The Firenze Red Lions continue to build out their organization, adding former NFL running back Jerome Smith to their coaching staff as running backs coach. Smith brings a rare combination of playing experience at the highest level and a growing coaching resume to Florence. A standout college career at Syracuse Smith played four years as […]

The Firenze Red Lions have added another wide receiver to their roster, signing 34-year-old Italian Claudio Caruso ahead of their debut season in 2026. Caruso joins from the Elephants Catania and brings a wealth of experience to the Red Lions‘ receiving corps. Experience to complement the group With Caruso now on board, the Red Lions […]

The Firenze Red Lions have found their second American offensive player, signing wide receiver Devin Carter. Carter brings college pedigree, professional experience and a refined skill set to the Red Lions‘ receiving corps ahead of the 2026 season. A college career that caught NFL attention Carter made a name for himself at both NC State […]

The Firenze Red Lions have filled the gap left by Bill Shuey’s promotion to head coach, appointing experienced veteran Paul Wulff as special teams coordinator. Wulff will also take on the role of offensive line coach, adding further depth to the Red Lions‘ coaching staff. A player turned coach with a rich background Wulff knows […]

The Firenze Red Lions have found their next import player, signing young British running back Simon Olaifa. At just 19 years old, Olaifa is one of the most exciting young talents in British American football and arrives in Florence with big ambitions for his development. A talent making his mark early Olaifa has already shown […]

The Firenze Red Lions are entering the 2026 season with a new head coach. Bill Shuey, who was originally appointed as special teams coordinator, defensive pass game coordinator and secondary coach, has been promoted to head coach and will also serve as defensive coordinator following the departure of Bart Andrus. Andrus leaves for a once-in-a-lifetime […]

The Firenze Red Lions have found their second Spanish homegrown player, signing Nacho Diz thanks to the Spanish solidarity rule. Diz follows wide receiver Aaron David as the latest Spanish addition to the Red Lions‘ roster. A versatile young talent At just 21 years old, Diz spent the last two seasons with the Madrid Bravos, […]

The Firenze Red Lions have found their next roster addition, signing British offensive lineman Peter Hart ahead of the 2026 season. Hart brings a wealth of European football experience to the Red Lions‘ offensive line. A well-travelled career At just 27 years old, Hart has already played for a number of clubs across Europe. His […]

As the American Football League Europe prepares for its first season, the league officially announces the Homegrown territories for the franchises that have confirmed participation so far. This announcement provides clarity and support for local talent development as each team builds its roster for competition. What is a Homegrown player? In the AFLE, a Homegrown […]

The homegrown territory of the Firenze Red Lions is now officially set. The Italian club will have access to the entire country of Italy, meaning they can sign any Italian player as a homegrown signing. A strong talent pool Italy gives the Red Lions access to a deep and talented pool of players. The Italian […]

The Firenze Red Lions have signed their first American defensive player ahead of the 2026 season. Defensive back Jakeen Harris brings a wealth of college experience from two of the top programs in the United States. A long career in college football Harris spent five years at NC State before transferring to the University of […]

The Firenze Red Lions have signed their next import player with Finnish defensive lineman Samuel Leppänen. The 23-year-old becomes the seventh addition to the Italian franchise ahead of the new season. Strong performances in Finland Leppänen most recently played for the Seinäjoki Crocodiles and the Vantaan TAFT. During his time in Finland, he impressed with […]

The Firenze Red Lions continue to shape their roster for the 2026 season by signing young Hungarian defensive back Szabolcs Szöllősi. Young talent with international experience At just 21 years old, Szöllősi already brings valuable experience from the European stage. He most recently played for the Fehérvár Enthroners, where he lined up as a safety […]

The Firenze Red Lions have reached an agreement with the Italian Football League (IFL) that sets out clear and transparent rules for recruiting players from clubs affiliated with the national league. The agreement is an important step for the Red Lions as they prepare to compete in the AFLE’s inaugural season, and it reflects the […]

The Firenze Red Lions have found their quarterback for the first season in franchise history by signing American quarterback Matthew McKay. The 26-year-old most recently played for the Frankfurt Galaxy, where he showed strong performances over the past two seasons. Reunion with familiar coaches McKay will reunite with several coaches from his time in Frankfurt. […]

The Firenze Red Lions have signed their first Italian homegrown player with 19-year-old wide receiver Gregorio Giorgi. The young receiver is considered one of the most promising talents in Italian football. Rising talent in Italy Giorgi has already made a name for himself at a young age, earning a spot on the Italian U19 national […]

Abraham Chacón is not just making a move across the ocean. He is making history. The offensive lineman from Mexico becomes the first player from his country to compete in the American Football League Europe, joining the Firenze Red Lions for the league’s inaugural 2026 season. For Chacón, this step has been a long time […]

The Firenze Red Lions have added another experienced coach to their staff by appointing Bill Shuey as special teams coordinator. The former NFL coach joins the Italian franchise as the coaching staff continues to take shape. Shuey becomes the fourth coach on the staff alongside head coach Bart Andrus, defensive coordinator Tom Mason, and offensive […]

The Firenze Red Lions continue building their roster and have announced the signing of Spanish wide receiver Aaron David. David becomes the first Spanish player in the American Football League Europe to be signed under the Spanish Solidarity Rule, which allows eligible Spanish players to join teams as Homegrown players. He will therefore count as a […]

The Firenze Red Lions have added experienced American coach Mike Mitchell to their staff as offensive coordinator. Mitchell brings decades of coaching experience from high school, college, and international football. Long coaching career Mitchell has coached at several programs throughout his career, including Humboldt State University, De Anza College, the Sandpoint Bulldogs, the Zagreb Patriots, […]

The Firenze Red Lions have announced their first defensive player shortly after introducing their new defensive coordinator Tom Mason. Panamanian linebacker Ezra Drakes will strengthen the Red Lions’ linebacker corps for the upcoming the American Football League Europe season. With this signing, Drakes becomes the third Panamanian player in the league, joining Rhein Fire brothers […]

The Firenze Red Lions continue building their staff for the upcoming 2026 the American Football League Europe season. After announcing head coach Bart Andrus and offensive lineman Abraham Chacón, the Italian franchise has now confirmed its third signing. American coach Tom Mason will join the team as defensive coordinator for the Red Lions’ debut season. […]

The Firenze Red Lions continue building their organization for the upcoming 2026 season and have now signed the first player in franchise history. Mexican offensive lineman Abraham Chacón joins the Italian team as its first official roster addition. After announcing experienced coach Bart Andrus as head coach, General Manager Bart Iaccarino now begins building the […]

The Firenze Red Lions are entering a historic chapter in the American Football League Europe, and the man tasked with leading the project is veteran coach Bart Andrus. As the first head coach in franchise history, Andrus is responsible for shaping the identity of the new AFLE team in Florence, both on the field and […]

The Firenze Red Lions have found their head coach for their first season. Experienced coach Bart Andrus will lead the Italian franchise as the first head coach in team history. With this signing, General Manager Bart Iaccarino quickly follows through on his plan. In a recent interview, he explained that building the coaching staff would […]

With the launch of the Firenze Red Lions, a new chapter begins for American football in Italy. Leading this ambitious project is General Manager Bart Iaccarino, who has been given the responsibility of building the franchise from the ground up in the American Football League Europe. For Iaccarino, this role is more than just a […]

The final lineup of the American Football League Europe continues to take shape. The Italian franchise has officially revealed its name and logo and will enter the league’s first season as the Firenze Red Lions. With this announcement, the organization marks the beginning of a new era for Italian football on the European stage. A new […]