What is the USFL? Teams, rosters, schedule, rules & more for the 2022 football league reboot

Jacob Camenker

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What is the USFL? Teams, rosters, schedule, rules & more for the 2022 football league reboot image

The USFL hasn't played a game since the league folded in 1985. But in 2022, the spring league is returning — or at least a version of it is.

The new USFL is unrelated to the USFL of old, but its goal is largely the same. The league wants to capitalize on the void during the NFL offseason when minimal action is taking place by playing live football games.

The major difference between the new league and the old one is that the new one knows it cannot survive challenging the NFL.

What should you know about the USFL ahead of its launch in 2022? Below is all of the information about the new spring start-up, from its team names to its coaches to the history of the USFL brand.

MORE: Ranking the best, worst uniforms for the USFL teams in 2022

What is the USFL?

The USFL is the latest spring start-up league that will play its first season in 2022. The league features eight teams that will play a 10-week regular season and two-week postseason to determine a champion.

The new USFL is of no relation to the original USFL, which played from 1983 to 1985. However, it does own the trademarks that belonged to the old league. That's why the eight teams are named after original USFL teams and contain similar — and in some cases, identical — branding to them.

Fox Sports owns a minority stake in the news USFL and will broadcast all of the league's games along with NBC's family of networks (NBC, USA and Peacock).

Brian Woods, the founder of another spring start-up called The Spring League, will be the president of the USFL. Darryl Johnston will be the executive vice president of football operations with Mike Pereira serving as the head of officiating.

What was the original USFL?

The original USFL was a league that was founded in 1982 and played three seasons from 1983 through 1985. It folded in 1986 after it planned an ill-fated move to the Fall to challenge the NFL.

The USFL found a lot of success during its three-year run, as it lured stars like Herschel Walker, Jim Kelly, Steve Young, Reggie White and Sam Mills away from the NFL and produced a solid on-field product. However, issues with profitability, inconsistent membership and the Donald Trump-led decision to compete directly with the NFL led to its demise.

Eighteen different teams played in the USFL and several of them played in multiple locations during the league's three-year history. The Michigan Panthers won the first USFL championship game while the Philadelphia Stars won the next two, the latter of which came after they moved to Baltimore in 1985.

USFL team names for 2022

  • Birmingham Stallions
  • Houston Gamblers
  • Michigan Panthers
  • New Jersey Generals
  • New Orleans Breakers
  • Philadelphia Stars
  • Pittsburgh Maulers
  • Tampa Bay Bandits
(SN illustration)

USFL coaches, players, rosters for 2022

The USFL's inaugural draft was completed in February, as each of the eight franchises selected 35 players for their rosters. Sporting News tracked the results of that draft.

The league also held a supplemental draft in March during which the eight teams selected 10 more players each to fill out the back end of their rosters and practice squads. In total, there will be 360 players on USFL rosters to begin the 2022 season.

Birmingham Stallions

  • Head coach/GM: Skip Holtz

Long-time college coach Skip Holtz will be leading the Stallions in 2022. Holtz began his coaching career as a graduate assistant under the legendary Bobby Bowden at Florida State in 1988. He also worked under his father, Lou Holtz, while he was the head coach at Notre Dame.

The younger Holtz, 58, has been a college head coach four times during his career. He spent time at UConn, East Carolina, South Florida and Louisiana Tech. He posted a 64-50 record during his nine years at Louisiana Tech and will hope his solid experience can translate to the USFL.

Houston Gamblers

  • Head coach/GM: Kevin Sumlin

Sumlin is best known for his successful six-year stint as the head coach at Texas A&M. He helped turn the Aggies into a perennial SEC contender and led them to an 11-2 record and Cotton Bowl win in his first season, during which Johnny Manziel and Mike Evans were two of college football's biggest stars.

Before Texas A&M, Sumlin posted a 35-17 record at Houston. After Texas A&M moved on from Sumlin and hired Jimbo Fisher, Sumlin went to Arizona where he struggled. The Wildcats went 9-20 under his tutelage and were 0-5 in 2020 before Sumlin was fired.

