GQ Sports – No Helmets, No Pads, Full Tackling. Is A7FL the Future of Football?

“No-tackle flag football is one way to address the many safety concerns of football. A full-contact, semi-pro league in New Jersey has another idea.” By Jordan Teicher.

If you’re a fan, player or parent who wants a safer sport — and for the hits to keep coming — the A7FL offers an alluring alternative. But is it exciting enough to compete with traditional football?

The A7FL is still emerging, but players say it’s different in a way that’s thrilling. “It gives you a different perspective of the game and shows your ability,” says former Arizona Cardinal Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. After 12 years as a pro cornerback, the two-time Pro Bowler became the first NFL veteran to join the A7FL. “When you’ve got 11 on 11, it’s easier to make up for someone’s mistake,” Rodgers-Cromartie says. Not so in the A7L. There’s nowhere to hide, and, without helmets and pads, no protection from contact. “They’re hitting for real,” he adds. “I was shocked. I was like, This is definitely my type of sport.”

“The people that see it, they love it because it’s a little rough around the edges,” DePaul says. “This is organic football.”

Some of the hits that follow look painful, but nobody lowers their head, and everybody gets up quickly. Without pads, the contact is more physical than what you see on a typical NFL Sunday, but less violent. There’s a lot of grappling, and players go down slower. Defenders grab jerseys and wrap up opponents with their shoulders to gain leverage, like in rugby. Tackles sound different too, without the cruel crunch of helmets colliding. “When you take off the helmet, you remove the invincibility,” says A7FL co-founder Sener Korkusuz. Here, the intensity runs high, but the volume is more muted.

For prospective team owners, investors, sponsors, and players, the A7FL presents a unique opportunity to be part of a growing movement that challenges traditional football norms. Its innovative approach to safety and gameplay, combined with a dedicated and expanding fan base, positions the league as a compelling alternative in the evolving landscape of American football.