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Former Giants offensive lineman Justin Pugh is the new commissioner of the Italian Football League.

A former New York Giants offensive lineman has a new role in football, one that could have positively affect the future of the sport’s global growth.

Justin Pugh, who spent six seasons with the Giants over two tours, was named the commissioner of the Italian Football League earlier this week.

Pugh retired in the summer of 2025 after 11 years in the NFL with the Giants and Arizona Cardinals. He started all 75 games he played with the Giants and started 131 of his 132 NFL games.

Justin Pugh Named Commissioner of the Italian Football League

Pugh was a memorable and very strong offensive lineman in his Giants tenure. He was a first-round draft pick of the Giants in 2013 who played a playoff game with the Giants during the 2016 season.

But Pugh deems this one of his most important roles in football yet.

“I am incredibly proud and honored to assume the role of Commissioner of the Italian Football League,” Pugh wrote in a statement, which he shared to X (formerly Twitter). “After 11 years competing at the highest level, I understand firsthand what the game demands, and more importantly what it can give back.

“Football changed my life, and I have seen it transform communities, create opportunities and create identity.”

American football has been played in Italy for more than century, and its early days mainly featured American servicemen playing in exhibition games during wartime.

But the IFL, which was founded in 1978 with varying levels of success, has endured by hosting 46 “Italian Bowl” championship games, most recently when Guelfi Firenze of Florence defeated Dolphins Ancona 49-14 in a game played in Toledo, Ohio.

“American football has deep roots in Italy, and the passion this country has for the game is something truly special,” Pugh said. “This appointment reflects the IFL’s commitment not only to preserving this tradition, but to accelerating its evolution across Europe.”

Italy Is Not Hosting an NFL Game … Yet

The NFL’s march through Europe — and the world, for that matter — is continuing unabated. The league played a game in Madrid, Spain for the first time ever in 2025 and is about to play nine games outside the United States in 2026 — including its first regular-season game in Australia.

But despite Pugh’s proclamations, the NFL has never played a game in Italy, and none of the 32 teams have marketing rights within the nation. But having Pugh in a position to grow the game, and with his NFL ties, a game in the boot-shaped nation seems inevitable.

“This is not only a new chapter for me,” Pugh wrote. “It is an opportunity to elevate the game with seriousness, ambition and long-term perspective.”

The Giants have played games in London and Munich, Germany and are reportedly going to be the Detroit Lions‘ opponents in the upcoming game in Munich this season. But it would not be a surprise to see them play in Italy when the NFL inevitably ends up there.

“Our objective is to position the IFL as a structured, credible and forward-looking institution, capable of connecting Italian Football to the broader international ecosystem of the game,” Pugh wrote. “Italy has the talent, the market and the symbolic power to play a meaningful role in the global development of American Football.”

Pat Pickens is an experienced sports writer and media personality who has written for outlets like NHL.com, the Associated Press, the New York Times and USA Today. He covers the NFL, NBA, NHL and NBA as a breaking news contributor at Heavy. More about Pat Pickens