Gridiron Queens: Inside the Grit and Glory of the Baltimore Nighthawks

Friday Night Lights — and Shoulder Pads

On a spring Saturday evening at Poly High’s field in Baltimore, the air smells like hot dogs and fresh-cut grass. The stands are dotted with loyal fans in purple and black, cowbells in hand. The roar isn’t deafening — but it’s real, and it’s for them: the Baltimore Nighthawks.

This is women’s tackle football — no gimmicks, no powderpuff, no half-speed scrimmages. Helmets crack, cleats dig in, and every yard is earned the same way it is in the NFL — with sweat, strategy, and sacrifice.

A Team Born from Love of the Game

Founded in 2008, the Baltimore Nighthawks are one of the longest-running women’s tackle football teams on the East Coast. They compete in the Women’s Football Alliance (WFA) — the largest women’s tackle league in the U.S., with over 60 teams nationwide.

The Nighthawks were built for women who wanted more than flag football or intramural leagues. They wanted the real thing: pads, full contact, and a shot at a national title.

Who Plays for the Nighthawks?

The roster is as Baltimore as it gets: teachers, nurses, IT professionals, corrections officers, military veterans, moms, and students. By day, they juggle 9-to-5 jobs and families. By night and weekend, they become linebackers, quarterbacks, and wide receivers under the Friday night lights.

“It’s about sisterhood and proving we belong,” says team captain Lisa King, a veteran defensive back who’s been with the team for nearly a decade. “We play because we love it. We pay to play. We sacrifice to play. That’s real football.”

‘Pay to Play’ — The Reality of Women’s Pro Football

Unlike the Ravens down at M&T Bank Stadium, the Nighthawks don’t have million-dollar contracts or national TV deals. Most players cover their own league fees, equipment, travel, and medical bills. Fundraising is constant — from selling T-shirts to running car washes to hosting local events.

“We’d love to see a day where our girls get paid,” says head coach Eddie Brown, who’s led the squad through winning seasons and heartbreak losses. “They’re as tough as any male athlete out there. They deserve the same shot.”

A Growing Fanbase

The Nighthawks have quietly built a loyal following in Charm City — friends, family, and curious newcomers who stumble upon their games and stay for the passion.

Local kids line up after games for autographs. Young girls see living proof that football isn’t just for the boys. And each game-day win feels like a bigger victory for every woman who ever laced up cleats and was told, That sport’s not for you.

More Than a Game

The Baltimore Nighthawks do more than play. They show up for local youth programs, host clinics for girls interested in football, and champion community causes like domestic violence awareness and breast cancer research.

“I tell every little girl: If you want to play, you can,” says quarterback Sharon Hodge, who balances training with raising two sons. “We’re here to open doors.”

Looking Ahead

In a sports town dominated by the Ravens and Orioles, the Nighthawks are forging a lane of their own. They dream of bigger crowds, sponsors who see their worth, and a future where young girls can watch football — and know there’s a place for them on the field, too.

Until then, they’ll keep suiting up each spring — shoulder pads strapped, helmets on, ready to fight for every yard.

Under the lights, they are more than a team. They are Baltimore’s gridiron queens.