Sumlin, 57, spent 2021 out of coaching but will hope to bounce back with the Gamblers. He posted a record of 86-43 at Houston and Texas A&M, so perhaps returning to the state of Texas will spark him.

Michigan Panthers

  • Head coach/GM: Jeff Fisher

Fisher, 64, is the most recognizable name among the USFL's coaches. He spent 35 years in the NFL as both a player and a coach. He was a seventh-round pick by the Bears in 1981 but transitioned to coaching in 1985 while on IR for the Super Bowl 20-winning Bears.

From there, Fisher would hold several notable assistant positions under legends like Buddy Ryan, George Seifert and Jack Pardee, who coached the Gamblers in the original USFL. Fisher was the youngest defensive coordinator in the NFL in 1988 at age 30 and eventually became the head coach of the Oilers (now the Titans) in 1995. He held onto that role for 16 years before spending five years as the coach of the Rams.

Fisher posted a 173-165-1 record during the regular season as an NFL coach and took the Titans to Super Bowl 34 in 2000. He will now look to turn the Panthers into a defensive juggernaut, as the Titans were under his best years coaching them.

New Jersey Generals

  • Head coach/GM: Mike Riley

Riley has been involved in each of the last three start-up spring leagues. He coached the San Antonio Commanders in the AAF during the 2019 season, was the offensive coordinator for the Seattle Dragons in the XFL in 2020 and now will coach the Generals in the USFL.

Riley's first head coaching job came for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 1987. He coached there for four years and helped them to win two Grey Cups. Eventually, the 64-year-old moved on to coach at Oregon State for a couple of years before a three-year stint as the Chargers' coach. He went just 14-34 in the NFL and eventually returned to the Beavers during a successful 11-year stint with the team from 2003 to 2014.

During his most recent college stop, Riley coached at Nebraska and posted a 19-19 record. He was replaced by Scott Frost following the 2017 season and has been working in the spring start-up leagues since.

New Orleans Breakers

  • Head coach/GM: Larry Fedora

If you're looking for a team that will put up a lot of offense in the USFL, look no further than New Orleans. Fedora is a big fan of the spread offense and will likely rely on his passing offense, led by quarterback Kyle Sloter, to carry the team.

Fedora, 59, coached under Ron Zook at Florida and Mike Gundy at Oklahoma State before becoming head coach at Southern Miss. Fedora helped develop Austin Davis into an NFL quarterback and his offenses averaged at least 30.6 points per game in each of his first four years with the Golden Eagles.

Fedora then moved on to UNC, where he continued to generate strong offensive numbers. His first six Tar Heels teams all averaged at least 30 points per game with two averaging more than 40. He turned Mitchell Trubisky into the No. 2 pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, too.

However, Fedora's defenses struggled at UNC and when the offense (comparatively) dried up in his final two seasons, those proved to be his downfall. He will need to improve in that area to find success in the USFL.

Philadelphia Stars

  • Head coach/GM: Bart Andrus

Andrus' name will likely be the least familiar to those tuning into the USFL, but he has plenty of professional experience. The 64-year-old made his name coaching in NFL Europe, where he led the Amsterdam Admirals to two World Bowl appearances and one win.

In addition to his experience in NFL Europe, Andrus worked under Jeff Fisher with the Oilers/Titans as an offensive assistant and quarterbacks coach. He also coached the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL in 2009 and has coached in the UFL, The Spring League and was poised to coach the XFL's Team 9 before the league ceased operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pittsburgh Maulers

  • Head coach/GM: Kirby Wilson

Wilson rivals Jeff Fisher in terms of overall NFL experience. While Wilson wasn't in the league quite as long as Fisher, he has been a part of numerous organizations during his career and has seen how they all worked.

Wilson first came to the NFL in 1997 after he spent 11 years coaching at the high school and college levels. The Patriots hired him as a running backs coach and he carved out a niche in that role across the NFL. Wilson, 60, coached running backs for Washington as well as the Buccaneers, Cardinals, Steelers, Vikings, Browns and Raiders during his 23 seasons in the NFL. His longest stint was his seven years in Pittsburgh, and that's why he was tapped to coach the Maulers.

