USFL TEAM INFO
Here you will find information on all present USFL franchises, beginning with the 12 founding teams and progressing through the expansion, relocation, merger, and contraction of teams over time. Information here will be adjusted each offseason. Teams will always be listed as their current incarnation, so if you do not see the team you expected to find, look through other team histories to see if perhaps they now play in a different location or with a different identity.
Click on the blue helmet icon on each team listing to see an image of the current team uniform (2022).
THE FOUNDING FRANCHISES
Arizona Wranglers
Founded: 1983
All-Time Record: 332-291-1 (.531)
Playoffs: 25 of 40 Years
Championships: 2013, 2016, 2019, 2022
Stadium: State Farm Stadium (63,400)
Colors: Copper, Scarlet Red, Flag Blue, Athletic Gold
It took 30 years of USFL football for the Wranglers to win a title, but once they did, they did not stop, appearing in 6 Summer Bowls and winning 4 titles from 2013-2022, becoming one of the league's great dynasties. Jim Tomsula, their coach for the full run in the 2010s-2020's, was named the greatest USFL coach of all time in 2022.
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Baltimore Blitz
Founded: 1983 as Chicago Blitz
All Time Record: 330-294-2 (.529)
Playoffs: 18 of 40 Years
Championships: 2014
Stadium: M&T Bank Stadium (70,745)
Colors: Deep Royal Blue, Silver
The Blitz, for much of their existence, were a hard-luck team, thwarted in the playoffs time and again. They began in Chicago but relocated to Baltimore in 1986, filling the void left when the NFL Colts departed for Indianapolis. Their one shining moment in 40 seasons was a title brought to them by QB Ben Roethlisberger and a solid team defense.
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Birmingham Stallions
Founded: 1983
All Time Record: 301-325-0 (.481)
Playoffs: 14 of 40 Years
Championships: 1993
Stadium: Protective Stadium (67,100)
Colors: Crimson Red, Metallic Gold
A team known for iconic players, but not a lot of franchise success, with a lone title in 40 years of play. Stars like HB Joe Cribbs, WRs Ernest Givens and Lawrence Dawsey, and QBs Brett Favre and Cam Newton, along with perhaps the best tailgate scene in the league, have always made Stallion games an event, even if the team just could not get over the hump and win titles.
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Denver Gold
Founded: 1983
All-Time Record: 352-272-2 (.564)
Playoffs: 26 of 40 Years
Championships: 2000
Stadium: Empower Field at Mile High (76,125)
Colors: Black, Old Gold, Bright Gold
Traditionally one of the most frugal of USFL franchises, the Gold have nonetheless had a good deal of regular season success. Where they have struggled is in post-season play, losing 3 Summer Bowls before they captured their lone title, and returning the next year to lose again, giving them an overall record of 1-4 in the league title game.
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Los Angeles Express-Relocated 1992
Founded: 1983 (Sold & Relocated in 1992)
See details under their current identity: Las Vegas Vipers
Michigan Panthers
Founded: 1983
All-Time Record: 345-281-0 (.551)
Playoffs: 23 in 40 Seasons
Championships: 1984, 1986, 2008, 2017
Stadium: Ford Field (65,000)
Colors: Burgundy Red, Sky Blue, Champagne
One of the early success stories of the USFL, the Panthers won 2 titles in the 80's and have appeared in 5 Summer Bowls, winning 4. They were one of the rare USFL clubs that actually surpassed their NFL rivals (the hard luck Lions) in fan support early in the league's history and now share a stadium and a fanbase with the local NFL team. The Panthers are often cited as one of the franchises with a consistent pattern of success over all 4 decades of the league, attested to by their 55% win percentage over more than 600 games.
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New Jersey Generals
Founded: 1983
All-Time Record: 297-326-3 (.477)
Playoffs: 19 in 40 Years
Championships: 1989, 2004, 2006
Stadium: MetLife Stadium (82,500)
Colors: Scarlet Red, Flag Blue, Metallic Gold
A franchise with a bit of a roller coaster history. They made a huge splash in 1983 by signing Georgia Heismann Winner Herschel Walker. Walker became the first in a long line of star players in New Jersey, some coming over from the NFL, like QB Brian Sipe, others made by the league, like Doug Flutie and 2-time USFL MVP and Summer Bowl Winner, QB Tom Brady, who went over to the NFL and won 3 titles there with Dallas. Recent seasons have seen only moderate success, with New Jersey's last Summer Bowl appearance now 16 years ago.
