USFL: Six Things To Know For Playoff Weekend

By: Daniel May and Brendan Heffernan

The inaugural USFL playoffs and championship game will be played at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium on Saturday, June 25.

Here’s how you can enjoy the new league’s final two weekends to their fullest extent.

What is the USFL?

The USFL is a professional American football league that launched June 3, 2021 and played its first game April 16, 2022. 

There are Eight teams divided into two divisions, North and South, that make up the USFL; the New Jersey Generals, Philadelphia Stars, Michigan Panthers and Pittsburgh Maulers in the North Division; the Birmingham Stallions, New Orleans Breakers, Tampa Bay Bandits and Houston Gamblers in the South Division.

After 10 regular-season games the top two teams from each division (North: New Jersey, Philadelphia; South: Birmingham, New Orleans) earned the right to travel to the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio and compete for the league’s inaugural championship. 

How to Watch

The USFL struck a television deal with Fox Sports and NBC Sports in December 2021. The Fox networks agreed to carry 22 games while NBC’s family of networks agreed to put out 21 games. 

For the inaugural playoff weekend, Fox Sports will televise the 3 p.m. ET matchup between the New Jersey Generals and Philadelphia Stars while NBC will broadcast the 8 p.m. ET showdown between the Birmingham Stallions and New Orleans Breakers. 

USFL Rule Changes 

USFL football games feature several unique mechanics. Before the first season kicked off, league officials came up with an original rulebook in hopes of setting the USFL apart from past professional football leagues.  

Some notable rule changes include allowing two forward passes per play, giving teams the opportunity to attempt three-point conversions from the 10-yard line and retain possession after a score by converting a 4th & 12 conversion instead of recovering an onside kick. 

A complete list of USFL rule changes can be found here.

NFL Connections Within The USFL

Although the NFL has no affiliation with the USFL, many current USFL players and coaches had stints with NFL organizations. One of the most notable connections being Michigan Panthers Head Coach Jeff Fisher. Fischer coached a total of 22 seasons in the NFL, primarily with the Houston/Tennessee franchise, most notably leading the Titans to Super Bowl XXXIV.

Eye-catching USFL players who also played in the NFL include Paxton Lynch, Shea Patterson, Jordan Ta’amu and Trent Richardson.

Team Power Rankings

1.    Birmingham Stallions (9-1) - The Stallions sit in first place in the South Division with an overall record of 9-1. Led by interchangeable quarterbacks J’mar Smith and Alex McGough, the Stallions have the best record in the league.

2.    New Jersey Generals (9-1) – Although the Generals also have a 9-1 record, Birmingham holds the tie breaker after beating them in Week 1. Since that loss, however, the Generals have won nine straight and finished the regular season with the league’s best offense. 

3.    New Orleans Breakers (6-4) - The Breakers’ record puts them in the second seed in the South Division. The Breakers and Stallions matched up two times this year and although New Orleans dropped both games, it was only by a combined 10 points.

4.    Philadelphia Stars (6-4) - The Stars earned a spot in Canton by finishing the regular season on a 4-1 run. Their turnover differential of +8 and kick return average of 27.8 yards were both enough to lead their respective categories.

5.    Tampa Bay Bandits (4-6) - Quarterback Jordan Ta’amu led the league in passing yards (2,014), passing touchdowns (14), and overall points (90). The Bandits finished in third place in the South Division.

6.    Houston Gamblers (3-7) - After starting the year 1-7, the Gamblers won back-to-back games against the Birmingham Stallions and New Orleans Breakers. Their defense featured the league-leader in tackles (Donald Payne, 117) and the league-leader in sacks (Chris Odom, 12.5).

7.    Michigan Panthers (2-8) – The Panthers lead the league in passing yards per game (191.4) but finished with an overall record of 2-8. As a result of their victory over Pittsburgh in Sunday’s Week 10 matchup, the Panthers secured the first pick in each round of the 2023 USFL Draft. 

8.    Pittsburgh Maulers (1-9) – The Maulers only win of the year was a 21-20 victory over the Houston Gamblers in Week 5. Their overall record of 1-9 placed them last in the North Division. 

Regular Season Awards


The USFL announced its regular season award winners the morning of June 22nd. The league’s eight head coaches voted on four awards: USFL Most Valuable Player, Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and Coach of the Year. 

Generals Wide Receiver and Returner KaVontae Turpin won the inaugural USFL Most Valuable Player award, while teammate and star Running Back Darius Victor received Offensive Player of the Year honors. The coaches chose Houston Gamblers Defensive End Chris Odom for Defensive Player of the Year and New Jersey Head Coach Mike Riley for Coach of the Year.

Turpin led the league in receiving yards (540) and tied second in both receiving touchdowns (4) and punt return yards (184). He is also credited with the USFL’s first-ever punt return for a touchdown. 
 



Victor finished with ten total touchdowns in ten total games. He is third in the league in total rush yards with 577.
 

 



Odom led the league with 12.5 sacks and helped the Gamblers create a league-leading five defensive touchdowns.
 

 



Riley coached his team to a 9-1 overall record. He is credited with inventive play-calling and decisive mentality. 
 

 

 

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