Sunday, February 12th the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers kick off in Super Bowl LVII. This week, America Domani looked through players, coaches, and front-office executives of Italian descent. We were able to find a member of each team that has Italian lineage.
Below are the names of the greatest Italians of the NFC East.
Italians of the NFC EAST
Dallas Cowboys: Marc Colombo
Marc Colombo played 11 seasons in the NFL as a right tackle for teams like the Chicago bears and Miami Dolphins. He was out of football for a while because of injuries but was signed by the Dallas Cowboys in 2005. He played a key role in one of the most successful offensive seasons in Cowboys history. Colombo helped the Cowboys achieve a record-tying 13 wins and the first NFC East title since 1998
New York Giants: Mark Bavaro
Born in 1963 in Boston, Mark Bavaro's family has Apulian origins. Bavaro started his football career at Notre Dame, where he played as a tight end. Mark was drafted in 1985 in round four by the New York Giants. He took part in the NFC Championship Game and then in Super Bowl XXI where he made a TD in the third quarter. Bavaro remained in New York until 1990. He had 39 TDs over the course of his career.
Philadelphia Eagles: Lou Giammona
Nephew of the great NFL coach Dick Vermeil, Giammona was drafted by the New York Jets in 1976. He played for the Philadelphia Eagles for five seasons. Giammona was on the 1980 Eagles that advanced to Super Bowl XV.
Washington Commanders: Vince Promuto
Vince Promuto played under Italian Coach Vince Lombardi during his one season with the Redskins in 1969. He started as a guard for the Washington commanders, after being drafted in the fourth round in 1960. Promuto played a total of 130 games in the NFL from 1960 to 1970. He was selected to go to the Pro Bowl in 1963 and 1964. He's now a member of the Ring of Fame for Washington.
AJ Forrisi
Assistant Editor for America Domani, AJ Forrisi is a Brooklyn-based writer and photographer. His work focuses on food, travel, sports, landscapes, and urban scenes. You can find him on Instagram @aj.photo.works.