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New Orleans Breakers
Founded: 1983 (as Boston Breakers)
All-Time Record: 349-275-2 (.559)
Playoffs: 28 in 40 Years
Championships: 2015
Stadium: New Orleans SuperDome (75,295)
Colors: Seafoam blue, Deep Ocean Blue, Silver
A rabid fanbase, a great tradition of winning, but a tragic history as choke artists. That is how most consider the Breakers. They have been a playoff team 28 times, nearly 3 in 4 seasons, but have appeared in only 2 Summer Bowls, winning their first title in their 33rd year of play. But, despite their playoff frustration, the Breaker fanbase remains dedicated and vocal. With no baseball in the Crescent City, the Breakers and NFL Saints dominate the local sports scene.
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Oakland Invaders
Founded: 1983
All-Time Record: 315-310-1 (.504)
Playoffs: 24 in 40 Years
Championships: 1991
Stadium: Levi's Stadium (68,500)
Colors: Buff Blue, Navy, Bright Yellow
The only team in the Pacific Division with a 40-year record over .500, the Invaders have seen their share of success, at least in the regular season. They earned their first title in 1991, but have only appeared in one Summer Bowl since then. In the mid 2010's the team left Oakland for Santa Clara, where they share a stadium with the NFL 49ers, but they retained the name, just as San Francisco did, and together the two teams provide the Bay Area with year round football.
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Philadelphia Stars
Founded: 1983
All-Time Record: 354-271-1 (.566)
Playoffs: 26 in 40 Years
Championships: 1985, 1987, 1994
Stadium: Lincoln Financial Field (67,594)
Colors: Crimson Red, Deep Orange, Metallic Gold
Led by Coach Jim Mora Sr., QB Chuck Fusina, HB Kelvin Bryant, and LB Sam Mills, the Stars became one of the glamour teams of the USFL in the league's early years, winning 3 titles in the USFL's first 12 seasons and outpacing the NFL Eagles in both on-field and financial success. Philadelphia has continued to be a regular presence in both the postseason and the Summer Bowl, appearing in a total of 7 Summer Bowls, but have not won a title since their 1994 season.
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Tampa Bay Bandits
Founded: 1983
All-Time Record: 349-277-0 (.558
Playoffs: 20 in 40 Seasons
Championships: 1983, 1998, 2011, 2020, 2021
Stadium: Raymond James Stadium (75,000)
Colors: Scarlet Red, Black, Silver
No team personified the wide open, "more fun" league dynamic of the early USFL than the Bandits, winners of the league's first championship. Rarely out of contention for long, the Bandits have won 4 more titles since then, and along the way made "Bandit Ball" a nationally recognized brand. A high-flying vertical passing game is the hallmark of the Bandits, and a style they have found a lot of success with even long after "The Ol' Ball Coach", Steve Spurrier, retired.
Washington Federals
Founded: 1983
All-Time Record: 331-292-3 (.531)
Playoffs: 21 in 40 Years
Championships: 1990, 1997
Stadium: Audi Field (61,202)
Colors: Kelly Green, Black, Silver
The Federals have been to the mountaintop and to the deepest depths of the standings, a team that has gone through long dry spells and long runs of success, though none better than their run in the 90's that brought two titles and 9 playoff seasons in a 10-year span. Since then, regular season success has been sporadic and playoff success much harder to come by, and yet, despite the struggles, the Federals remain a hot ticket in the nation's capital. After all, they at least did not have a crisis of identity and have to change their name, like "that other" DC team.
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THE 1984 EXPANSION
After only one season the USFL had become something of a sensation and ownership groups were putting in bids for potential franchises even before the first Championship was played. The league received 16 full-fledged expansion bids, but chose to limit their initial expansion to only 4 franchises. With expansion the league shifted from 3 divisions (Atlantic, Pacific and Central) by realigning teams and adding a Southern Division.
Houston Gamblers
Founded: 1984
All-Time Record: 355-250-5 (.586)
Playoffs: 27 in 39 Years
Championships: 1988, 1992, 1996, 2010, 2018
Stadium: NRG Stadium (72,200)
Colors: Black, Sunset Red
The Gamblers became the hottest ticket in Texas after debuting their Run & Shoot offense in the early 80's. By the decade's end, with QB Jim Kelly and HB Thurman Thomas leading the offense, the Gamblers joined the elite of the USFL, winning 3 titles in 8 years. They continue that success today, having appeared in a league record 10 Summer Bowls, producing more league MVPs than any other team as well.
