Football Season Showdown is a fun, sports-themed retrospective designed to help teams reflect on their successes, mistakes, and improvement opportunities using football metaphors.

When to use this template

Ideal at the end of a sprint or project phase when you want to energize the team, encourage open discussion, and foster a playful yet focused review session.

How to facilitate

Kick off by introducing the football theme and explaining each column, emphasizing how each relates to teamwork and performance.

Give team members a few minutes to individually add items to each column: Touchdown Triumphs for wins, Fumbles and Flags for setbacks, and New Playbook Strategies for improvements.

Facilitate a group discussion on Touchdown Triumphs, celebrating successes and acknowledging contributors.

Move to Fumbles and Flags, encouraging honest, blameless conversations about what didn't go as planned and what obstacles were faced.

Shift focus to New Playbook Strategies, brainstorming actionable improvements and innovative tactics for the next sprint.

Prioritize the most impactful strategies as a team and assign clear owners or follow-up actions.

Conclude with a quick team huddle to recap insights and build excitement for implementing new plays in the next sprint.

Pro Tips

Use playful football analogies during facilitation to boost engagement but ensure discussions remain focused and respectful.

Create a safe environment by reminding everyone that all fumbles are learning opportunities, not personal critiques.

Keep the pace lively to match the energy of the theme, but leave space for quieter voices to contribute.

Encourage the team to revisit action items at the start of the next retrospective to reinforce accountability.

FAQ

What if my team isn't interested in the football theme?

You can briefly explain the theme and focus on the key concepts behind each column, or adjust the level of 'sports talk' to match your team's vibe.

How do I keep discussions blameless when talking about fumbles?

Frame setbacks as team learning moments, not individual faults. Remind everyone that the goal is collective improvement.

Can this template be used outside of sprints?

Absolutely. It's effective after any project milestone or event where you want to review outcomes and team performance.

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At a glance

Duration
40–55 min
Team Size
4-12 people
Columns
3 columns
Base Format
What Went Well, What Went Wrong, What We Want to Improve

Ready to get started?

Use this template to run your next retrospective

🏈 Football Season Showdown

Welcome to the gridiron! Let’s recap our sprint like a true football team: celebrate touchdowns (successes), review fumbles (challenges), and plan new plays to improve our game. Ready to kick off a winning strategy?

Template Columns

🏆 Touchdown Triumphs

🏈 Fumbles and Flags

📈 New Playbook Strategies

About this template