If you are looking for a well-run, competitive football team then look no further than the Southwest Florida Gladiators. With our large coaching staff and our history of winning, we are the perfect choice for the elite minor league football player.
Did you know that the Southwest Florida Gladiators have never failed to make the playoffs? Yes, that's right, we have made the playoffs every single season.
Did you know that our Head Coach and our Defensive coaches have been voted coach of the year 4 times?
Five Championships in 9 years is unmatched by any team in the league
If you are an elite player, then the Gladiators may be the team for you.
We practice Wednesday nights at 8pm at the 31st Sports Complex in St. Petersburg FL.
Come join the Gorrilla Gang, the Southwest Florida Gladiators
Call us at 727-744-0897
There is Still Time to Join the Gladiators for 2025
Gladiators Win! Gladiators Win! Gladiators Win!
5 Time FFA, FFA2.0, EAFL Champions!
5 Conference Championships | 7 Divisional Championships | Record of 72 - 10 since 2015 | 58 - 4 Since Coach Gerald Perry became Head Coach!
2025 SCHEDULE
Regular Season
2/22/25 vs Tarpon Springs Pirates
3/1/25 @ Florida Wave
3/8/25 vs West Coast Warriers
3/22/25 @ Palm Beach Capos
3/29/25 vs Miami Spartans
4/5/25 @ Hernando County Hawks
4/19/25 @ Miami Spartans
4/26/25 vs Palm Beach Capos
5/3/25 vs South Florida Wolverines
5/10/25 @ vs Highlands County Hurricanes
Playoffs
TBD
Red = a Forfeit Win
This is the 19th season for the Gladiators organization and the 9th Season for the Gladiators under the Southwest Florida Gladiators banner. This makes us the oldest minor league football team in existence in the state of Florida. That is something very special and something to be very proud of. Runing an minor league football team is a labor of love with many owners burning out and throwing in the towel after just a few seasons. But the Gladiators with 4 titles in the last 8 seasons, keep going strong.
The Gladiators started out under the name, Bradenton Gladiators. In 2014 the owners were looking to retire and passed the team onto Derek and Rose Greenwood who changed the name to Southwest Florida Gladiators to be more inclusive of players from all over.
In addition, in 2014 the Sarasota Millionaires folded which meant more players were available to join the SWFL Gladiators. By the time the season started in 2015 the SWFL Gladiators were made up of about 1/3 Bradenton Gladiators players, 1/3 Sarasota Millionaire players and about 1/3 new recruits. The remainder of the Bradenton Gladiators players and Sarasota Millionaire players were getting older and simply retired.
2015 turned out to be an exciting season the ended up with the SWFL Gladiators in the FFA Championship game. They faced the 2-time defending champion Magic City Bulls who were also ranked #1 in that nation at that time. The Gladiators were 14-point underdogs but that only made them more determined. By half time, the Gladiators were leading 38 – 0 and went on to coast to a blow-out victory. This was the second time a first-year owner made the FFA Championship game and the first time a rookie owner won.
In 2018 another big turn of events occurred. The Gladiators biggest rival, the Tampa Patriots, ended up losing their field and decided to merge into the Gladiators organization. This all occurred just a few weeks before the start of the season. The result was history. Not only did the Gladiators win the FFA Championship in 2018 but they did it again in 2019 and then again in 2021. The 2020 season was cancelled due to Covid. This was the first and only time a team has won a three peat in the top league in Florida.
In 2023, the Gladiators had the entire league shaking in their boots. The Gladiators chief rival, the West Coast Soldiers, decided to close shop and merge into the Gladiators organization. This brought in new talented coaches and players. The result, the Gladiators won the 2024 EAFL Championship.
Now in 2025, the Gladiators are once again working to build a winning team. After the 2024 Championship many older players decided to retire or go to a lower league to keep playing. This means that the Gladiators had to reload and are ready to go with young, fresh talent. But, mixed in with all of that young fresh talent are a host of experienced veterans. This mix of young and older players has served the Gladiators well in the past. In fact, the Gladiators are the winningest team of the past decade,
Only time will tell how the 2025 season goes. Will the Gladiators new young roster come together quickly and win right out of the gate? Or will it take a few weeks for them to start playing well together? Right now, we don't know but I am willing to bet that Coach Perry will have them in winning form in a hurry.
Don't miss a single game. Come and cheer the Gladiators on to victory in 2025.
Gladiator History and the 2025 Season