Jacksonville Bulls
Founded: 1984
All-Time Record: 260-348-2 (.428)
Playoffs: 11 in 39 Years
Championships: None
Stadium: Alltell Stadium (67,383)
Colors: Burgundy, Orange, Dark Grey
For every dynasty there has to be a hard luck, sad sack franchise. It is just the balance of things, and in the USFL, the Jacksonville Bulls fit the bill in the latter category. No team that has been in the league since the 80's has a worse overall record than Jacksonville, and the Bulls are also sadly the only team from the league's first 2 seasons never to appear in a Summer Bowl. And yet, the longsuffering Bulls' fans still support their team, regularly helping Jacksonville stay near the top of the league's attendance leaders. Duval County just seems to be a glutton for punishment.
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Memphis Showboats
Founded: 1984
All-Time Record: 293-315-2 (.482)
Playoffs: 16 in 39 Years
Championships: 1999, 2007
Stadium: Liberty Bowl Stadium (56,210)
Colors: Scarlet Red, Silver Sky, Black
Memphis has had its moments, and its stars, including the Minister of Defense, DE Reggie White, a short period of success with QB Brett Favre (coming over from rival Birmingham via a short NFL stint), and a title season with Heath Shuler at the helm. Always a fun day at the ballpark, the best ticket of the season is usually the Memphis-Birmingham showdown twice a year, with the parking lot of both stadia turned into the world's largest barbecue.
Pittsburgh Maulers
Founded: 1984
All-Time Record: 289-318-3 (.476)
Playoffs: 13 in 39 Years
Championships: 1995
Stadium: Heinz Field (68,400)
Colors: Deep Purple, Orange, Steel Grey
It was no easy task to come into Steeler Country in the early 80's and try to build a fanbase, but with the help of Heisman winner Mike Rozier, the Maulers slowly built up their supporter base and eventually became a solid part of the Pittsburgh sports scene, even without sharing the black and gold of every other team in the city. The Maulers won their lone title in 1995, and have bounced back and forth between the Central and Northeast Division as expansion kept making them the easy team to reassign, but the combination has helped them keep alive two solid rivalries, the Keystone Clash with in-state rival Philadelphia, and the Rust Bowl Rivalry with the Ohio Glory.
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THE 1987 EXPANSION
Three years after their first successful expansion, the USFL approved four more new teams, bringing the league from 16 to 20 franchises. The 1987 expansion did not require significant realignment, with only 1 franchise (Pittsburgh) changing divisions as each division shifted from 4 clubs to 5. The 1987 expansion was highlighted by significant trades and signings to bring strong starting quarterbacks to each franchise. Chicago would steal away Iowa QB Chuck Long from the NFL while San Antonio, Oklahoma and Orlando all made significant trades with USFL franchises to sign their marquee signal callers.
Chicago Machine
Founded: 1987
All-Time Record: 289-270-3 (.517)
Playoffs: 18 in 36 Years
Championships: None
Stadium: Soldier Field (64.588)
Colors: Deep Maroon, Metal Grey, Sky Blue
Chicago fans are true diehards, coming out year after year, especially for those early season games in March when the weather can be brutal. They have not been rewarded with much for all that loyalty. The Machine have appeared in 3 Summer Bowls, the most recent in 2007, but have yet to bring home a trophy. But, despite the lack of hardware in the trophy case, Chicago fans get up for every game, especially when playing rivals like St. Louis and Michigan.
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Oklahoma Outlaws - Relocated/Merged 1988
The original Outlaws lasted only 1 season before financial concerns and a need to solidify both this
and the San Antonio franchise caused them to be merged and relocated to the Alamo City. The Outlaws would return to Oklahoma nearly 30 years later. For more information on this historic franchise, look to the information below, for the "new" Oklahoma Outlaws.
Orlando Renegades
Founded: 1987
All-Time Record: 278-280-4 (.498)
Playoffs: 15 in 36 Years
Championships: 2001
Stadium: Citrus Bowl (52,000)
Colors: Black, Royal Blue, Silver
While Orlando has only won one title in 36 seasons, they have distinguished themselves in one special way: they are, without doubt the Connoisseurs of the QB Sack. Three of the greatest edge rushers of all time, including the player voted the Greatest Star in USFL History in 2022, have come from the Renegades, starting with Chris Doleman in the 90's and 2000's, followed by the GOAT, Calais Campbell in the 2000's and 2010's, and now, a legacy continues with Montez Sweat terrorizing quarterbacks in the 2020's.
