Tag: USFL

Former Browns QB selected 7th overall in USFL draft

Played well in training camp, returned to help when COVID hit the QB room and, now, the 7th pick in the USFL draft, an interesting year for a former Browns QB:

The Cleveland Browns went through a lot at the quarterback position in 2021. Baker Mayfield went toe to toe with Patrick Mahomes in Week 1, got hurt in Week 2 and things went downhill from there. Case Keenum stepped in for two games while Nick Mullens started a game when both Mayfield and Keenum were out with COVID-19.

Kyle Lauletta also had an interesting season with the Browns. He looked good in training camp but was cut during the final moves to get to the initial 53-man roster. Instead of grabbing the practice squad QB job, Cleveland brought in Mullens instead.

Lauletta caught on with the Jacksonville Jaguars as a part of their practice squad until the Browns needs at the position brought him back as a part of their 53-man roster in mid-December. Cleveland waived him again on January 4th.

Tuesday night, the new USFL held their draft and Lauletta was selected seventh overall going to Pittsburgh:

Despite quarterbacks being each team’s first pick, Lauletta is the name likely known by most fans. After being drafted in the fourth round by the New York Giants, the small school product only played in two games so far in his NFL career.

Those two games are two more than any other quarterback selected in the first round of the USFL draft. Lauletta is also the highest NFL draft pick among those eight.

After a good showing in the preseason with Cleveland last year, Lauletta should get a chance to shine in the USFL which kicks off in mid-April and has a championship game in early July.

Five former Ohio State players who may be selected in the USFL Draft

Five former Ohio State players who may be selected in the USFL draft #GoBucks #USFL

The United States Football League is back and I have never been more excited. If you are not familiar with the greatness that was the USFL, please take a second to dive into the history. The USFL has had some exciting talent in its former glory including Steve Young, Herschel Walker, and Reggie White. They all shined before heading to the NFL, but like most leagues, they could not compete with the financial juggernaut that is the NFL.

If you are curious which former Ohio State players shined in the original version of the league, have no fear that information is here. Now, it is highly unlikely that this league will be as successful as the original based purely on the money available, but hey I have no problem watching any kind of football year-round. The following are five former Buckeyes that could hear their name called during the USFL draft.

USFL draft pool includes at least one former Broncos player

Ahmad Gooden played in three games for the Broncos in 2019, totaling one tackle and one QB hit.

The USFL draft will be held on Tuesday evening, but the league has not revealed the pool of players eligible for selection.

Many of the players in the draft pool have been leaked, however, and at least one former Denver Broncos player is eligible for selection.

Outside linebacker Ahmad Gooden, who spent one season in Denver, is part of the USFL draft class, according to SGPN’s Michael Del Negro.

Gooden (6-2, 245 pounds) signed with the Broncos as an undrafted free agent out of Samford in 2019. He appeared in three games as a rookie, totaling one tackle and one quarterback hit.

After failing to make Denver’s 53-man roster in 2020, Gooden went on to spent time with the New York Jets before a brief stint with the Buffalo Bills. He played for the TSL Conquerors in The Spring League last year.

Gooden is presumably attempting to get back into the NFL, and playing in the USFL could help him get back on the radar of teams seeking OLB depth. The edge defender will turn 27 this fall.

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First look at new USFL jerseys and helmets for all 8 teams

The USFL is back and the jerseys are just as wild as you’d expect

Like most things in pop culture these days, the United States Football League is getting a reboot.

Unlike its predecessor, the league will feature just eight teams instead of 18. The New Jersey Generals and Tampa Bay Bandits are back along with the Birmingham Stallions, Houston Gamblers, Philadelphia Stars, Pittsburgh Maulers, Michigan Panthers and New Orleans Breakers.

On Thursday, the new-look USFL—which begins play this spring—unveiled each team’s uniform and they are certainly embracing a level of creativity we don’t typically see in the NFL.

Fans will have a chance to see their team’s players finally try on the threads once the inaugural draft begins on Feb. 22 in Birmingham. Until then, the league’s models will have to do.

Here’s a preview of how each of the eight clubs will look once they take the field.

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When is the USFL draft?

When is the USFL draft? Right around the corner.

This spring will see the return of the United States Football League brand as the relaunch of the USFL will take form with eight teams competing against each other in a central location in Birmingham, Alabama. But before teams can take the field beginning in mid-April, rosters must be assembled. And the first major step toward organizing a roster is with a draft.

The USFL will hold a draft, or a “player selection meeting,” next week on Tuesday, Feb. 22 and Wednesday, Feb. 23. Teams will reportedly draft in a snake style for the inaugural USFL draft, and 38-man rosters will then be filled through free agency.

According to XFL News Hub, the USFL is expected to drop its draft pool from upward of thousands of players down to about 500 players. But the USFL creates a unique alternative for a number of college football players as well that may be worth paying attention to. The USFL will allow players to join their league as long as they have graduated high school by 2020. The USFL also has a program to help players continue pursuing an associate, bachelor’s or master’s degree through a program with Strayer and Capella University. SO, a college football player who may be having a tough time with the world of college football may see this as a viable alternative to continue getting an education while also being paid to play football.

