The United States Football League (USFL) is a professional American football minor league that began play on April 16, 2022. As of 2023, the league operates eight teams, seven of which are east of the Mississippi River; all eight teams bear the brands of teams from a previous incarnation of the United States Football League that operated from 1983 to 1985.
The league is currently owned by National Spring Football League Enterprises Co, LLC, a subsidiary of Fox Corporation's sports unit, Fox Sports in the United States. Although the league owns the trademarks of the old USFL, which operated for three seasons during the mid-1980s, the new USFL is not officially associated with that entity.
On September 28, 2023, the USFL announced its intention to merge with the XFL.
History
On June 3, 2021, it was announced that the United States Football League would be making a return and would begin its inaugural season in April 2022. Fox was also announced as a minority owner in the league. This was the fifth attempt to launch a league using USFL naming, including prior attempts in 1945, a league proposed in the 1960s by eventual 1980s USFL founder David Dixon, the aforementioned league that existed between 1983 and 1985, and in 2010.
On October 12, 2021, Tad Snider, the executive director of the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Authority, announced that the league was in serious discussions with the board of directors of the BJCC about the possibility of the USFL playing all of its games in Birmingham, Alabama. According to initial information, USFL players/staff would be housed in Birmingham during the season for an estimated economic impact of about $15 million (47,000 hotel nights), while the league would play the bubble season at Protective Stadium and Legion Field. The "bubble" setup may possibly continue in the league's second year, with as many as four teams playing in Birmingham and as many as four in their respective cities. The teams would then be expected to play in their own cities by Season 3.
The proposal included an eight-team 10-week season with two additional playoff rounds, from April 16 through July 3, 2022, with the broadcast proposal as follows: 25% each on Fox, NBC, FS1 and USA. Later on December 15, 2021, Fox and NBC had finalized their agreement. NBC announced that it would air nine games on NBC itself, eight on USA, and four on its streaming service Peacock.
On November 17, 2021, it was announced that The Spring League founder Brian Woods would serve as the league's president, as well as Daryl Johnston as EVP of football operations, Mike Pereira as head of officiating, and Edward Hartman as EVP of business operations.
On January 4, 2022, NBC Sports reported that a "player selection meeting" would be held on February 22 and 23 to set teams. Training camp was to begin on March 21.
On January 6, 2022, four of eight teams unveiled their head coaches and general managers on The Herd with Colin Cowherd, Former San Diego Chargers head coach Mike Riley was named head coach and general manager of the New Jersey Generals. Former Kansas City Chiefs head coach and Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley was named head coach and general manager of the Tampa Bay Bandits. Former University of Houston, Texas A&M University, and University of Arizona head coach Kevin Sumlin was named head coach and general manager of the Houston Gamblers. Former Toronto Argonauts head coach Bart Andrus was named head coach and general manager of the Philadelphia Stars.
Two weeks later on January 20, 2022, two more head coaches were announced. Former Louisiana Tech head coach Skip Holtz was named head coach and general manager of the Birmingham Stallions. Former Pittsburgh Steelers running backs coach Kirby Wilson was named head coach and general manager of the Pittsburgh Maulers.
The final two head coaches were announced the following week on January 27, 2022. Former Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans and St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams Head Coach Jeff Fisher was named head coach and general manager of the Michigan Panthers. Former University of Southern Mississippi and University of North Carolina Head Coach and Baylor University Offensive Coordinator/QB Coach Larry Fedora was named head coach and general manager of the New Orleans Breakers.
2022 season
On January 25, 2022, the city of Birmingham announced that the league headquarters would be in Birmingham, and all games of the 2022 USFL season would be played at Protective Stadium and Legion Field.