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San Antonio Gunslingers - Relocated/Merged 1988
The original Gunslingers were a bit of a mess from the start. Underfunded and poorly managed, the club had to be sold and merged with the Oklahoma Outlaws after only 1 season. In 1988, most of the roster was split between the new Texas Outlaws and the quickly put-together Portland Thunder. In 2020, a new Gunslinger franchise returned to the Alamo City as an expansion club after the Outlaws relocated back to Oklahoma. You can read more on them below.
THE 1988 CONSOLIDATION
It did not take long for the league to realize that there were major concerns with two of the expansion franchises from their 1987 expansion. By midseason of 1987 there were regular reports that the San Antonio Gunslingers were having difficulty meeting payroll or paying vendors. After a brief investigation into the team's finances it was discovered that owner Clint Manges had exaggerated his net worth and available reserves. The team was living on a shoestring budget and required a major influx of funding. In Oklahoma the funds were there, but owner William Tatham remained adamant that Tulsa was not a long term solution for his franchise, which had originally been approved to play in San Diego. In an effort to deal with both concerns, the USFL began negotiations betweeen the two franchises to set up Tatham as the majority owner of a merged Oklahoma/San Antonio franchise. With this agreement the two teams would be combined into one Texas-based franchise, providing Tatham with the larger market he craved, and now with significant financial backing. The league then returned to the original pool of 1987 expansion clubs to find an ownership for a 20th franchise to replace the lost team from the consolidation, and selected the bid from Portland, Oregon as the most advantageous combination of ownership and market. And so, after only 1 year of play, the Oklahoma and San Antonio franchises gave way to the Texas Outlaws and Portland Thunder.
Portland Thunder -- Relocated 2004 & 2015
Quickly added to the league after the issues with Oklahoma and San Antonio, the Thunder would find success in Portland, but stadium issues forced the team to relocate in 2004, becoming the Las Vegas Thunder. Eleven years later the team would once again move, now to San Diego. For the team's stats and further info, check below for the San Diego Thunder.
Texas Outlaws - Relocated 2017
The Texas Outlaws were the merger of the short-lived San Antonio Gunslingers and Oklahoma Outlaws. They found a home in San Antonio, but in 2015 a series of tornadoes struck the city, and with the Alamodome destroyed, the team was sold to investors in Oklahoma City and returned to the Sooner State in 2017. For more on this franchise, see the Oklahoma Outlaws below.
1992 RELOCATION
St. Louis Knights - Relocated in 2002
The former LA Express had come on hard times in a tough market, and in 1991 an ownership group led by James Orthwein (of the Busch family) proposed to buy the franchise and relocate them to St. Louis. The sale was approved, along with a requirement that the Express be provided an expansion franchise by 1995. The Knights began play in Busch Stadium in 1992, and later relocated to The Dome at America's Center. However, poor leases and the arrival of the NFL Rams negatively impacted St. Louis's profitability. In 2002, after ten years in the Gateway City, the Knights would relocated to Nashville, TN. A new club would arrive in St. Louis in the 2006 league expansion. For more info on the Express/Knights, read the Las Vegas Vipers' entry below.
1995 Expansion
When the sale and relocation of the LA Express to St. Louis was approved for the 1992 season, a new round of expansion was triggered. TV Deals required a franchise in the nation's second largest market by 1995. Not wanting to run a 21-team league, league executives and owners opted to expand, guaranteeing one spot to a "new Express" franchise and taking bids for additional expansion. The league did not specify whether it would expand by 2 teams or by 4. Initial bids were accepted through summer of 1992. This group was reduced to 8 finalist cities in the spring of 1993, with the final expansion teams announced during the 1993 season.
Atlanta Fire - Relocated 2003
The original Fire squad was added as part of a 4-team expansion in 1995, but after only 8 years they relocated, moving to Boston to become the Cannons. More on both the Cannons (now in Dallas) is below in the Dallas Renegades section, while the 2nd Atlanta Fire squad is outlined below as part of the expansion in 2006-2008.