During his career, Wilson has coached the likes of Adrian Peterson, Emmitt Smith, Edgerrin James and many more. He will look to turn the Maulers into an aptly-named, ground-dominant attack led by Garrett Groshek.

Tampa Bay Bandits

  • Head coach/GM: Todd Haley

At 55 years old, Haley is the youngest coach in the USFL. He also has relevant NFL experience, as he was the head coach of the Chiefs from 2009 to 2011 and has also spent time as the offensive coordinator for the Cardinals, Steelers and Browns during his career.

Haley posted just a 19-26 record as a head coach with the Chiefs. He is known as an aggressive coach and has had spats with his players, including Kurt Warner, over the years. That said, he led both Warner and Ben Roethlisberger to some of their best professional seasons — including four straight Pro Bowls for Big Ben — so perhaps he can get the most out of Bandits quarterbacks Jordan Ta'amu and Brady White.

USFL 2022 schedule

The USFL has announced its full 10-game schedule for 2022. The 10-week season will run from April 16 through June 19 with 40 total regular-season games. There will then be three playoff games — two divisional playoffs and one championship game — that will take place in late June and early July.

So far, the league has announced dates, times and channels for the first three weeks of its games. They have released the matchups for each of the final seven weeks of the season but they have not yet announced on which network each matchup will air.

Week 1

Saturday, April 16

Game Kickoff time TV channel
New Jersey Generals at Birmingham Stallions 7:30 p.m. ET Fox, NBC, Peacock

Sunday, April 17

Game Kickoff time TV channel
Houston Gamblers at Michigan Panthers 12 p.m. ET NBC, Peacock
Philadelphia Stars at New Orleans Breakers 4 p.m. ET USA
Tampa Bay Bandits at Pittsburgh Maulers 8 p.m. ET FS1

Week 2

Friday, April 22

Game Kickoff time TV channel
Michigan Panthers at New Jersey Generals 8 p.m. ET USA

Saturday, April 23

Game Kickoff time TV channel
Pittsburgh Maulers at Philadelphia Stars 12 p.m. ET Fox
Birmingham Stallions at Houston Gamblers 7 p.m. ET FS1

Sunday, April 24

Game Kickoff time TV channel
New Orleans Breakers at Tampa Bay Bandits 3 p.m. ET NBC

Week 3

Saturday, April 30

Game Kickoff time TV channel
Pittsburgh Maulers at Michigan Panthers 4 p.m. ET Fox
Tampa Bay Bandits at Houston Gamblers 8 p.m. ET Fox

Sunday, May 1

Game Kickoff time TV channel
Birmingham Stallions at New Orleans Breakers 2:30 p.m. ET USA
New Jersey Generals at Philadelphia Stars 8 p.m. ET Peacock

The USFL has not yet announced its full TV schedule beyond Week 3. The matchups will be but below are the matchups for the rest of the 2022 regular season as well as the expected TV schedule for each week.

Week 4

Matchups

  • New Jersey Generals at Pittsburgh Maulers
  • Houston Gamblers at New Orleans Breakers
  • Philadelphia Stars at Michigan Panthers
  • Tampa Bay Bandits at Birmingham Stallions

Friday, May 6

Game Kickoff time TV channel
TBD 10 p.m. ET FS1

Saturday, May 7

Game Kickoff time TV channel
TBD 2:30 p.m. ET USA
TBD 10 p.m. ET FS1

Sunday, May 8

Game Kickoff time TV channel
TBD 2 p.m. ET NBC, Peacock

Week 5 (May 13-15)

Matchups

  • Birmingham Stallions at Philadelphia Stars
  • Michigan Panthers at Tampa Bay Bandits
  • New Orleans Breakers at New Jersey Generals
  • Pittsburgh Maulers at Houston Gamblers

