{
  "id": 18012496,
  "title": "Former 49ers coach Jim Tomsula trying to boost American football in Europe",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/03/former-49ers-coach-jim-tomsula-trying-to-boost-american-football-in",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-11-03T19:50:23.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/former-49ers-coach-jim-tomsula-195023372.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Jim Tomsula, a former head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, is now attempting to expand American football's presence in Europe. Tomsula, who led the 49ers to a 5-11 record in the 2015 season, has taken on the role of CEO for the American Football League Europe (AFLE), which recently concluded its inaugural season. Tomsula, a native of Pennsylvania, began his coaching career in Europe in the late 1990s and has extensive experience with various European teams.\n\nCurrently, Tomsula is navigating the challenges of starting a new league, dealing with financial difficulties and uncertainty. Despite these obstacles, Tomsula remains optimistic and excited about the future of American football in Europe. He emphasizes that his approach is to adapt the American game to European cultures, rather than imposing American culture onto the sport.\n\nThe NFL is playing a record nine international games this season, with six matches in Europe. On Sunday, the Cincinnati Bengals will play against the Atlanta Falcons at Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. Tomsula was approached by the AFLE to take on this role previously, but ultimately accepted after his wife encouraged him to \"go all in.\" Tomsula's deep understanding of American football in Europe, honed through his coaching experiences with teams such as the England Monarchs, Scottish Claymores, and Berlin Thunder, makes him a strong candidate for the position.",
  "summary": "MADRID (AP) — A former San Francisco 49ers head coach who lasted one season on the job after replacing Jim Harbaugh is trying to make American football work in Europe.Jim Tomsula, who coached the 49ers to a 5-11 season in 2015, is leading one of the European leagues trying to capitalize on the growing interest in the sport abroad.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "Former 49ers coach Jim Tomsula trying to boost American football in Europe",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/03/former-49ers-coach-jim-tomsula-trying-to-boost-american-football-in-18015788",
        "published": "2026-11-03T19:53:54.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}