The USFL is back.
After a 37-year hiatus, the eight-team USFL will first play a 10-week regular season that will begin on Saturday, April 16 with a prime-time matchup between the New Jersey Generals and the Birmingham Stallions. The league recently announced that their inaugural postseason will take place inside Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio starting on June 25. The top two teams from each division will play in the semifinals on the weekend of June 25, with the USFL Championship Game taking place on Sunday, July 3.
Before an ill-fated to move to the spring, the original version of the USFL was largely a success. Along with implementing several innovations, the original USFL produced several future prominent NFL figures that included future Bills coach Marv Levy, quarterbacks Steve Young and Jim Kelly, running back Herschel Walker, pass rusher Reggie White, linebacker Sam Mills, and offensive lineman Gary Zimmerman, among others. The new version of the USFL will also include some ground-breaking rules changes while offering fans a chance to watch and enjoy spring football.
With kickoff less than a week away, here's everything you need to know to get ready.
Teams
North Division
- Michigan Panthers (coach Jeff Fisher)
- New Jersey Generals (coach Mike Riley)
- Philadelphia Stars (coach Bart Andrus)
- Pittsburgh Maulers (coach Kirby Wilson)
South Division
- Birmingham Stallions (coach Skip Holtz)
- Houston Gamblers (coach Kevin Sumlin)
- New Orleans Breakers (coach Larry Fedora)
- Tampa Bay Bandits (coach Todd Haley)
Schedule overview
Week 1
| Matchup | Date/Time | Network/Streaming |
|---|---|---|
New Jersey Generals at Birmingham Stallions | Apr. 16, 7:30 p.m. ET | Fox, NBC, fuboTV, try it for free |
Houston Gamblers at Michigan Panthers | Apr. 17, 12 p.m. ET | NBC, fuboTV |
Philadelphia Stars at New Orleans Breakers | Apr. 17, 4 p.m. ET | USA, fuboTV |
Tampa Bay Bandits at Pittsburgh Maulers | Apr. 17, 8 p.m. ET | FS1, fuboTV |
Week 2
| Matchup | Date/Time | Network/Streaming |
|---|---|---|
Michigan Panthers at New Jersey Generals | Apr. 22, 8 p.m. ET | USA, fuboTV |
Pittsburgh Maulers at Philadelphia Stars | Apr. 23, 12 p.m. ET | Fox, fuboTV |
Birmingham Stallions at Houston Gamblers | Apr. 23, 7 p.m. ET | FS1, fuboTV |
New Orleans Breakers at Tampa Bay Bandits | Apr. 24, 3 p.m. ET | NBC, fuboTV |
Week 3
| Matchup | Date/Time | Network/Streaming |
|---|---|---|
Tampa Bay Bandits at Houston Gamblers | April 30, 4 p.m. ET | Fox, fuboTV |
Pittsburgh Maulers at Michigan Panthers | April 30, 8 p.m. ET | Fox, fuboTV |
Birmingham Stallions at New Orleans Breakers | May 1, 2:30 p.m. ET | USA, fuboTV |
New Jersey Generals at Philadelphia Stars | May 1, 8 p.m. ET | Peacock |
Week 4
| Matchup | Date/Time |
|---|---|
New Jersey Generals at Pittsburgh Maulers | May 6-8, TBA |
Houston Gamblers at New Orleans Breakers | May 6-8, TBA |
Philadelphia Stars at Michigan Panthers | May 6-8, TBA |
Tampa Bay Bandits at Birmingham Stallions | May 6-8, TBA |
Week 5
| Matchup | Date/Time |
|---|---|
Birmingham Stallions at Philadelphia Stars | May 13-15, TBA |
Michigan Panthers at Tampa Bay Bandits | May 13-15, TBA |
New Orleans Breakers at New Jersey Generals | May 13-15, TBA |
Pittsburgh Maulers at Houston Gamblers | May 13-15, TBA |
Week 6
| Matchup | Date/Time |
|---|---|
Houston Gamblers at New Jersey Generals | May 21-22, TBA |
Michigan Panthers at Birmingham Stallions | May 21-22, TBA |
Pittsburgh Maulers at New Orleans Breakers | May 21-22, TBA |
Tampa Bay Bandits at Philadelphia Stars | May 21-22, TBA |
Week 7
| Matchup | Date/Time |
|---|---|
Birmingham Stallions at Pittsburgh Maulers | May 28-29, TBA |