This may not be the ultimate downfall of college football, but it could become something to pay attention to for players sitting in the transfer portal. And when the XFL starts back up again in 2023, tentatively, another potential alternative could come into play.

Of course, one of the first questions you may be asking is whether or not any Penn State players will be drafted or signed by a USFL franchise. There are reportedly 3,000 players eligible for the USFL draft pool, but records for what players have made themselves eligible vary and are lacking in details. But a quick search found no Penn State ties to the USFL draft that were easy to find. Regardless, we will be keeping n eye on the USFL draft and rosters to see if any former Nittany Lions get the call for the spring league.

Are you interested in the USFL? Will you be tracking the league’s progress, with or without any Penn State players on a roster? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section at the bottom of this post.

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Football season’s over, right? USFL says not so fast

The NFL season is over, but more football is on the way. The USFL will begin play in April following a draft later this month.

Following the Super Bowl last Sunday, American football fans will now be without their beloved sport until August … right?

Not so fast says the United States Football League, which is set to make a comeback (in name) this spring.

The original USFL ran from 1982-1986. The new league is not legally connected to the original, but the upstart has acquired many of the trademarks associated with the original USFL, so it will be a trip down memory lane for football fans of the 1980s.

The revised league will have teams from Alabama, Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Michigan, New Jersey, and two from Pennsylvania. In the first season, all eight teams will play regular season games in one central location (Birmingham, Alabama) and playoff games in another location (Canton, Ohio).

Jeff Fisher and Todd Haley are among the league’s inaugural coaches.

Fox and NBC have both signed up as broadcast partners for the league, so the games should be easy to watch. The first game will be played on April 16, with the season expected to run through mid-June.

The USFL’s draft will be held from Feb. 22-23, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see some former Denver Broncos players selected. Twelve ex-Broncos played in the XFL in 2020 before that league shut down due to COVID-19. The XFL is expected to return to play in 2023.

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USFL’s Michigan Panthers hire Jeff Fisher as head coach

Jeff Fisher will lead the Michigan Panthers when the USFL takes the field this spring

The Michigan Panthers are back in the newly reincarnated USFL, and the Panthers have themselves a recognizable head coach. On Thursday, the USFL announced that longtime NFL head coach Jeff Fisher will be in charge of the rebooted Panthers.

Fisher coached in the NFL for 22 seasons with the Oilers/Titans and Rams organizations. He posted a career record of 173-165-1 and advanced to the Super Bowl after the 1999 season as coach of the Titans. He last coached with the Rams in the 2016 season, fired midway through the first season of now-Lions QB Jared Goff’s time with the team.

The Panthers are “Michigan” in name only. All the USFL games will be played in Birmingham, Alabama later this spring, according to their press release.

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Jeff Fisher lands head coaching job in USFL and Twitter loves it

Jeff Fisher is back on the sidelines as a head coach in the USFL and Twitter is loving it

Jeff Fisher’s tenure as the Rams’ head coach from 2012-2016 caused a lot of disappointment among fans in St. Louis and eventually Los Angeles, but there’s a subset of NFL fans who love the former coach.

That’s why when it was announced on Thursday that Fisher will be the head coach of the Michigan Panthers in the USFL, those on Twitter struggled to contain their excitement.

In just 15 minutes, the Panthers’ announcement was retweeted more than 700 times and received over 2,000 likes.

During his time as the Rams’ head coach, Fisher went 31-45-1, failing to make the playoffs a single time. Sean McVay has already eclipsed his win total in five seasons, going 55-26 in the regular season with four playoff appearances and five postseason victories.

Nonetheless, fans love a good comeback story.

The responses to Fisher’s news were fantastic. It’s good to see the former Rams coach back on the sidelines, even if it is just in the USFL. Here are some of the reactions to his return, with many celebrating the news and others cracking 7-9 jokes.

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Jeff Fisher hired as head coach of USFL’s Michigan Panthers

This will be Fisher’s first head-coaching job since 2016.

Former Tennessee Titans head coach Jeff Fisher has been hired for the same role with the USFL’s Michigan Panthers, the team announced on Thursday.

For Fisher, this is his first head-coaching job since he was fired by the Los Angeles Rams during the 2016 season after four-plus years.

Prior to coaching the Rams, Fisher spent 17 seasons with the Titans/Oilers and remains the winningest coach in franchise history. He is also the only head coach to take the Titans to a Super Bowl.

In 22 total seasons as a head coach, Fisher has amassed a record of 173-165-1, and a playoff mark of 5-6.

More recently, Fisher was hired by Tennessee State as an advisor after the program hired his former running back, Eddie George, as head coach.

Last October, it was reported that Fisher was in the running for the USC job, but he did not end up getting it.

The 2022 USFL season is currently scheduled to begin on April 16th.

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