Browns Youth Football Development Model | Cleveland Browns - clevelandbrowns.com


Football Development Model
The Football Development Model is designed to help coaches teach athletes based on their age, the skill they are learning, and the game type. The approach assists young athletes' development and allows them to learn the game and related skills in a progression that best suits them. This path offers young athletes more opportunities to play the game and choose the type of football they want.
Flag Football → Rookie Tackle → Full-Field Tackle
Level 1: Flag Football
Playing flag football allows athletes to get used to playing in space with others while learning the basic movements and skills for success in football and beyond.
- Field Size: Shorter and/or narrower
- Players per side: 5 to 7
- Rotating player positions
- No player-to-player engagements
Level 2: Rookie Tackle
Rookie Tackle condenses the field and adds rule modifications to make it more manageable and fun, while allowing players to learn multiple positions with full contact.
- Field Size: Shorter and/or narrower
- Players per side: 7 to 9
- Rotating position players
- Full contact
- Full equipment
Level 3: Full-Field Tackle
Full-field tackle is the full field, full contact game we know and love. Whether you play with 11 players-per-side or less, athletes love playing that same style of tackle football their favorite teams play on the weekends.
- Field Size: Full field
- Players per side: 11
- Full contact
- Full equipment

Explore our list of NFL Flag, Jr. Browns NFL Flag, Rookie Tackle, and 11-Player Football leagues.