Italian Football League News You Can Use #1
With the conclusion of the tackle football seasons in Italy, "News You Can Use" - the most beloved and imitated column - returns to First Down Mag, bringing you all the latest updates on Italian football.
From the first to the third division, and from North to South, here is everything you need to know about roster moves and the latest news from the world of Italian gridiron.
Here is the first batch of news from the Italian football scene. Enjoy the read.
Cameren Grodhaus to Return to Dolphins Ancona in 2027
Dolphins Ancona have announced that Cameren Grodhaus—one of the standout import players from last season—will return to wear the team's orange-and-green colors for the 2027 Italian Football League season.
The Dolphins made the announcement the day before the Italian Bowl Weekend, marking the first major news of the long Italian football offseason.
Originally a defensive player, Grodhaus stepped up to take charge when the team from the Marche region faced an injury crisis, performing impressively on both sides of the ball.
During the regular season, Grodhaus racked up a total of 1,676 yards and 20 touchdowns—eight rushing and twelve passing.
According to the team's website, Grodhaus will return to the United States to join his high school's coaching staff. He will then come back to Italy toward the end of the calendar year to assist Dolphins Ancona's youth teams and prepare for the 2027 Italian Football League season.
Despite a rocky start—including losses in their first two games and significant injuries during the regular season—the Dolphins qualified for the playoffs, ultimately losing in the semifinals to the eventual Italian champions, Guelfi Firenze.
Autumn House-cleaning at the Lazio Marines
Looking ahead to the 2027 season, the Lazio Marines have decided to make a few changes to their coaching staff.
First, Frank Tedesco—this year’s defensive line coach—has been appointed Director of Personnel for the upcoming season. The Florida native will serve as the liaison between the team and the front office, both on and off the field.
The other change concerns the sideline. Cooper Heisey will not continue as the Biancocelesti Head Coach after just one season; he is being replaced by Nick Quartaro, a coach with experience in both college football and the Italian league. Quartaro returns to the IFL as the capital team's head coach four years after his stint with the Rhinos Milano.
Changes are also coming to the roster: former Rhinos Milano quarterback Darius Perrantes will suit up for the capital team next season, replacing Seth Morgan (who, in the interim, played for the AFLE’s Alpine Rams).
However, Perrantes will not have Garrett Wilson as a target; the former Marines wide receiver—originally drafted by the Rome-based club—has decided to temporarily hang up his helmet and join the coaching staff as a position coach.
Last year, the Marines finished the season with a 3–5 record—matching that of Aquile Ferrara—but a Week 3 head-to-head loss clipped the Roman team's wings.
Alfredo Giuso to remain with Pirates Albisola Superiore for the 2027 season
Pirates Albisola Superiore have announced that Head Coach Alfredo Giuso will continue to lead the coaching staff next year.
The former coach of the Lions Bergamo and the (now-defunct) Women’s Tackle National Team will extend his tenure as head coach of the blue-and-white squad, marking his ninth year in Liguria.
The Pirates—who had voluntarily returned to the IFL2 despite securing safety on the field the previous year by beating Lions Bergamo in the playout round—experienced an unusual season. They were eliminated from the playoffs following a 3–5 regular-season record; this record was shared with the Reapers Torino, though the Reapers held the tie-breaker advantage thanks to winning both head-to-head matchups during the regular season.
Billy Reagins Jr. is the Aquile Ferrara's first import player
Aquile Ferrara, one of the first teams to announce new roster additions, have named Billy Reagins Jr. as their first import player for the upcoming season.
The 26-year-old from Sugar Land, Texas, already boasts extensive experience in both indoor football—having played for the Southwest Kansas Storm and the Pueblo Punishers—and abroad, with stints at the Cologne Crocodiles in Germany and the Gallos Negros of the LFA, Mexico's professional league.
Last year, the Aquile returned to the playoffs, finishing sixth in the standings with a 3-5 record—tied with the Lazio Marines but holding the head-to-head tiebreaker. Their season ended with a loss to the Giaguari Torino in the Wild Card round.
Will Rams Milano play in IFL2 in 2028?
In recent days, to promote the start of training and recruitment for the upcoming season, Rams Milano—currently competing in the Nine Football League—shared a post on social media marking the start of the year, offering both the public and industry insiders a hint about their future.
The Milan-based team—which was revived in 2006 after having been one of the pioneers of the sport in Italy—reportedly intends to move up to IFL2 for the 2028 season, a league they have not participated in since re-affiliating with the FIDAF.
A former IFL "import player" is now a WWE champion
What does the world of American football have to do with professional wrestling? A lot!
Many legendary figures in sports entertainment have a background on the gridiron—names like Roman Reigns, Brock Lesnar, and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson come to mind—but another former player, who also spent time in Italy, has made history in the WWE, specifically within its developmental territories.
Harlem Lewis, a wrestler from Lindenhurst, New York, defeated Aaron Rourke in a WWE EVOLVE episode taped on July 15th and aired on July 19th, thereby capturing the first title of his professional wrestling career.
For those who follow the Italian scene, Harlem Lewis is a familiar face. He played for the Dolphins Ancona during the 2023 season, having arrived from Morehead State.
Vincent Winey—his real name—was part of the Ancona-based squad, helping lead the team to the brink of the first Italian Bowl held in the United States (in Toledo, Ohio), though they ultimately lost the semifinal 42–21 to Guelfi Firenze.
