The start of the NFL preseason is less than four months away. The XFL is wrapping up a successful reboot, featuring NFL-caliber talent on (quite possibly) every team. And now, the relaunched USFL is returning for a second consecutive season.
And what is the USFL again? I know, there’s a lot to keep track of in today’s topsy-turvy world. So let’s break down the upcoming 2023 USFL season.
What Is the USFL? Which Teams Are Included?
The recently rebooted USFL kicks off its second season on April 16. The timing is fairly ideal, with March Madness firmly in the rearview mirror and NFL training camp still a ways off.
If you’ve heard of the USFL but aren’t aware that they started back up in 2022, then take a quick look at the background of its 1980s namesake. The acronym is the same, but the league isn’t.
It’s like the show How I Met Your Father. Yeah, it draws inspiration from How I Met Your Mother. But it’s an entirely different show (I assume — never watched the reboot).
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The USFL has the same eight teams in 2023 that it had in 2022, but with one exception. The Tampa Bay Bandits have relocated to Memphis and are now known as the Showboats. It’s possible that some Tampa Bay residents still call them the Bandits. No judgment here. “Let people call teams what they want to call them” is my motto.
The other seven teams are the Birmingham Stallions, Houston Gamblers, Michigan Panthers, New Jersey Generals, New Orleans Breakers, Philadelphia Stars, and Pittsburgh Maulers
What Are the New Hub Cities?
The USFL’s inaugural season in 2022 saw all eight teams play regular-season games in Birmingham, Alabama, and the postseason hosted at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. While the franchises aren’t going to have individual homes just yet, prompting New Orleans Breakers HC Larry Fedora to step down, the USFL does have a new approach for the 2023 season.
Instead of having all eight teams play in one city, the league has paired two teams in one of four hub cities. Birmingham, home of the Stallions, will remain the USFL’s headquarters and where the New Orleans Breakers will play home games.
MORE: When Does the USFL Season Start in 2023?
The next city to be announced came with the Bandits’ relocation to Memphis. The Showboats will share Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium with the Gamblers.
As for the North Division, the Maulers and Generals have a bit of a hike compared to everyone else, but they will practice and play their home games at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton.
Meanwhile, Michigan and Philadelphia get arguably the most high-profile venue by being able to call Ford Field home. While fans of every franchise are yearning for home games in their hometown, the four-hub model is a promising step toward that hope in the future.
USFL Coaches, Players, and Rosters for 2023
The USFL lost some of its top 2022 players to the NFL and XFL. This was bound to happen, especially for a newly reconstituted league simply trying to establish a sustainable business plan while simultaneously trying to deliver quality football.
There’s little doubt they’ll be able to retool, and their first-ever College Draft on February 21 was an important milestone, giving franchises a shot at bolstering offensive and defensive holes. It remains to be seen how many players in this 10-round draft make a significant impact on their respective teams. But it’s an important part of the USFL’s evolution as a legitimate home for football talent.
The following is a list of each team’s head coach.
- Birmingham Stallions: Skip Holtz
- Houston Gamblers: Curtis Johnson
- Michigan Panthers: Mike Nolan
- New Jersey Generals: Mike Riley
- New Orleans Breakers: John DeFilippo
- Philadelphia Stars: Bart Andrus
- Pittsburgh Maulers: Ray Horton
- Memphis Showboats: Todd Haley
USFL Schedule
After the 10-week regular season, the playoff semifinals will be played at Canton, Ohio’s Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium (North Division) and Birmingham’s Protective Stadium (South Division). As with last year, the USFL Championship Game will be played in Canton. All games will take place on Saturday and Sunday.
How Many Games Will the USFL Play in 2023?
The 10-week regular season aligns with each team’s 10-game schedule. There are no bye weeks. It’s worth noting that the relatively abbreviated schedule might facilitate players’ transition from the USFL to the NFL later this year.
MORE: USFL Rules 2023 — Not Your Typical NFL League
In other words, we’re not going to see 300-carry running backs or 1,000-snap defenders in the USFL. These are fairly quick seasons, with most title contenders pretty firmly established by midseason.
Now, let’s take a look at the league’s schedule, including dates, times, and television channels.
