Football enthusiasts and Fox News personality Brian Kilmeade have kicked off a semi-professional team on Long Island.
The Kilmeade brothers, Brian, 61, and Jim, 63, who both played college football locally, are at the helm of this new venture.
“We aim to bring the New York Metro Long Island back to prominence in American football. About 90% of our players are from the area,” Jim shared in a post on Monday.
Named the “Fighting Tomcat,” the team honors the Grumman F-14 fighter jet—locally made and famously flown by Tom Cruise’s character in the classic film “Top Gun.”
The team’s general manager, Jim, began his journey in the National Premier Soccer League in Nassau County this past May.
Brian expressed unwavering confidence in Jim’s leadership, recalling their successful run with the Long Island Roughrider Club in the 1990s.
“No one recognized those players at first. Within five years, they were competing at the highest level,” said Brian.
“We could witness something similar once more,” he added about the Tomcats.
The Tomcats’ matches are played at Hofstra University, just a short distance from where Jim played before moving on to Long Island University.
Officially titled the American Football Club, they’ll be facing teams from Queens, parts of Connecticut, and the Albany region.
“In these leagues, there are often inconsistencies in quality. I was genuinely surprised by the level of play I observed,” Brian mentioned. “All the players are eager; they’re fighting for the chance to keep playing.”
The season kicked off in May, although the Tomcats were initially slated to launch in 2020—plans that were understandably disrupted by COVID. Now, the brothers are optimistic about future developments.
“Youth soccer costs a lot these days. We plan to establish a Youth Academy within the next year,” Jim noted.
“We aim to support all youth clubs on Long Island and welcome top talent regardless of their socioeconomic background,” he added.
Jim mentioned there’s already a local family interested in investing in the club but aims to cultivate a major name that will carry on the legacy of Long Island’s sporting history.
He cited goals of attracting noteworthy figures, like National Football Hall of Fame player Chris Armas, who’s a local success story from the area.
“We know the next generation of talent is here,” Jim remarked.
Bigger Goals
Kilmeade’s father, James, instilled a love of football in his sons from a young age but tragically passed away in a car accident in 1979 while Brian was gearing up for college.
“He may not have known much about the sport, but he loved our involvement and quickly became engaged,” Jim reflected.
Brian encouraged their father, an Irish immigrant, to coach at the Massapequa Soccer Club, leading him to dive into the sport through the local library and eventually help establish club rules.
Jim shared, “He was the one lining the fields early on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Our lives revolved around practices several times a week.”
After James’s death, Jim found himself stepping into a coaching role for Brian’s team as a 17-year-old high school senior.
“I have a feeling we’ll see the Tom Cats rise,” Brian commented.
“And this is just the start.”
