5v5 Flag Football Plays
14 plays for 5 on 5 flag football, checked against the NFL FLAG rules. Print them or edit any play.
Slant Flat
Z runs a 3-step slant, the inside man runs to the flat underneath him. If the defender on Z sits inside, throw the flat.
Read: Z → X → C
Mesh
The two wide receivers cross underneath, one at 2 yards and one at 3.5, passing each other without stopping. Against man, a defender has to run the whole crossing route to stay with his receiver, and the first one to come open gets the ball.
Read: X → Z → C
Flood Right
Three receivers stretch one side at three depths: deep, 6 yards and the flat. A zone defender can only cover one of the two short levels.
Read: Y → X → C
Smash
High-low on the corner: X stops at 5 yards, Y bends to the corner behind him. If the corner defender squats on the hitch, throw the corner.
Read: Y → X → Z
Verticals
Everybody runs deep except the center, who sits at 6 yards as the safety valve. Throw to whichever deep man is level with or behind a single safety.
Read: Y → Z → C
Stack Out and Up
The front man in the stack runs straight up and takes the defender with him; the back man breaks out at 4 yards into the space left behind.
Read: Z → Y → X
Curl Flat
The front of the stack curls at 6 yards facing the quarterback while the back man runs to the flat. Read the flat defender: he cannot cover both.
Read: Y → Z → X
Bunch Snag
A triangle read from a bunch: corner, a sit at 5 yards and the flat. The three receivers release in different directions, so one defender cannot follow two of them.
Read: X → Z → Y
Jet Sweep
The slot runs flat motion across the formation and takes the handoff at full speed. The receivers run deep to pull defenders away from the sweep.
Read: Y
Pitch Sweep
The back takes a pitch and races to the wide side. Once the pitch is made every defender may rush, so the back must get outside quickly.
Read: Y
Rollout Flood
The quarterback rolls behind the line toward the trips side, which moves him away from the rusher and shortens his throws. He may not run across the line.
Read: X → Y → C
Double Post
Both wide receivers break to the middle at 6 yards. A single safety has to choose one, so the other is open deep.
Read: Z → X → Y
Quick Outs
Four short routes that open within two seconds. A good first play for young teams and a safe call against a fast rusher.
Read: Z → X → Y
Counter
The back steps one way to pull the defense, takes the handoff and cuts back the other way behind the center.
Read: Y
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This free tool shows 14 5v5 flag football plays and runs in your browser, with no sign-up needed. Each play card has a diagram, the play name, its format, level and type tags, a coaching note and the read order, so you can scan a play quickly. The plays are our own drawings of common concepts, and each one passes a rule check built from the NFL FLAG 5v5 rules. You can filter by type or level, search by name, and then print, save a PDF or build a playbook from the plays you choose. Whether you coach young players or an experienced team, you can use these 5 on 5 flag football plays for practice or game day.
Want these plays in a printable book? Open the flag football playbook PDF.
How to use the 5v5 flag football plays tool
- Look at the filter buttons above the cards. Choose a type (such as Quick pass, Beats man, Beats zone, Deep, Run, Youth or Rollout) or a level (Beginner or Intermediate).
- Type a play name or concept into the search box, such as “Mesh” or “Sweep”.
- Check the count of plays shown to confirm what your filters left.
- Read a play card. The diagram key works like this: circles are offensive players with a position letter, diamonds are defenders, the blue line is the line of scrimmage, and a dashed orange line marks a 7-yard rush line. Solid arrows are routes, zigzag lines are motion before the snap, dashed arrows are passes or pitches, and thick lines are runs.
- Press Select on each card you want to keep.
- Press Print or PDF (4 per page). With nothing selected, these buttons use every play shown.
- Press Make a playbook to open the playbook maker with your selected plays.
- To change a play, press Open in the designer, where you can drag players and redraw routes.
The plays you tick stay ticked in this browser, so you can come back later and print the same set.
What are good 5v5 flag football plays?
Good 5v5 flag football plays are short, simple reads that work within the rules, especially the single forward pass from behind the line. Quick passes give the quarterback an early throw and are a sensible place to start for young or new teams.
Slant Flat is a good example. Z runs a slant, X runs a flat route, Y runs a go, and C hitches at 4 yards. Mesh has X drag at 2 yards and Z drag at 3.5 yards, both crossing underneath. Quick Outs send receivers out at 3 yards, which keeps the throw short for young teams. Jet Sweep uses a motion by Y and a handoff, and Pitch Sweep sends a pitch to the back. Plays are set in formations such as Spread, Trips, Bunch, Stack, Shotgun with a back, and I formation. Read order, such as Z then X then C, tells the quarterback which receiver to check first and where to go next.
How many players are on the line in 5v5 flag football?
Up to four players may be on the line of scrimmage in 5v5 flag football, and the center must be one of them. The quarterback lines up off the line, so the offense has five players: C, Q, X, Y and Z.
Other rules shape how the line is used. Only one player may be in motion, and that player must move parallel to or away from the line. Up to two rushers may start 7 yards from the line. Blocking and screening are not allowed, and the quarterback has 7 seconds to throw.
Which 5v5 plays beat man coverage and which beat zone?
Use the type buttons. Beats man shows plays such as Slant Flat, Mesh and Double Post, where quick breaks and crossing routes free a receiver from his defender. Beats zone shows Flood Right, Smash and Curl Flat, which put two receivers in one defender’s area so he has to choose. Many coaches carry a few of each and pick from the coverage they see on the first series.
Frequently asked questions
Can the quarterback run in 5v5 flag football?
The quarterback may not run the ball across the line of scrimmage under the NFL FLAG 5v5 rules. Handoffs and pitches are allowed only behind the line, which is why the sweep plays on this page work that way.
Is it free and do I need an account?
Yes, the tool is free and needs no sign-up. It runs in your browser, and nothing is uploaded.
Can I print it or save it as a PDF?
Yes. Select the plays you want, then press Print or PDF (4 per page). If nothing is selected, both use every play shown, so filter first if you want a shorter 5v5 flag football plays PDF.
Does it work on a phone or tablet?
Yes. The play cards stack in one column on a phone, and Open in the designer lets you change any play with your finger.
Are these plays legal under the NFL FLAG 5v5 rules?
Every flag play passes a rule check built from the NFL FLAG 5v5 rules (Official Playing Rules, revised 2025-03-24). The check covers one forward pass from behind the line, no blocking, the center on the line and only one player in motion. Check your own league’s rules before game day, since local rules can differ.
Related tools
- All flag football plays: Browse plays across every format when you are not limiting to 5v5.
- Flag football defense: Pick a defense to match the offense you expect to see.
- Flag football playbook PDF: Get a playbook layout when you want a document for the whole team.
- Flag football rules: Check the rules before you finalize plays for a league or tournament.
- Flag football positions: Learn what each position does before you assign roles.
- Football play designer: Draw or edit your own play from scratch.
- Wristband template: Put your selected plays on a wristband for quick calls on the field.
- Flag football field dimensions: See the NFL FLAG field size and the no-run zones the plays are drawn around.