IFL Season Awards Prediction!

The Italian Football League regular season is over and the Road to Toledo is starting once again.

After 14 weekends of games played, the six remaining teams will face each other in the playoffs starting this weekend in the Wild Card round. The games will see the second and third place teams from both groups on the field. That means we'll see a rematch of last year's semifinal with the Skorpions Varese hosting the Panthers Parma, whilst the Legnano Frogs will host the Giaguari Torino.

Let’s take a look back at the best players of this year’s season, ending on June 28th with the second final in the U.S. in more than forty years of Italian Football.

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MVP: Andrea Fimiani 

This year the Italian QB from Guelfi Firenze has confirmed himself as one of the top players in the league, simply put it, the numbers don’t lie. The former Busto Arsizio Blue Storms and Bergamo Lions quarterback is probably the best Italian-born QB right now.

110/176 passes completed (62,5%) for 3416 all purpose yards, 33 TDs through the air with another 15 on the ground compared against just 3 interceptions. Impressive numbers for the Italian QB especially considering it is with only 9 games played.

Also thanks to Fimiani, the Firenze Guelfi have obtained the first phase in the Girone B with a perfect 10-0 record, the best in the league. Entering the playoffs ready to avenge the last two championship game losses against the Parma Panthers.

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OPOY: Danny Kittner

  The U.S. born athlete was the second import player announced by the Legnano Frogs in the middle of a roster revolution. After bringing Luke Zahradka back to Italy, the Silver and Blacks made their next move to help support the gunslinger Zahradka, bringing in the former Helsinki Roosters weapon.

Totalling over 1815 yards and 16 TDs, he earned the right to be the best all purpose player in the league on the offensive side of the ball.

Building off of a great offseason, the Frogs tallied a 8-2 record in Girone A, finishing just behind first place Ancona Dolphins. This second place finish is forcing them to start their journey from this week’s Wild Card round against Giaguari Torino at home.

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DPOY: Andrea Fantin

In his first IFL season outside of Rome, Fantin confirmed himself as one of the best defenders in Italy.

The former Lazio Marines and Seamen Milano (ELF) player has caught the ball more than anyone else for the second straight year with 6 interceptions and a Pick Six in his pocket.

Despite his efforts on defense, the Ferrara Aquile missed the playoffs at the very last gasp by losing against the Albisola Superiore Pirates in Week 14, finishing their season with a 4-6 record in Girone B, getting them fourth place.

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COY: Rik Parker

Is 2025 the year of the Ancona Dolphins? They made some changes on the sideline and it worked.

Former player Roberto Rotelli is no longer the Head Coach of the team, remaining with them behind the desk, and Rik Parker, former Coordinator, has been promoted to the top role with great results: 9-1 record to end the first phase of the year and first place in Girone A after a long battle with Legnano Frogs and Parma Panthers.

The Dolphins have never won the title in their history. They are considered as the Italian version of the 1990’s Buffalo Bills, reaching the Grand Final four years in a row between 2001 and 2004 and losing all those games to the great Bergamo Lions dynasty.

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ACOY: Calvin Brownholtz 

As an old song would say: “Some kinds of love never end”, and the return of Calvin Brownholtz as the Assistant Coach of the Varese Skorpions under former NFL Head Coach Billy Volek worked despite a predictable ugly start.

The 5-5 finishing record is enough for the team to make the playoffs as the second seed from Girone B, continuing their participation streak for the third time.

The Skorpions will once again face the Parma Panthers. The team from Lombardia wants to be the Cinderella Story of the 2025 Italian Football League, and with the help of a former Red and White QB and the experience of a big-league Head Coach, anything can happen…

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ROY: One Williams 

The best player from the 2025 IFL Draft made with the Rome City Institute, the former Howard University player has made a huge impact with the Italian Football League.

Not considered as an import player for this season, thanks to an IFL rule that excludes the draft rookies from the count of maximum three U.S. players on the game day roster, Williams was considered as a top receiver in this year’s tournament.

969 Yards and 8 TDs is the final count for the young player who still has two more years of college eligibility for the Aquile Original One.

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DROY: Daniele Latorraca 

The young Giaguari player is building himself as a future cornerstone in the IFL after a breakout season.

Five interceptions, tied with teammate Paolo Lazzaretto, is a good job after a difficult season that was risking to end with some time to spare in the regular season.

Despite four straight losses, the Giaguari Torino have made it to the playoffs, as they will play the role of the underdog against the Legnano Frogs.

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OROY: Giovanni Zani

  The Bergamo Lions didn’t have the season of their lives after coming back to the league 6 years after their last appearance.

One of the few good things in the middle of a bad year was Giovanni Zani, an all around offensive player who stood up when the team didn’t have a QB because of the two-game ban given to Jay Butterfield after a personal foul.

399 yards and 6 TDs as a receiver and a final toll of 12/23, 148 Yards, one TD and a interception is the final statline for the former Seamen Milano (ELF) player.

Bergamo Lions will now play a one game playout against the Albisola Superiore Pirates, last team in the Girone B, to avoid relegation to IFL2 (Second Division).