Los Angeles Express
Founded: 1995 (Reinstated via expansion)
All-Time Record: 200-233-1 (.462)
Playoffs: 11 in 28 Years
Championships: None
Stadium: Farmers Insurance Field (68,838)
Colors: Navy Blue, Steel Blue, Silver
Reborn 2 years after the original Express relocated to St. Louis, the new Express have not had much more success than their predecessors, with no league title in their first 28 years of existence. The team has had several ownership changes over that time, and have flirted with being a good team, lately built around a Marvin Lewis defense, but they just struggle to move from being a good team to a true contender, and that has kept the fans in LA frustrated for the better part of 30 years.
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Ohio Glory
Founded: 1995
All-Time Record: 217-215-2 (.502)
Playoffs: 10 in 28 Years
Championships: 2002, 2003
Stadium: Ohio Stadium (97.436)
Colors: Flag Blue, Firework Red, White
Ohio's Glory did not burn for long, but it burned very bright. The Glory had a magical run in the early 2000's, completing the league's only perfect season by going 14-0 in the 2002 regular season before capturing the 2002 title. The next year they completed another unlikely feat, becoming the first team in league history to repeat as champions by winning Summer Bowl 2003. Since that magical 2-year run, the Glory have been up and down, struggling to recapture the magic of those brightest of years.
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Seattle Dragons
Founded: 1995
All-Time Record: 209-224-1 (.483)
Playoffs: 12 in 28 Years
Championships: 2005
Stadium: Qwest Field (68,400)
Colors: Forest Green, Fire Red, Athletic Gold
The Dragons had to fight for an identity in the heart of Seahawk country, but they won the hearts of their fans in 2005 with one of the most miraculous playoff runs in pro football history. The 6-8 Dragons somehow qualified for the post-season as a Wild Card, then proceeded to run the table, winning 3 playoff games on the road before upending the heavily favored Chicago Machine 27-24 to earn their lone league title.
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Relocations of the Early 2000's
Nashville Knights (2002-Relocated 2015)
A bad stadium deal and direct competition from the relocated NFL Rams forced the St. Louis Knights to seek a new home. Up and coming Nashville was happy to oblige, but only 13 years later, with the NFL Tennessee Copperheads retaining the power position in the state capital, the Knights again sought a new home, this time taking over the Las Vegas market from the departed Thunder when a new domed stadium was constructed. For more info on the franchise, read the entry on the Las Vegas Vipers below.
Boston Cannons (2003-Relocated 2012)
In the early 2000's, the USFL was seeing a lot of interest from a lot of cities to either bring or return USFL football to their towns. With the Atlanta Fire struggling at the box office, ownership was happy to sell to a new group in Boston. However, the same issues that plagued the league's original Boston team (the Breakers), namely the lack of a workable stadium and an absolute hardline taken by the NFL Patriots on sharing their facility, forced the Cannons to leave only 10 seasons after they arrived in Bean Town, a city where they had won a league title only 3 years earlier. For more on the Cannons, look at their new identity below, the Dallas Roughnecks.
Las Vegas Thunder (2004-- Relocated 2015)
After relocating from Portland in 2004, the Thunder were plagued by issues with their home, Sam Boyd Stadium. They added temporary seating to reach 40,000 seats, but the lack of success for the team, paired with the ridiculous idea of playing football outdoors in the summer in Las Vegas held the team back. What was worse, their ownership was playing fast and loose with the books. After a lengthy investigation from both the league and the state of Nevada, an agreement was reached that the team would be sold off and relocated to San Diego. For more on the Thunder, see the San Diego entry below.
2006 & 2008 Expansion
In 2004 the push was on once again to expand the league. Ownership approved a 2-phase expansion from 24 to 28 teams, with two to be added in 2006 and another two in 2008. The first wave would return teams to two cities impacted by team relocation, Atlanta and St. Louis, while the 2008 would allow for new markets to be included in the mix. In the end, the league ended up returning to 3 previous markets when Portland, Oregon won the 3rd expansion spot, joined by the only true newcomer, Charlotte, North Carolina.
Atlanta Fire (2006)
Founded: 2006
All-Time Record: 125-140-1 (.472)
Playoffs: 7 in 16 Years
Championships: None
Stadium: Georgia Dome (71,228)
Colors: Navy Blue, Flame Orange, Spark Yellow
The Fire returned to the USFL after only a 3 year absence thanks to the 2006 expansion and a grassroots effort focused on returning the club rather than beginning new. The Fire were a true expansion team, but have been able to obtain the rights to the past franchise's logos and identity.
