KANSAS CITY, Mo. — To bolster the burgeoning popularity of flag football, the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday launched a promotional initiative titled “Let Her Play.” This campaign aims to convince the Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) to formally recognize girls’ flag football as a legitimate sport within the state.
A 55-second video presented by the Chiefs featured numerous young female athletes currently engaged in the sport. The organization then drew attention to girls in Kansas whose aspiration to represent their schools through structured flag football remains unfulfilled. The Chiefs, winners of three Super Bowls over the past seven years, seek for their initiative to heighten public consciousness prior to the April 23 vote by the KSHSAA board, which will decide if girls’ flag football will receive official approval. The Chiefs assert that KSHSAA’s endorsement would broaden participation chances for girls and forge clearer routes to collegiate play.
“Presently, more than 20 million individuals globally partake in flag football,” Chiefs president Mark Donovan stated on Thursday. “Over 500,000 girls aged 6 to 17 are involved in flag football. Currently, female students in Kansas lack the ability to compete for a state championship or participate in structured high school flag football. This impending ballot offers them precisely that chance.”
Donovan mentioned that for six years, the Chiefs have endeavored to foster the sport’s expansion among Kansas girls. According to figures gathered from their initiative, participation in high school girls’ flag football within Kansas observed a 163% surge between 2024 and 2025.
Let Her Play 🔥 We’re proud to announce our support for sanctioning high school girls flag in Kansas.
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) April 2, 2026
“It is evident that flag football is experiencing rapid global growth,” Chiefs club owner Clark Hunt remarked on Monday at the NFL owners meeting. “Its expansion is swift within the U.S., especially among the female population. Numerous encouraging metrics suggest a conversion of flag football participants into NFL enthusiasts. In the long run, this will prove highly advantageous for the league.”
The ballot will be determined by the 73 individuals comprising the KSHSAA board. Its constituents comprise high school principals, school board delegates, athletic administrators, and superintendents. A minimum of 51% of the board’s members must cast an affirmative vote for the proposal to succeed. Should this occur, Kansas would become the 18th state to officially approve the sport. Additionally, the Chiefs feature the petition on their official website for supporters to endorse.
The Chiefs’ promotional film concludes with distinguished figures from the franchise — among them coach Andy Reid, Donovan, and athletes like right guard Trey Smith, center Creed Humphrey, and receiver Xavier Worthy — vociferously uttering the three-word slogan, “Let Her Play,” serving as a conclusive appeal to the KSHSAA board.
Donovan expresses his comprehension that the ballot’s approval might signify one of the pivotal initial stages for a prospective girls’ flag football luminary hailing from Kansas, possessing the aptitude to compete in the 2028 Summer Olympics and potentially a professional circuit.
“This would enable a young female in Kansas to partake in high school flag football for a state title, secure a full scholarship for collegiate flag football, join an Olympic flag football squad, and subsequently engage in a professional flag football league,” Donovan articulated on Monday during the owners’ assembly. “Such a prospect is thrilling, and one we have robustly championed.
“Likely, some youngsters, both male and female, will conceivably concentrate intently on flag football. Perhaps due to their smaller stature, greater speed, agility, or other factors, they might excel more in flag football than in tackle football. This presents an additional avenue for these children.”