and often complex pass routes to try and get themselves in a position to receive a pass. In flag football, teams typically have two to three wide receivers on the field at once.
Skills required for a receiver include:
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Speed and stamina
Ability to run specific and complex pass routes
Good hands and athleticism to catch difficult passes (acceleration, strength, jumping)
Clearly communicates with quarterback
Running back - This position in football is responsible for carrying the ball during a running play. They line up in the backfield and after the ball is snapped, they move forward to receive a hand-off from the quarterback and run with the ball to advance down the field. If they don’t receive the ball from the quarterback, they can become a receiver as well. Running plays are not permitted within five yards of the midfield or end zone in NFL FLAG football.
Skills required for a running back include:
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Quick feet and acceleration
Similar skills as a wide receiver
Since there’s no contact in flag football, such as tackling or blocking, defense looks a little different. Instead of linemen, there are five defensive football players who typically take on one of two positions: a defensive back or rusher. But all flag football defensive positions have the same objective: to prevent the offensive team from scoring. Here are the defensive football positions explained.
Defensive backs - A defensive back’s primary goal is to defend wide receivers and intercept the incoming pass or pull the flags off the ball-carrier’s belt. These positions in football can play either man-to-man or zone, depending on the coach’s strategy and league rules.
Skills required for a defensive back include:
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Quickness and agility to defend opposing players
Mental sharpness to read the offense and react to a passing play or a running play
Ability to react to the ball and intercept the pass
Technique to properly pull the ball-carrier’s flags off: correct alignment, stance, and movement
Rusher - Rushing the passer is an important role on defense as it prevents the quarterback from completing the pass. The rusher starts seven yards behind the line of scrimmage at the snap and the quarterback has a seven-second pass clock to throw the ball. So, the quicker the rusher gets to the quarterback, the more opportunities the defensive team has to force mistakes.
Skills required for a rusher include:
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Speed and acceleration with the ability to come under control once they are close enough to the quarterback to remove the flag
Technique to properly pull the ball-carrier’s flags off: correct alignment, stance, and movement
Safety - Some flag football teams will play with a safety on their defense. This player sits further back behind the line of scrimmage and acts as a catch-all, stopping anyone who gets loose. If an ball-carrier makes it past the other defenders, or a wide receiver goes deep, the safety is there to stop him.
Skills required for a safety include:
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Ability to read the play, while making snap decisions on where coverage is needed
Speed and acceleration
Technique to properly pull the ball-carrier’s flags off: correct alignment, stance, and movement
Now that you understand the different positions in football, it’s time to figure out which one is the best fit. Luckily, flag football players develop a variety of skills—no matter the football position they pick—because of the overlapping responsibilities in a given play.
For example, a center often transitions into a receiver after snapping the ball; a quarterback can run for a pass after handing off the ball; and any player is allowed to throw a forward pass. On defense, there’s no tackling, so these positions in football use similar skill sets when preventing the offense from advancing.
Keep in mind, too, that there are only five players on the field at once, so each player participates on offense and defense. In other words, specialization isn’t as common in flag football as it is in tackle. But if you’re looking to specialize, such as a quarterback or wide receiver, then you can definitely gain valuable technical skills here.
All positions in football come with benefits—and the best part is that players don’t need a specific build to succeed. Flag football is incredibly inclusive and many players of different developments find a football position where they can be competitive.
When families ask us specifically about girls flag football positions we always answer—the same as boys! Flag football is designed without contact, so that both female and male players can compete in every position. In fact, there are several flag football co-ed leagues across the country.
The bottom line is that flag football players are constantly moving and adapting their role to the play. That’s why versatile, well-rounded players tend to be most successful. So no matter the football position you pick, you’ll learn a variety of transferable skills.