Friday, May 13

Game Kickoff time TV channel
TBD 8 p.m. ET USA

Saturday, May 14

Game Kickoff time TV channel
TBD 3 p.m. ET Fox

Sunday, May 15

Game Kickoff time TV channel
TBD 12 p.m. ET NBC, Peacock
TBD 4 p.m. ET Fox

Week 6

Matchups

  • Houston Gamblers at New Jersey Generals
  • Michigan Panthers at Birmingham Stallions
  • Pittsburgh Maulers at New Orleans Breakers
  • Tampa Bay Bandits at Philadelphia Stars

Saturday, May 21

Game Kickoff time TV channel
TBD 1 p.m. ET NBC, Peacock
TBD 7:30 p.m. ET NBC, Peacock

Sunday, May 22

Game Kickoff time TV channel
TBD 12 p.m. ET FS1
TBD 4 p.m. ET Fox

Week 7

Matchups

  • Birmingham Stallions at Pittsburgh Maulers
  • New Jersey Generals at Tampa Bay Bandits
  • New Orleans Breakers at Michigan Panthers
  • Philadelphia Stars at Houston Gamblers

Saturday, May 28

Game Kickoff time TV channel
TBD 12 p.m. ET USA
TBD 9 p.m. ET FS1

Sunday, May 29

Game Kickoff time TV channel
TBD 2 p.m. ET Fox
TBD 8 p.m. ET Peacock

Week 8

Matchups

  • Houston Gamblers at Tampa Bay Bandits
  • Michigan Panthers at Philadelphia Stars
  • New Orleans Breakers at Birmingham Stallions
  • Pittsburgh Maulers at New Jersey Generals

Friday, June 3

Game Kickoff time TV channel
TBD 8 p.m. ET USA

Saturday, June 4

Game Kickoff time TV channel
TBD 3 p.m. ET Fox

Sunday, June 5

Game Kickoff time TV channel
TBD 12 p.m. ET Fox
TBD 4 p.m. ET Peacock

Week 9

Matchups

  • Houston Gamblers at Birmingham Stallions
  • New Jersey Generals at Michigan Panthers
  • Philadelphia Stars at Pittsburgh Maulers
  • Tampa Bay Bandits at New Orleans Breakers

Saturday, June 11

Game Kickoff time TV channel
TBD 1 p.m. ET NBC, Peacock
TBD 6 p.m. ET USA

Sunday, June 12

Game Kickoff time TV channel
TBD 4 p.m. ET Fox
TBD 8:30 p.m. ET FS1

Week 10

Matchups

  • Birmingham Stallions at Tampa Bay Bandits
  • Michigan Panthers at Pittsburgh Maulers
  • New Orleans Breakers at Houston Gamblers
  • Philadelphia Stars at New Jersey Generals

Saturday, June 18

Game Kickoff time TV channel
TBD 1 p.m. ET NBC, Peacock
TBD 6 p.m. ET USA

Sunday, June 19

Game Kickoff time TV channel
TBD 4 p.m. ET Fox
TBD 8:30 p.m. ET FS1

USFL playoffs schedule 2022

The USFL playoffs will take place immediately after the conclusion of the regular season. The first round of the playoffs will take place on Saturday, June 25 with the top two teams in each division facing off. The No. 1 team in the North division will host the division's No. 2 team while the same thing will happen in the South division. The winner of those two games will then face off in the USFL championship game on Sunday, July 3.

While the USFL's regular season will be played entirely in Birmingham, Ala., the playoff games will be at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio.

Saturday, June 25

Game Kickoff time TV channel
Semifinal No. 1 3 p.m. ET Fox
Semifinal No. 2 8 p.m. ET NBC, Peacock

Sunday, June 3

Game Kickoff time TV channel
North Champion vs. South Champion 7:30 p.m. ET Fox

Differences between USFL vs. NFL

Much like the AAF and XFL before it, the USFL will be experimenting with some rule changes to create excitement and intrigue around the new league. Seemingly, the USFL wants to put an emphasis on offense and create as many scoring opportunities for its teams as it can.

