The United States Football League (USFL) was a professional American football league that played for three seasons, 1983 through 1985. The league played a spring/summer schedule in each of its active seasons. The 1986 season was scheduled to be played in the autumn/winter, directly competing against the long-established National Football League (NFL). However, the USFL ceased operations before that season was scheduled to begin.
The Philadelphia / Baltimore Stars were a professional American football team which played in the United States Football League (USFL) in the mid-1980s. Owned by real-estate magnate Myles Tanenbaum, they were the short-lived league's dominant team, playing in all three championship games and winning the latter two. They played their first two seasons in Philadelphia as the Philadelphia Stars before relocating to Baltimore, where they played as the Baltimore Stars for the USFL's final season. Coached by Jim Mora, the Stars won a league-best 41 regular season games and 7 playoff games.
The Orlando Renegades were a professional American football team that played in Orlando, Florida, in the United States Football League (USFL) for a single season in 1985. Before its season in Orlando, the franchise played in Washington, D.C., as the Washington Federals for two seasons, in 1983 and 1984.
The Arizona Outlaws were a professional American football team that played in the United States Football League in the mid-1980s. They were owned by Fresno banker and real estate magnate William Tatham Sr., who had briefly owned the Portland Thunder of the World Football League.
Vincent Michael Tobin was an American professional football coach who was the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). During his four decades of coaching, he primarily served as a defensive coordinator in the NFL, United States Football League (USFL), and Canadian Football League (CFL). He was also a defensive coordinator at his alma mater, the University of Missouri, where he had played college football as a defensive back for the Missouri Tigers.
Jim Johnson was an American professional football player and coach in the National Football League (NFL). He was a defensive coordinator for nine seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles. Widely regarded as one of the best defensive coordinators in NFL history, he was especially known for being a master architect of blitzes, disguising them skillfully and keeping offenses off balance.
Douglas Walter Plank is an American former professional football player and coach. He played as a safety for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL) and also played one year in the United States Football League (USFL) for the Chicago Blitz. He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Frank Joseph Kush was an American football player and coach. As a player he earned All-American honors in 1952 as a defensive lineman playing for the Michigan State Spartans.
Vincent Tobias Evans is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the USC Trojans and was the most valuable player (MVP) of the 1977 Rose Bowl after the team's 14–6 victory over Michigan. He was selected by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round of the 1977 NFL draft.
Kevin Fernando Long was an American professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) and United States Football League (USFL). He played college football for the South Carolina Gamecocks.
George R. Achica is an American former professional football defensive tackle. Achica played professionally for the Los Angeles Express of the United States Football League (USFL), and the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Southern California, and was recognized as a consensus All-American.
Bruce Allan Laird is an American former professional football player who was a strong safety and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL) and United States Football League (USFL). He played college football at American International College.
Albert Timothy Bentley is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) and the United States Football League (USFL). Bentley began his professional career in the USFL with the Michigan Panthers and Oakland Invaders from 1984 to 1985. After the USFL folded, he played for the NFL's Indianapolis Colts and Pittsburgh Steelers from 1985 to 1992. Bentley played college football for the Miami Hurricanes.
Stanley Ray White is a former American football linebacker. A defensive leader for the Baltimore Colts and Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL), White later became a analyst for televised games of the Baltimore Ravens, successor to the Colts in the league.
The 1985 USFL season was the third and final season of the United States Football League (USFL), and the last by a league using that name until the 2022 USFL season.
Brandon Anderson is a former American football cornerback. He was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football at Akron.
Dave Simmons is a former linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) and the United States Football League (USFL). He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the sixth round of the 1979 NFL draft and played that season with the team. The following season, he was a member of the Detroit Lions. After a season away from the NFL, he played with the Baltimore Colts during the 1982 NFL season and the Chicago Bears during the 1983 NFL season. In the fall of 1984, Simmons signed with the defending USFL Champion Baltimore Stars but was traded to the Houston Gamblers for a draft choice during training camp in February 1985. Simmons made the opening day roster of the Gamblers, however, was deactivated for the first game at Los Angeles and two days later was waived. Three weeks later, Simmons signed with the Arizona Outlaws and played as a reserve linebacker for the remaining 15 games.
Jonathan Newsome is an American football defensive end who is a free agent. He played college football at Ohio State and Ball State, and was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL draft. He has also been a member of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, Ottawa Redblacks and BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL), and the Birmingham Stallions of the United States Football League (USFL).
Curtis Lee Anderson is a former American football defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) for the Kansas City Chiefs and Green Bay Packers. He also was a member of the Michigan Panthers, Oklahoma Outlaws and Jacksonville Bulls in the United States Football League (USFL). He played college football at Central State University.
David Martin is an American former professional football cornerback who played in the National Football League (NFL), Canadian Football League (CFL) and United States Football League (USFL). He played college football at Villanova.