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St. Louis Skyhawks (2006)
Founded: 2006
All-Time Record: 93-173-0 (.350)
Playoffs: 3 in 16 years
Championships: 2012
Stadium: The Dome at America's Center (66,965)
Colors: Navy Blue, Bright Royal Blue, Metallic Silver
As part of the two-phase expansion, St. Louis was also guaranteed a new club after the Knights departed for Nashville. The club chose Skyhawks as the moniker to celebrate both the aviation history of the city (think Spirit of St. Louis) as well as the military presence in the region. St. Louis is currently the only one of the 2006-2008 expansion teams to capture a league title, which they did six years into their existence, a feat which seems an anomaly when put up against their overall win percentage of .350, and lack of playoff appearances over their 16-year history.
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Charlotte Monarchs (2008)
Founded: 2008 Expansion Team
All-Time Record:
Playoffs:
Championships: None
Stadium: Bank of America Stadium (74,867)
Colors: Charlotte Teal, Royal Purple, Light Metallic Gold
The bid of Charlotte, North Carolina won out against direct competition to be the USFL's 28th team, with the Tidewater/Norfolk region of Virginia and Raleigh-Durham triangle region of North Carolina also competing to be the newest team in the Eastern Conference. The name references Charlotte as the "Queen City" of North Carolina. Its logo is based on a crown design with a football as the jewel at the center.
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Portland Stags (2008)
Founded: 2008
All-Time Record: 91-140-1 (.410)
Playoffs: 4 in 14 Years
Championships: None
Stadium: Columbia Sportswear Stadium (54,502)
Colors: Woodland Brown, Buff, Blaze Orange
Portland was originally considered a darkhorse to get a USFL club back after losing the Thunder, but a local grassroots effort led to a locally-approved plan to build a new 50,000+ seat stadium, and when the expansion bid of Dallas-Fort Worth imploded, Portland became the obvious choice for a 2008 franchise. Stags beat out two other regional fauna (Pumas and Grizzlies) to become the nickname of the club owned by Columbia Sportswear CEO and President Tim Boyle. The Stags got a taste of what football would be like in their new stadium when the displaced New Orleans Breakers spent most of the 2006 season playing in the newly christened Columbia Sportswear Stadium. Two years later the city would have its own team back and the Pacific Northwest could renew a great rivalry between Portland and Seattle.
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Relocations of the 2010's
With the expansion push in the 2000's more and more cities started pushing for the USFL to call them home, and with no further expansion planned, that led to cities and ownership groups looking for teams within the 28-franchise USFL, teams that were having attendance issues, stadium issues, or revenue issues. The 2010's saw four USFL franchises relocate, each with their own unique set of problems and their own rationales for seeking greener pastures elsewhere.
Dallas Roughnecks (2012)
Founded: 2012 (as Atlanta 1995, Boston 2003-2011)
All-Time Record: 169-263-2 (.392)
Playoffs: 5 in 27 Years
Championships: 2009 (Boston)
Stadium: Cotton Bowl Stadium (92,000--62,000 with tarps)
Colors: Sky Blue, Black, Red
Founded in 1995 as the original Atlanta Fire, the team struggled with attendance in the heat of Georgia summers. The Fire struggled to draw fans to Georgia Tech's Bobby Dodd Stadium and to win games. They relocated to Boston in 2003, but without an option to play at Gillette Stadium, the Cannons struggled with capacity and lease stipulations at Boston College's Alumni Stadium. Despite putting together a solid team with QB Drew Bledsoe, HB Tiki Barber, and WR Chad Johnson, winning a title in 2009, the team never turned a profit, a reality that made them easy pickings for billionaire investor Mark Cuban and an ownership group seeking to bring the USFL to Dallas. The team left New England for the DFW area in 2012. Unfortunately, upon relocation the franchise returned to the days of struggling on-field performance, evident in an overall franchise win percentage below 40%.
