The Gator Bowl was an American football stadium in Jacksonville, Florida. Originally built in 1927, all but a small portion was razed in 1994 in preparation for the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars' inaugural season; the reconstructed stadium became Jacksonville Municipal Stadium, now EverBank Stadium. The old stadium and its replacement have hosted the Gator Bowl, a post-season college football bowl game, since its inception in 1946. It also hosted the Florida–Georgia game, an annual college football rivalry game between the University of Florida and the University of Georgia, and was home to several professional sports teams, including the Jacksonville Sharks and Jacksonville Express of the World Football League (WFL), the Jacksonville Tea Men soccer team, and the Jacksonville Bulls of the United States Football League.
Archie Mason Griffin is an American former football running back who played with the Cincinnati Bengals in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons. He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes, and is the only two-time Heisman Trophy winner in NCAA history, 1974–1975, considered one of the greatest college football players of all time. Griffin won four Big Ten Conference titles with the Buckeyes and was the first player to ever start in four Rose Bowls. He was selected in the first round by the Bengals in the 1976 NFL draft.
Aaron Garcia is a former professional American football quarterback who played 19 seasons in the Arena Football League (AFL), from 1995 to 2014. He played college football at Washington State University before transferring to California State University, Sacramento. After retiring from the AFL, Garcia was named the head coach of the Las Vegas Outlaws in September 2014, and was formally introduced as the head coach of the Outlaws on October 11, 2014. Garcia is married to Bryn Garcia and has five children, Gigi, Bella, Anthony, Christian, and Jaxon.
Paul Edinger is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL draft. He played college football for the Michigan State Spartans.
Kristofor Lawrence Griffin is a former American football linebacker. He was originally signed by the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He played college football at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. His younger brother Kirby Griffin played in the Arena Football League (AFL). Now he resides in Katy, Texas where he works at Tays Junior high school as a boys' athletic coach.
Michael Shane Hollis is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL) from 1994 to 2003. He led the NFL in scoring and becoming the most accurate kicker in NFL history during that time. He spent most of his nine-year NFL career with the Jacksonville Jaguars, kicking for the team from 1995–2001 and setting several team records. He then played for the Buffalo Bills and New York Giants before initially retiring after an injury in 2003. He signed with the Jacksonville Sharks in 2022 after almost 20 years of retirement.
Jeron E. Harvey is a former arena football wide receiver. He was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football at Houston.
Demetrice A. Webb is an American former professional football player who was a defensive back. Webb played college football for the University of Florida before playing professionally for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL), the Philadelphia Soul of the AFL, and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL).
Alvin B. Wyatt is a former American football player and coach of football and basketball. He played professionally as a defensive back in the National Football League (NFL) with the Oakland Raiders, Buffalo Bills, and Houston Oilers and in World Football League (WFL) with the Jacksonville Sharks. Wyatt served as the head football coach at his alma mater, Bethune–Cookman University from 1997 to 2009 and Edward Waters College from 2013 to 2017, compiling a career college football coaching record of 100–92. He was also the head women's basketball coach at Bethune–Cookman from 1978 to 1996, tallying a mark of 245–201.
Jamarko Simmons is a former American football wide receiver. He was originally signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2009 but was cut after sustaining a leg injury that sidelined him for several weeks.
Micheaux Robinson is an American former professional football defensive back. He played college football at Otterbein College.
Jeffrey Hughley is a former American football wide receiver. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Tulsa Talons in 2010. He finished the season with over 1,000 and 28 touchdowns as a receiver.
Jomo Wilson is a former American football wide receiver. He played for the University of Toledo before transferring to Eastern Oregon University. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Central Valley Coyotes in 2007. In 2009, Wilson signed with the Boise Burn. He then moved on to the Jacksonville Sharks where he played for two years, 2010 and 2011. In 2011, Wilson hauled in 131 receptions for 1,737 yards and 44 touchdowns, helping his team win ArenaBowl XXIV.
Randy Degg is a former American football player. He played as a center for Northwood University. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Fort Wayne Fusion in 2007.
Isaac Morales is a former American football offensive lineman who is currently a varsity offensive line football coach at Allen D. Nease High School. He played guard for the University of Wyoming.
Justin Parrish is a former American football defensive end. He played as a defensive end and linebacker for Kent State University. He was signed as a free agent by the Jacksonville Sharks in 2010. Parrish attended a workout with the Washington Redskins in 2006, but did not make the team. Parrish began his professional career with the Ohio Valley Greyhounds of United Indoor Football.
Terrance Smith is a former American football defensive back and wide receiver. He played college football at South Carolina State. Smith was signed by the Jacksonville Sharks as an undrafted free agent in 2010.
Les Moss is an American football coach and current assistant head coach of the Bay Area Panthers in the Indoor Football League (IFL). He was the head coach of the Jacksonville Sharks of the Arena Football League (AFL) from 2010 to 2016 and the assistant head coach of the Albany Empire of the AFL from 2018 to 2019. He was the head coach of the IFL's Iowa Barnstormers for the 2021 season and the head coach of the IFL's Northern Arizona Wranglers from 2022 to 2024. He is the son of former NFL, AFL, CFL and NCAA head football coach Perry Moss, who is enshrined in the AFL Hall of Fame.
Thomas Eric Smith is an American former professional football running back who played one season with the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL) and one season for the Jacksonville Sharks of the World Football League (WFL).
Jeff Littlejohn is an American former professional football defensive lineman who played in the Arena Football League (AFL) for the San Jose SaberCats, Jacksonville Sharks and Georgia Force.