New Jersey Generals at Tampa Bay Bandits | May 28-29, TBA |
New Orleans Breakers at Michigan Panthers | May 28-29, TBA |
Philadelphia Stars at Houston Gamblers | May 28-29, TBA |
Week 8
| Matchup | Date/Time |
|---|---|
Houston Gamblers at Birmingham Stallions | June 11-12, TBA |
New Jersey Generals at Michigan Panthers | June 11-12, TBA |
Philadelphia Stars at Pittsburgh Maulers | June 11-12, TBA |
Tampa Bay Bandits at New Orleans Breakers | June 11-12, TBA |
Week 9
| Matchup | Date/Time |
|---|---|
Houston Gamblers at Birmingham Stallions | June 11-12, TBA |
New Jersey Generals at Michigan Panthers | June 11-12, TBA |
Philadelphia Stars at Pittsburgh Maulers | June 11-12, TBA |
Tampa Bay Bandits at New Orleans Breakers | June 11-12, TBA |
Week 10
| Matchup | Date/Time |
|---|---|
Birmingham Stallions at Tampa Bay Bandits | June 18-19, TBA |
Michigan Panthers at Pittsburgh Maulers | June 18-19, TBA |
New Orleans Breakers at Houston Gamblers | June 18-19, TBA |
Philadelphia Stars at New Jersey Generals | June 18-19, TBA |
Playoffs
| Matchup | Date/Time | Network/Streaming |
|---|---|---|
TBA | June 25, 3 p.m. ET | Fox, fuboTV |
TBA | June 25, 8 p.m. ET | NBC/Peacock, fuboTV |
Championship
| Matchup | Date/Time | Network/Streaming |
|---|---|---|
TBA | July 3, 7:30 p.m. ET | Fox, fuboTV |
Notable players
- ILB Scooby Wright, Stallions: Wright has played for three NFL teams along with stints in the AAF and XFL. He was college football's top linebacker at Arizona in 2014, when he tallied 14 sacks, six forced fumbles, 163 tackles and 29 tackles for loss. An injury in 2015 limited him to just three games.
- WR Jeff Badet, Panthers: Badet spent parts of the past two seasons with Washington, Atlanta and Las Vegas. He also had a brief stint in the XFL in 2020. The 6-foot wideout put up solid numbers in college, where he caught 108 passes and 10 touchdowns during his time at Kentucky and Oklahoma. A big-play threat, Badet averaged 16.5 yards per catch in college that included a whopping 21.6-yard average in 2016.
- QB Shea Patterson, Panthers: The former Ole Miss and Michigan quarterback joins the Panthers after previously spending time with the Chiefs, BC Lions, and Montreal Alouettes. The top pick in the USFL Draft, Patterson threw for 68 touchdowns against 27 interceptions during his time time in college.
- QB Paxton Lynch, Panthers: Michigan has arguably the USFL's best quarterback situation. The 26th overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, Lynch made four starts over his two seasons with the Broncos. He spent parts of the 2019-20 seasons with the Seahawks and Steelers before spending the 2021 season with the Canadian Football League's Saskatchewan Roughriders. In college, the 6-foot-7 Lynch threw 59 touchdown and 23 touchdowns for Memphis.
- WR John Franklin III, Bandits: One of the main stars of the Netflix hit Last Chance U, Franklin switched from quarterback to receiver upon joining the Bears as a free agent in 2018. He was a Super Bowl ring with the Buccaneers in 2020 despite not playing a snap that season.
- QB Jordan Ta'amu, Bandits: Ta'amu spent three weeks with Houston in 2019 before continuing his pro career with the XFL's BattleHawks. He then had multiple stints with Kansas City and Detroit while also spending time with Washington and Carolina. In college, Ta'amu enjoyed success in 2017 after replacing Patterson, who suffered an injury during his final year at Ole Miss. As the team's starter in 2018, Ta'amu threw for 3,918 yards with 19 touchdowns and eight picks. Only Tua Tagovailoa threw for more yards among SEC quarterbacks that season.