Week 1
- Philadelphia Stars vs. Memphis Showboats
- Date: April 15
- Start time: 4:30 p.m. ET
- Channel: FOX
- New Jersey Generals vs. Birmingham Stallions
- Date: April 15
- Start time: 7:30 p.m. ET
- Channel: FOX
- Michigan Panthers vs. Houston Gamblers
- Date: April 16
- Start time: Noon ET
- Channel: NBC
- Pittsburgh Maulers vs. New Orleans Breakers
- Date: April 16
- Start time: 6:30 p.m. ET
- Channel: FS1
Week 2
- Houston Gamblers vs. New Orleans Breakers
- Date: April 22
- Start time: 12:30 p.m. ET
- Channel: USA
- Memphis Showboats vs. Birmingham Stallions
- Date: April 22
- Start time: 7 p.m. ET
- Channel: FOX
- New Jersey Generals vs. Pittsburgh Maulers
- Date: April 23
- Start time: Noon ET
- Channel: NBC
- Michigan Panthers vs. Philadelphia Stars
- Date: April 23
- Start time: 7 p.m. ET
- Channel: FS1
Week 3
- New Orleans Breakers vs. Birmingham Stallions
- Date: April 29
- Start time: 12:30 p.m. ET
- Channel: USA
- Memphis Showboats vs. Houston Gamblers
- Date: April 29
- Start time: 7 p.m. ET
- Channel: FOX
- Pittsburgh Maulers vs. Philadelphia Stars
- Date: April 30
- Start time: Noon ET
- Channel: NBC
- New Jersey Generals vs. Michigan Panthers
- Date: April 30
- Start time: 4 p.m. ET
- Channel: FOX
Week 4
- Houston Gamblers vs. Philadelphia Stars
- Date: May 6
- Start time: 1 p.m. ET
- Channel: FOX
- Memphis Showboats vs. Michigan Panthers
- Date: May 6
- Start time: 7:30 p.m. ET
- Channel: NBC
- New Orleans Breakers vs. New Jersey Generals
- Date: May 7
- Start time: 3 p.m. ET
- Channel: NBC
- Birmingham Stallions vs. Pittsburgh Maulers
- Date: May 7
- Start time: 6:30 p.m. ET
- Channel: FS1
Week 5
- Pittsburgh Maulers vs. Michigan Panthers
- Date: May 13
- Start time: 12:30 p.m. ET
- Channel: USA
- Houston Gamblers vs. Birmingham Stallions
- Date: May 13
- Start time: 4 p.m. ET
- Channel: FOX
- New Jersey Generals vs. Philadelphia Stars
- Date: May 14
- Start time: Noon ET
- Channel: NBC
- Memphis Showboats vs. New Orleans Breakers
- Date: May 14
- Start time: 3 p.m. ET
- Channel: FOX
Week 6
- Pittsburgh Maulers vs. Memphis Showboats
- Date: May 20
- Start time: 12:30 p.m. ET
- Channel: USA
- Birmingham Stallions vs. Michigan Panthers
- Date: May 20
- Start time: 4 p.m. ET
- Channel: FOX
- New Orleans Breakers vs. Philadelphia Stars
- Date: May 21
- Start time: Noon ET
- Channel: FS1
- New Jersey Generals vs. Houston Gamblers
- Date: May 21
- Start time: 4 p.m. ET
- Channel: FOX
Week 7
- Birmingham Stallions vs. New Orleans Breakers
- Date: May 27
- Start time: 4 p.m ET
- Channel: FOX
- Philadelphia Stars vs. Pittsburgh Maulers
- Date: May 27
- Start time: 9 p.m. ET
- Channel: FS1
- Houston Gamblers vs. Memphis Showboats
- Date: May 28
- Start time: 2 p.m. ET
- Channel: USA
- Michigan Panthers vs. New Jersey Generals
- Date: May 28
- Start time: 5:30 p.m. ET
- Channel: FS1
Week 8
- Houston Gamblers vs. Pittsburgh Maulers
- Date: June 3
- Start time: Noon ET
- Channel: USA
- Philadelphia Stars vs. Birmingham Stallions
- Date: June 3
- Start time: 3 p.m. ET
- Channel: NBC
- Memphis Showboats vs. New Jersey Generals
- Date: June 4
- Start time: 1 p.m. ET
- Channel: FOX
- Michigan Panthers vs. New Orleans Breakers
- Date: June 4
- Start time: 4 p.m. ET
- Channel: FOX
Week 9
- Michigan Panthers vs. Pittsburgh Maulers
- Date: June 10
- Start time: Noon ET
- Channel: FOX
- New Orleans Breakers vs. Memphis Showboats
- Date: June 10
- Start time: 3 p.m. ET
- Channel: NBC
- Birmingham Stallions vs. Houston Gamblers
- Date: June 11
- Start time: 2 p.m. ET
- Channel: NBC
- Philadelphia Stars vs. New Jersey Generals
- Date: June 11
- Start time: 7 p.m. ET
- Channel: FOX
Week 10
- Pittsburgh Maulers vs. New Jersey Generals
- Date: June 17
- Start time: 1 p.m. ET
- Channel: USA
- Birmingham Stallions vs. Memphis Showboats
- Date: June 17
- Start time: 4 p.m. ET
- Channel: FOX
- New Orleans Breakers vs. Houston Gamblers
- Date: June 18
- Start time: 4 p.m. ET
- Channel: FS1
- Philadelphia Stars vs. Michigan Panthers
- Date: June 18
- Start time: 7 p.m. ET
- Channel: FOX