This is the epic journey and the true story of…
The Golden Gladiator.
“I’ve had many a bruise on this body. But it is worth every second, to get out there with these great young men and share that sideline with them and share the field with the opposition is like an out-of-body experience at this stage of my life.”
Michael Lynch, wide receiver, Southwest Florida Gladiators
NOW AVAILABLE!
Myth? Urban Legend? Hero? Anti-Hero?
No, the true story of senior citizen Michael Lynch’s inspirational journey back to the gridiron . . . and glory, playing on one of the best semipro football teams in America and being coached by a former All-Pro and NFL veteran.
How It All Began
After seeing his nephew play in a high school All-Star game on Long Island during the summer of 2012, Michael has an epiphany . . . he wants to play football again. Once upon a time in the late sixties and early seventies he was a football star in high school and college and in the semi-pro leagues on Long Island. Now, forty years later he decides to turn back the clock and risk life and limb to play football again in one of the toughest semi-pro leagues in America, the Florida Football Alliance.
A Champion At 68
It is a story of courage, redemption, tragedy and love as he plays for four years and gets into over fifty football games. He will go on to be a game captain, named Honorable Mention on the 2014 Florida Football Alliance All Star team, and will be honored at the league’s banquet in his final year in 2018 for his inspiration and dedication to the game he loves. He will play on two championship teams in 2015 and 2018.
“It’s pretty amazing. Him doing this is major motivation for me. He is a source of inspiration.”
Dominic Fragomeni, Teammate
Placekicker, Southwest Florida Gladiators
Michael was inducted into the Guinness World Records in 2019 as the oldest American football player and the oldest American football to ever catch a touchdown pass, which he did at the age of sixty-eight.