- WR Eli Rodgers, Bandits: The former Louisville receiver served as Ben Roethlisberger's No. 2 wideout in Pittsburgh during the 2016 season. While on the small side, Rogers proved his touchness with the Steelers by absorbing punishment over the middle. He also made several big plays that included a game-winning touchdown catch in a 2016 win over the Bengals.
- QB Bryan Scott, Stars: The USFL is the perfect league for a player like Scott, a quarterback who may have landed his first big break in pro football. Scott earned a tryout with the Chiefs in 2018 after an impressive pro day at USC. His success in The Spring League led to him earning a tryout with the Colts in February of 2021. In college, Scott was a big fish in a small pond while playing for California's Occidental College, where he threw for 77 touchdowns and just 22 interceptions.
- OLB Jordan Moore, Stars: A track star in college, the 6-foot-3, 227-pound Moore played safety at the University of Texas-San Antonio. He showcased his speed by running a 4.37 in the 40-yard dash.
- WR Brennan Eagles, Stars: A big target at 6-foot-4, and 229 pounds, Eagles averaged 16.8 yards per catch during his time at Texas. Eagles and Scott could evolve into one of the league's top passing duos.
- CB Channing Stribling, Stars: A veteran of four different pro football leagues, Stribling picked off six passes during his final two seasons at Michigan.
- RB Mike Weber, Generals. The former Ohio State Buckeye has played for four NFL teams since the Cowboys drafted him in the sixth round back in 2019. The 5-foot-10, 214-pound Weber enjoyed a standout career at Ohio State, where he rushed for 2,676 yards and 24 touchdowns during his final three seasons in Columbus.
- QB Kyle Lauletta, Maulers: One of FCS's top quarterbacks, Lauletta amassed over 10,000 passing yards and nearly 90 touchdowns passes for Richmond. He was the Giants' fourth-round pick in the 2018 Draft after being named MVP of that year's Senior Bowl.
- OT Avery Gennesy, Gamblers: A former Aggie, Gennesy will be reunited with his former college coach in Houston. He was one of the XFL's best lineman while playing an integral role in quarterback PJ Walker's success.
Key rules to know
The original USFL included several groundbreaking rule changes that were ultimately adapted by the NFL. Instant replay and coach's challenges were two of the USFL's rules that the NFL added, and they continue to play a prevalent role in today's game. The new USFL will also have several rules that will differentiate it from the NFL. Here are the most notable rule changes the USFL will roll out this spring.
- 3-point try
After scoring a touchdown, USFL teams will have the choice of going for 1, 2 or 3 points. An extra point is the same as it is in the NFL: teams will kick from the 15-yard-line. A two-point conversation will take place from the 2-yard-line. A three-point try, something that the NFL currently does not have, will take place from the 10-yard line. If a team successfully scores on the play, they were be awarded three points, which means that a team can score as many as nine points after scoring a touchdown.
EXTRA POINTS 💪
— USFL (@USFL) March 23, 2022
In the USFL you can go for 1, 2 or 3 points after scoring a touchdown 🏟 pic.twitter.com/vtcmxsmx9H
- Onside kick alternative
While onside kicks are still an option, the USFL will also offer second option for teams that want to try to maintain possession after a score. Teams can choose to try convert one 4th-and-12 play from the 33-yard-line. If they can get 12 yards, they will keep the ball. If they come up short, the opposing team will take possession. The NFL toyed with a similar idea during the Pro Bowl, as teams had a chance to maintain possession if they were able to convert on a 4th-and-15 play from their own 25-yard-line.
- Clock stoppages
Unlike the NFL, the clock will stop following a first down during the final two minutes of the second and fourth quarters. According to the league, this should create more offensive plays during the end of each half while "adding excitement before halftime and at the end of the game."
- Overtime shootout
USFL overtimes will feature a best-of-three scoring format where each offense will get the ball at the opponent's 2-yard-line. If the two teams are still tied after three attempts, overtime will go into sudden death.
Rules are HERE 🔥
— USFL (@USFL) March 23, 2022
First up: An Overtime like you've never seen before ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/6aGRsUalGt