Lewis has defended the title once so far—defeating Aaron Rourke, Max Abrams, and Tristan Angels in a Fatal Four-Way match that aired on August 5th—and will have to defend the belt again in upcoming episodes against Cutler James, who has since become the number one contender.
As of this writing, Harlem Lewis has held the championship for three months.
Rhinos and Seamen Join Forces: Prelude to a Major European Project
Rumors had been circulating for some time, but now it is official: Rhinos Milano—who finished last in the 2026 IFL season with a 0-8 record—and Seamen Milano—the IFL2 champions—will merge starting next season.
The team, which does not yet have official colors or a definitive name, will count Justin Pugh among its owners; Pugh served as IFL Commissioner last year and has been reappointed to the role by the organization's board.
"The main goal is to build the strongest program in Italy and a long-term business with multiple revenue streams. [...] Within five years, I want a football program that truly competes with soccer and basketball for young Italian and Milanese talent," Pugh stated in an article by Stefano Olivari published in the Corriere della Sera on August 30th.
The management teams of the two original clubs—Seamen and Rhinos—will not be dissolved; instead, they will remain part of the new team's leadership board.
Changes at Warriors Bologna: New Imports and Defensive Coordinator for the Emilian Squad
After a disappointing 2026 season, Warriors Bologna have decided to turn a new page, both on and off the field.
The first change comes on the sidelines: Stefano Antoni—previously a member of the coaching staffs at Giaguari Torino and Allgäu Comets—will serve as the new Defensive Coordinator, joining the staff led by Christian Nobile.
Antoni is bringing along the team's new quarterback, American Brad Jones. Jones boasts extensive European experience, including stints in the GFL with both the Comets and the Cologne Crocodiles. The second import player will be Dustin Huseinovic—a name familiar in these parts thanks to his stint with the Rhinos Milano back in 2022—who has continued playing in Europe, primarily in Sweden with the Tyresö Royal Crowns.
Last season, the Warriors finished with a 1–7 record, placing second-to-last in the regular-season standings and recording the worst point differential (-191, resulting from 124 points scored and 315 conceded).
Kurt Ramler and Ethan Greenfield to Stay with Giaguari Torino for the 2027 Season
Giaguari Torino have decided to retain Kurt Ramler as Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator for the 2027 season.
In his second year leading the Piedmontese team, he guided a highly talented squad to a semifinal appearance—a milestone the club had not reached in over thirty years.
Only a 42-35 loss to Panthers Parma denied them a spot in the final, following a regular season where they finished third with a 5-3 record—tied with Dolphins Ancona and Frogs Legnano, but holding the tie-breaker advantage due to head-to-head results.
Joining the Head Coach is one of the team's key offensive weapons: American running back Ethan Greenfield, one of the standout players of the recently concluded season.
The 2026 Offensive Player of the Year (OPOY) will once again take the field across Italy to put on a show in a league where Giaguari Torino are increasingly becoming a major force.
The IFL kicks off the 2027 season with a league meeting in Bologna on October 4th; Louis Cotrone joins the Board.
On September 14th, the IFL announced that on October 4th, at The Social Hub Hotel in Bologna, the league—together with clubs and media—will present the upcoming season of Italy’s premier American football championship to the public.
The event will feature a league assembly where participating clubs will discuss updates for the upcoming tournament, alongside a press conference and a meeting with industry media.
Since last year, the Italian Football League has returned to being a private league—managed indirectly by the FIDAF, which hosts it as the First Division. Its leadership includes Justin Pugh as Commissioner, Edoardo Cammi as Chief Operating Officer, and Andrea Fimiani as Chief Business Officer. Starting next year, Louis Cotrone—a former player for the Giaguari Torino and the Blue Team—will join the Board.
"I spent some of the best and most meaningful years of my life playing football in Italy, and the relationships and experiences gained through the Italian Football League have stayed with me throughout my career. I strongly believe in the IFL’s vision, growth, and potential [...] I am truly excited to return in this new capacity and to leverage my experience in business and corporate development to build meaningful partnerships. These partnerships will help drive the IFL’s growth, strengthen ties between Italy and the United States, and continue promoting the development of American football in Italy and beyond," stated Cotrone, who will join the IFL Alliance Board as Corporate Partnerships Manager.
The Italian national team is gearing up for the new Tackle European Championship, while the youth flag football squads gather in Emilia-Romagna.
Following the impressive feat achieved in Düsseldorf by the men's flag football national team—which finished second at the World Championship and qualified for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics—the "Blue Team" is returning to the field. This time, however, they will be wearing helmets and shoulder pads for the opening phase of the 2026/2027 European Championship, kicking off next month.
The Italians—who finished third at the last European Championship after defeating Germany—have been handed a draw that looks favorable on paper, with tournament debutants Poland and Hungary joining them in Group C.
On October 10th, Brian Michitti’s squad will face Poland in Wrocław, followed by a match against Hungary in Milan on October 24th.
The primary goal is to secure a podium finish once again, building on the title won in 2021 and the third-place finishes in 2023 and 2025.
Turning back to flag football—specifically at the youth level—the European Junior Championships will take place from September 24th to 26th in Lido delle Nazioni (Ferrara province). National teams in the Under-15 mixed, Under-17 female (defending champions), and Under-17 male categories will compete against the best of European flag football.
Comments