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This timeline of the United Football League (UFL) tracks the history of each of the league's eight franchises from their enfranchisements in the XFL and USFL, through the merger of the two leagues, and to the present day.
On January 25, 2018, Vince McMahon announced a new incarnation of the XFL, which would begin with a 10-week inaugural season beginning in January or February 2020. In a press conference, McMahon stated that the new XFL would be dissimilar to its previous incarnation. The XFL revealed team names and logos on August 21, 2019.
On March 12, 2020, the league canceled the remainder of its regular-season games over concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, the league still planned on having a 2021 season; it was exploring relocating as many as three of its teams, with the league contacting authorities in San Antonio, Texas, in early April about potentially placing a franchise there. Other potential 2021 actions included moving the Tampa Bay Vipers to Orlando and the New York Guardians to a smaller New Jersey stadium, Red Bull Arena.
On April 13, the league filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, stating that the coronavirus pandemic had deprived the league of tens of millions of dollars in revenue. As part of the bankruptcy agreement, McMahon agreed not to buy back the XFL.
| First season in XFL * | Only season in the league *^ |
| East Division | West Division |
|---|---|
| DC Defenders * | Dallas Renegades * |
| New York Guardians * | Houston Roughnecks * |
| St. Louis Battlehawks * | Los Angeles Wildcats *^ |
| Tampa Bay Vipers * | Seattle Dragons * |
On August 3, 2020, it was reported that a consortium led by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Dany Garcia, and Gerry Cardinale (through Cardinale's fund RedBird Capital Partners) purchased the XFL for $15 million just hours before an auction could take place; the purchase received court approval on August 7, 2020.
On March 10, 2021, it was announced that the XFL and CFL had entered into formal talks ahead of "opportunities for the leagues to collaborate, innovate, and grow the game of football". On July 7, 2021, both leagues ended the discussions with no agreement; in the same statement, the XFL cancelled its 2022 season, intending to return in "Spring 2023".
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.
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.
The first game was played on April 16, 2022, between the Birmingham Stallions and the New Jersey Generals at Protective Stadium. The game was broadcast by Fox and NBC, the first football game simulcast on over-the-air broadcast networks since the final week of the 2007 NFL regular season. Upon the conclusion of its first season, the league became the first high-level spring football league to complete a season since the original iteration of the XFL in 2001, following the early shutdown of the AAF and COVID-19-induced hiatus of the second XFL in 2019 and 2020, respectively.
| First season in USFL * | Only season in the league *^ |
| North Division | South Division |
|---|---|
| Michigan Panthers * | Birmingham Stallions * |
| New Jersey Generals * | Houston Gamblers * |
| Philadelphia Stars * | New Orleans Breakers * |
| Pittsburgh Maulers * | Tampa Bay Bandits *^ |
On April 6, 2022, a report came out that sources close to the league had mentioned that XFL would be keeping five teams in their original 2020 locations (DC Defenders, St. Louis BattleHawks, Dallas Renegades, Houston Roughnecks and Seattle Dragons), following through with the Vipers proposed move to Orlando, and adding two new teams in San Antonio and Las Vegas. The teams in San Antonio and Las Vegas would replace the New York Guardians and the Los Angeles Wildcats, respectively.
On June 27, 2022, Fox Sports confirmed to Sports Business Journal that the USFL would return for another season in 2023. There would be no expansion that year, and the league would continue to use a hub model, with "two to four" locations housing all eight teams.
On July 25, 2022, Johnson and Garcia held an XFL Townhall at Texas Live! where they confirmed team locations, venues, and staff allocation. All 2020 XFL teams except the Los Angeles Wildcats would return. They would be replaced by a team in San Antonio, with the Tampa Bay Vipers and New York Guardians relocating to Las Vegas and Orlando respectively. The league announced that all teams would hold practices at Choctaw Stadium in Arlington, Texas during the week and travel to their respective home stadiums for games.
On November 15, 2022, the USFL and the City of Memphis, Tennessee announced that the Tampa Bay Bandits organization would effectively be relocated to Memphis as the Memphis Showboats. The team played all of its home games at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, sharing the stadium with the Houston Gamblers, which also served as another "hub" site for the league to host multiple teams at in addition to Birmingham.
It was later revealed that Ford Field would be the home of the Michigan Panthers and Philadelphia Stars, while Rynearson Stadium would host the teams' practices.