Below is a run-down of some of the key rule changes that you'll see during the USFL's first weekend.

— 3-point try. The USFL will allow teams to attempt a 3-point conversion from their 10-yard line if they desire. Teams will also have the option of attempting a traditional extra point from the 15-yard line or a 2-point conversion from the 2-yard line.

Once a team decides which conversion it wants to attempt, it cannot change its mind, even due to a penalty or a timeout. Additionally, if a team attempts a 3-point conversion and it is returned for a score by the other team, it is worth only two points.

— Game timing: The USFL will utilize a 35-second play clock and a 25-second clock after administrative stoppages. The NFL currently uses a 40-second play clock, so this change should, hypothetically, create more plays.

Additionally, the USFL is planning to stop the clock after first downs during the final two minutes of the second and fourth quarters. This will allow teams to save time on two-minute drills and, again, create more offensive plays.

— Onside kicks: USFL teams will be able to try onside kicks if they desire, but there is another alternative to them. Teams can also choose to run a fourth-and-12 play from their own 33-yard line — eight yards ahead of where an onside kick would be attempted.

If the team converts on the fourth-and-12, they keep the ball. If not, the defense gets the ball at the dead-ball spot.

— Kickoffs: This will be somewhat similar to the kickoff approach we saw in the XFL. The kicking team will kick off from their own 25-yard line. All of the kicking team's personnel must be lined up no further than 1-yard back from the 25 to avoid creating a running start.

Meanwhile, the receiving team must have eight of its blockers in the "set-up zone," which is located between the kicking team's 35- and 45-yard lines. The purpose of these formations is to create fewer opportunities for high-speed collisions on special teams.

A new twist to the kickoff is that once a ball travels 20 yards, the receiving team must be first to touch it. If no member of the receiving team touches it or a member of the kicking team touches it, it is a dead ball.

— Punts: On punts, gunners aren't allowed to line up outside the numbers and the receiving team can't double-team those players until the ball is kicked.

— OT shootout: The USFL is taking inspiration from both college football and the NHL by instituting a shootout for overtime games. What will that entail? If the game is tied after regulation, the teams alternate two-point conversion attempts from the 2-yard line in a best-of-three series. If no victor is decided within three attempts, we go to sudden death.

— Replay review: Each coach will get one challenge to use during the game. However, the replay crew will be able to overrule incorrect personal foul calls and have the power to determine if pass interference is intentional 15 or more yards beyond the line of scrimmage.

— Pass interference: Why does determining intentional pass interference matter so much? Well, in the USFL, pass interference is being officiated differently than it is in the NFL.

In cases of defensive pass interference where a player is intentionally tackled beyond 15 yards, it is a spot foul. For any other defensive pass interference infraction over 15 yards, it will be only a 15-yard penalty. Additionally, pass interference calls within 15 yards of the line of scrimmage will be assessed as spot fouls.

Meanwhile, on passes that don't cross the line of scrimmage, there are no offensive pass interference penalties. Nor are there ineligible man downfield penalties. So, if teams are throwing behind the line of scrimmage, blockers will be free to move downfield to set up opportunities to run after the catch.

— Two forward passes: This is a rule that the USFL is taking from the XFL. Teams are allowed to throw the ball forward twice so long as the first pass is completed behind the line of scrimmage and the second is thrown from behind the line of scrimmage.

— Sensors in the ball: The USFL is looking to accurately measure each first down. How are they doing that? They have sensors in the ball that will help officials decide whether the offensive team made the line to gain. It's similar to the system used to determine whether a ball is in or out in tennis.

Jacob Camenker

Jacob Camenker Photo

Jacob Camenker first joined The Sporting News as a fantasy football intern in 2018 after his graduation from UMass. He became a full-time employee with TSN in 2021 and now serves as a senior content producer with a particular focus on the NFL. Jacob worked at NBC Sports Boston as a content producer from 2019 to 2021. He is an avid fan of the NFL Draft and ranked 10th in FantasyPros’ Mock Draft Accuracy metric in both 2021 and 2022.