Luke Zahradka

Luke Zahradka
Personal information
Born (1991-07-04) July 4, 1991 (age 35)
Franklin Square, New York, U.S.
Height6 ft 5 in (196 cm)
Weight236 lb (107 kg; 16 st 12 lb)
Football career
Profile
PositionQuarterback
Career information
High schoolH. Frank Carey (Franklin Square, New York)
CollegeBentley (2009–2012)
Career history
Awards and highlights
Medal record
Representing  Italy
Men's American football
Gridiron Nations Championship
Silver medal – second place2025 EuropeTeam
European Championship
Gold medal – first place2021 EuropeTeam
Bronze medal – third place2023 EuropeTeam
Bronze medal – third place2025 EuropeTeam
Men's flag football
World Championship
Silver medal – second place2026 DüsseldorfTeam
World Games
Silver medal – second place2022 BirminghamTeam
European Championship
Gold medal – first place2025 ParisTeam

Luke Zahradka (born July 4, 1991) is an American football and flag football player who plays as a quarterback. He played college football for the Bentley Falcons. Born in the United States, he has represented Italy internationally in both American football and flag football.

In American football, Zahradka played for seven different teams in his professional career, winning four league titles, all in Europe. He has represented Italy at the European Championship, winning gold in 2021 and a bronze medal in 2023 and 2025. In flag football, he also represents Italy, winning gold at the 2025 European Championship and a silver medal at the 2022 World Games and 2026 World Championship.

Early life

Zahradka attended H. Frank Carey High School in his hometown of Franklin Square, New York, where he played football, baseball, basketball and dodgeball. He attended Bentley University, where he played with its football team.

Professional career

Zahradka subsequently moved to Europe, where his first stop was the Kirchdorf Wildcats of German Football League 2 in 2013. The following year he moved to the Amiens Spartiates in France. In 2015, he played in the Italian Football League for the first time and played with the Ancona Dolphins. He spent the 2016 season with the Prague Black Panthers of the ČLAF, where he won his first league championship.

In 2017, Zahradka began playing with the Milano Seamen. With the Seamen, he won three consecutive Italian championships from 2017 and 2019, and Zahradka himself was named the Italian Bowl MVP in 2017 and 2019. He joined the European League of Football (ELF) with the Seamen in 2023. After that season, he moved to the Frankfurt Galaxy, where he replaced veteran quarterback Jakeb Sullivan. His last team was with the Legnano Frogs in 2025.

National team career

American football

In 2016, Zahradka, who also holds Italian citizenship, was first called up to the Italy national team. With them, he won the 2021 European Championship. He also won a bronze medal with them in the 2023 and 2025 editions.

Zahradka took part in the 2025 Gridiron Nations Championship, where he led the Italian team to the silver medal, finishing behind Canada.

Flag football

In flag football, Zahradka was part of the Italy national team at the 2022 World Games held in Birmingham, Alabama, where his team won silver. In September, he was appointed Global Flag Football ambassador by the IFAF and the NFL.

In 2025, Zahradka took part in the IFAF Men's European Flag Football Championship and helped Italy win the gold medal. This led his team to qualify for the 2026 IFAF Men's Flag Football World Championship, where they qualified for the flag football tournament of the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles by virtue of being a finalist. They finished second and lost to the United States in the final.

References

  1. 1 2 Elias Hoffmann (2022-10-30). "Luke Zahradka auch in der ELF QB der Seamen". Foot Bowl (in German). Retrieved 2023-02-01.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Italy's Ancona Dolphins Sign Head Coach, Quarterback & ex-NFL Linebacker for 2015". American Football International. December 8, 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "New Quarterback Luke Zahradka Ready to Lead GLS Ancona Dolphins". American Football International. February 24, 2015.
  4. 1 2 "Milano Seamen championship QB Luke Zahradka returns for Italy's 2018 season". American Football International. October 21, 2017.
  5. ↑ Seamen Milano. "Luke Zahradka è il nuovo QB per la stagione 2017 | Cisalfa Seamen Milano" (in Italian). Retrieved 2023-02-01.
  6. ↑ "European League of Football: Luke Zahradka and Milano Seamen part ways after six years". American Football International. November 9, 2023.
  7. ↑ hessenschau de, Frankfurt Germany (2023-11-13). "Luke Zahradka ist neuer Quarterback von Frankfurt Galaxy" (in German). Retrieved 2023-11-13.
  8. ↑ "Frankfurt Galaxy sign former Seamen quarterback Luke Zahradka | ELF". Archived from the original on 4 December 2023. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  9. ↑ "Colpo di mercato dei Frogs. E' Luke Zahradka il nuovo quarterback" (in Italian). Malpensa24. 25 October 2024.
  10. ↑ Stefano Villa. "Football americano, Luke Zahradka MVP degli Europei: il quarterback dell'Italia fa festa, trionfo totale" (in Italian). Retrieved 2023-02-01.
  11. ↑ "Svensk EM-förlust när Italien fick fira brons i Göteborg" (in Swedish). SWE3. 29 October 2023.
  12. ↑ "Italy And Canada Meet In International Friendly". International Federation of American Football. November 7, 2025.
  13. ↑ "Canada Survives Italian Comeback With a 20-17 GNC Opening Win". nationschampionship.com. November 9, 2025.
  14. ↑ "Team Canada claims Gridiron Nations Championship with victory over Germany". 3DownNation. 16 November 2025.
  15. ↑ "Mexico and USA win GOLD at The World Games 2022". IFAF. 15 July 2022. Retrieved 19 September 2026.
  16. ↑ "Results book Flag Football" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2023-02-01. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  17. ↑ "Milano Seamen QB Luke Zahradka named Global Flag Football Ambassador". American Football International. September 13, 2022.
  18. 1 2 "Italy's tackle-turned-flag football quarterback Luke Zahradka: "It's a great time to be a football player and fan"". Olympics.com. September 4, 2026.
  19. ↑ Preston, Michael (2025-12-24). "Italy and Great Britain Win Gold at IFAF Euro Flag". International Federation of American Football. Retrieved 2026-02-01.
  20. ↑ Smirnova, Lena (16 September 2026). "IFAF Flag Football World Championships 2026: Italy "go to bed with a giant smile" after securing men's quota to LA28". Olympics.com. Retrieved 19 September 2026.
  21. ↑ "Mondiali, Italia superata dagli Stati Uniti in finale: medaglia d'argento per gli azzurri a Düsseldorf" [World Championships: Italy defeated by the United States in the final: the Italians won a silver medal in Düsseldorf] (in Italian). CONI. 16 August 2026. Retrieved 19 September 2026.
  22. ↑ Gentile, Fabio (16 August 2026). "Mondiali Flag Football: Italia storico argento, vincono gli USA 46-26" [Flag Football World Championships: Historic silver for Italy; USA win 46-26.]. Touchdown Magazine (in Italian). Retrieved 19 September 2026.