On January 25, 2023, the league announced that the New Jersey Generals and the Pittsburgh Maulers would play their home games at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio.
| 2020 team name | 2023 team name |
|---|---|
| Dallas Renegades | Arlington Renegades |
| New York Guardians | Orlando Guardians |
| Seattle Dragons | Seattle Sea Dragons |
| Tampa Bay Vipers | Vegas Vipers |
| First season in XFL * | Last active season ^ |
| North Division | South Division |
|---|---|
| DC Defenders | Arlington Renegades |
| Seattle Sea Dragons ^ | Houston Roughnecks ^ |
| St. Louis Battlehawks | Orlando Guardians ^ |
| Vegas Vipers ^ | San Antonio Brahmas * |
| First season in USFL * | Last active season ^ |
| North Division | South Division |
|---|---|
| Michigan Panthers | Birmingham Stallions |
| New Jersey Generals ^ | Houston Gamblers |
| Philadelphia Stars ^ | Memphis Showboats * |
| Pittsburgh Maulers ^ | New Orleans Breakers ^ |
| 2023 team name | 2024 team name |
|---|---|
| Houston Gamblers | Houston Roughnecks |
| XFL Conference | USFL Conference |
|---|---|
| Arlington Renegades | Birmingham Stallions |
| DC Defenders | Houston Roughnecks |
| San Antonio Brahmas | Memphis Showboats |
| St. Louis Battlehawks | Michigan Panthers |
The Memphis Showboats were an American football franchise in the United States Football League. They entered the league in its expansion in 1984 and made the 1985 playoffs, losing in the semifinal round to the Oakland Invaders. Perhaps the most prominent players on the Showboats' roster during their two seasons of existence were future Pro Football Hall of Fame member Reggie White and future professional wrestler "The Total Package" Lex Luger.
The XFL was a professional American football minor league consisting of eight teams located across the United States in mid-sized to major markets. It is now one of the two-component conferences of the United Football League (UFL), along with the United States Football League (USFL). The XFL league headquarters were in Arlington, Texas.
The Seattle Sea Dragons were a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. The Sea Dragons competed in the second incarnation of the XFL. The team was founded by Vince McMahon’s Alpha Entertainment as the Seattle Dragons, and were owned-and-operated by Dwayne Johnson’s Alpha Acquico. The Sea Dragons played their home games at Lumen Field.
The Los Angeles Wildcats were a professional American football team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The team was founded by Vince McMahon’s Alpha Entertainment and was an owned-and-operated member of the second XFL. The Wildcats played their home games at Dignity Health Sports Park. On March 8, 2020, the Wildcats played their final game against the Tampa Bay Vipers, which was the final XFL game before the league suspended operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Arlington Renegades are a professional American football team based in Arlington, Texas. The Renegades compete in the United Football League (UFL). The team was founded as the Dallas Renegades by Vince McMahon's Alpha Entertainment and are owned-and-operated by Dwayne Johnson's Alpha Acquico and Fox Corporation. The Renegades play their home games at Choctaw Stadium. In 2023, The Renegades had a regular season record of 4-6 and were 2-0 in the playoffs, and were crowned XFL Champions. They were a part of the UFL merger in 2024, and started the 2024 season against the USFL Champion Birmingham Stallions.
The Houston Roughnecks were a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The Roughnecks competed in the XFL football league. The team was founded by Vince McMahon’s Alpha Entertainment and were an owned-and-operated by Dwayne Johnson’s Alpha Acquico. The Roughnecks played their home games at TDECU Stadium. The Roughnecks had a franchise regular season record of 12-3 (.800), the highest win percentage among all XFL teams.
The St. Louis Battlehawks are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. The Battlehawks compete in the United Football League (UFL) as a founding member of the XFL Conference. The team was founded by Vince McMahon’s Alpha Entertainment and are owned-and-operated by Dwayne Johnson's Alpha Acquico and Fox Corporation. The Battlehawks play their home games at The Dome at America's Center. The Battlehawks have a franchise regular season record of 10–5 (.667), the third highest win percentage among UFL teams as of its 2024 season.
The DC Defenders are a professional American football team based in Washington, D.C. The Defenders compete in the United Football League (UFL). The team was founded by Vince McMahon’s Alpha Entertainment and is owned and operated by Dwayne Johnson's Alpha Acquico and Fox Corporation. The Defenders play their home games at Audi Field. The Defenders have a regular season record of 12–3 (.800), the second-highest win percentage among UFL teams as of its 2024 season. They were also the top team in the 2023 XFL, boasting a 9–1 record and scoring 49 more points than the next closest team, the St. Louis Battlehawks.
The United States Football League (USFL) was a professional American football minor league that began play on April 16, 2022. It is now one of the two-component conferences of the United Football League (UFL), along with the XFL.
The Birmingham Stallions are a professional American football team based in Birmingham, Alabama. The Stallions compete in the United Football League (UFL). The Stallions are owned and operated by Dwayne Johnson's Alpha Acquico and Fox Corporation. They play their home games at Protective Stadium. They have won two USFL championship games since their founding, also winning a 3-peat dynasty for the inaugural UFL championship. They defeated the Philadelphia Stars 33–30 in the 2022, the Pittsburgh Maulers 28–12 in 2023, and the San Antonio Brahmas 25–0 in 2024.
The Tampa Bay Bandits were a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida, The Bandits competed in the United States Football League (USFL) as a member club of the league's South division, prior to going on hiatus after the season. The team played their 2022 home games at Protective Stadium and Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama, which also hosts the University of Alabama at Birmingham Blazers.
Jordan McCray is an American football center for the Memphis Showboats of the United Football League (UFL). He played college football at the University of Central Florida and was signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2014.
The 2023 USFL season was the second season of the United States Football League. The regular season started on April 15 and ended on June 18. The postseason began on June 24 and ended with the 2023 USFL Championship Game on July 1. The league expanded the locations their teams play to four total stadiums, adding Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan, and Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee.
The Houston Roughnecks are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The Roughnecks compete in the United Football League (UFL). The team is owned-and-operated by Dwayne Johnson's Alpha Acquico and Fox Corporation. The team was a founding member of the USFL, as the Houston Gamblers in 2022, named after the 1980s USFL team of the same name. Though named after the city of Houston, the 2020s Gamblers never played there under that brand, instead playing its home games as the guest of other USFL teams in Birmingham, Alabama in 2022 and Memphis, Tennessee in 2023. When the USFL and XFL merged to form the UFL in 2024, the Gamblers took over the branding of the original Houston Roughnecks that had played the 2020 and 2023 seasons in the XFL and will play in Houston at Rice Stadium.
The Vegas Vipers were a professional American football team based in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Vipers competed in the XFL football league. The team was founded by Vince McMahon's Alpha Entertainment as the Tampa Bay Vipers and were owned-and-operated by Dwayne Johnson’s Alpha Acquico. The Vipers had a franchise regular season record of 3–12 (.200), the worst win percentage among all XFL teams.
The Memphis Showboats are a professional American football team based in Memphis, Tennessee. They compete in the United Football League (UFL). The team is owned and operated by Dwayne Johnson's Alpha Acquico and Fox Corporation. The Showboats play their home games at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium.
The Orlando Guardians were a professional American football team based in Orlando, Florida. The Guardians competed in the XFL football league. The team was founded by Vince McMahon's Alpha Entertainment as the New York Guardians and were owned-and-operated by Dwayne Johnson’s Alpha Acquico. The Guardians played their home games at MetLife Stadium in 2020 and played their home games at Camping World Stadium in 2023. The Guardians had a franchise regular season record of 4–11 (.267), the second worst win percentage among all XFL teams.
The 2024 Houston Roughnecks season will be the third season of Houston Roughnecks (2024), an American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team's first season in the United Football League (UFL) after a merger in the offseason between the USFL and the XFL. Under the terms of the agreement, the team consists of the roster and coaching staff of the former USFL's two-season-old Houston Gamblers franchise, taking over the Roughnecks branding and home city previously used by the XFL team with the same name.
The United Football League (UFL) is a professional American football high-level minor league which started play in March 2024. The league was created following the merger of the latest incarnations of the XFL and United States Football League (USFL). It consists of eight teams, all of which were members of the XFL or USFL prior to the UFL's creation, concentrated in the Midwest and Southern United States.
The 2024 UFL season is the first season of the United Football League, which was created following the merger of the XFL and USFL, and the fifth season in the combined history of the two leagues, following the 2020 XFL season, 2022 USFL season, and separate 2023 seasons for both the USFL and XFL.
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