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San Diego Thunder (2015)
Founded: 2015 (Portland 1988-2003, Las Vegas 2003-2014)
All-Time Record: 251-309-2 (.448)
Playoffs: 13 in 35 Years
Championships: None
Stadium: Qualcomm Stadium (70,561)
Colors: Electric Green, Navy Blue, Athletic Gold, Sky Blue
The Thunder were born out of the chaos of the 1987 expansion. With the required merger of the Gunslingers and Outlaws, the league would have had an odd number of teams. Rather than face the scheduling nightmare that produces, they went back to one of the 1987 expansion bidding groups and offered Portland a spot. The Thunder emerged from that opportunity and played 16 seasons in the Rose City, but a poor stadium situation led them to seek greener pastures in 2003, relocating to Las Vegas with a sale to a local casino magnate. That proved a bad move as the Thunder franchise struggled to play outdoors at Sam Boyd Stadium (often in oppressive heat) and the ownership was under constant legal investigation, eventually forcing the league to take control of the franchise and selling off the team to an investment group in San Diego, who moved the team to southern California, where a new stadium and a much more stable future awaited.
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Las Vegas Vipers (2015)
Founded: 2015 (Los Angeles 1983-1991, St. Louis 1992-2001,
Nashville 2002-2014)
All-Time Record: 291-333-2 (.466)
Playoffs: 16 of 40 Years
Championships: None
Stadium: Wynn Arena (65,000)
Colors: Deseret Blue, Silverado (Metallic Silver), Black
A founding franchise in the league, the LA Express struggled to put butts in seats in the vast LA Coliseum. With direct competition from the NFL Rams, USC and UCLA football, the Express never caught on in the City of Angels. After 8 seasons of low attendance, the team took advantage of the NFL Cardinals departure from St. Louis to find a new home and a more enthusiastic fanbase. As the St. Louis Knights, the club developed a reputation as a defensive powerhouse under head coach Jim Johnson, but could never get the coveted ring. A series of bad lease agreements and the arrival of the hated Rams in St. Louis in the 90's again put pressure on the franchise, and they opted once again to sell off the franchise and relocate, this time to Nashville. Twelve years later lease issues and another NFL competitor (Tennessee Copperheads) proved too much for the Knights. They became a bidder in the league's competition to place a new team in Las Vegas. The Knights were bought by Steve Wynn, owner and operator of the new domed stadium in Sin City, and the Las Vegas Vipers were born. A team with a legacy of instability, relocation, and long odds seems an appropriate fit for Las Vegas, though the new ownership certainly hopes that the Vipers will rewrite the team history as one of winning.
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Oklahoma Outlaws (2017)
Founded: 1987 (Oklahoma 1987, Texas 1988-2016)
All-Time Record: 266-292-4 (.477)
Playoffs: 11 in 36 Years
Championships: None
Stadium: OGE Energy Stadium (58,202)
Colors: Black, Crimson Red, Deep Orange
The original Oklahoma Outlaws lasted only 1 year in Tulsa before the club was merged with the financially disastrous San Antonio Gunslingers in 1988. The club opted to relocate to San Antonio due to a better stadium agreement, becoming the Texas Outlaws. The Outlaws would play 29 seasons in the Alamo City, but in 2015 a series of tornadoes hit the city on Memorial Day weekend. The Alamodome was hit hard, and the insurance investigation found major structural issues, forcing the demolition of the facility. After playing one year at a variety of stadia in Texas, ownership agreed to a deal that would sell the Outlaws to a group out of Oklahoma City that had helped construct the new OGE Energy Stadium facility in hopes of acquiring either an NFL or USFL team. The Outlaws were back in Oklahoma, where it all began, and the San Antonio ownership were guaranteed a 2020 expansion team. The Outlaws hired OU coach Bob Stoops as their first head coach and began their tenure in OKC with 19 consecutive sell outs, an instant hit despite uneven play on the field.
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2020 Expansion
With the agreement to expand to San Antonio as part of the deal that sent the Outlaws to Oklahoma City, the USFL had committed to increase the league to 30 franchises. This move would allow the league to return to balanced divisions of 5 teams apiece and make scheduling more consistent. The former Texas Outlaw owners were locked in for a franchise in San Antonio, but the bidding for the 30th USFL franchise was wide open. After considering bids from Miami, Kansas City, Indianapolis, the Twin Cities and two Boston bids, the New England Football Group locked in the bid by securing the long desired deal to locate the team in Gillette Stadium, removing the stadium issues that had tormented both the Boston Breakers and the Boston Cannons. Football would return to New England for a third time.
New England Steamrollers
Founded: 2020
All-Time Record: 20-28-0 (.417)
Playoffs: 0 in 3 Years
Championships: None
Stadium: OGE Energy Stadium (58,202)
Colors: Black, Orange, Asphalt (Grey)
The Steamrollers did what no other Boston franchise had been able to do, they secured an agreement with the New England Patriots, long a bitter anti-USFL force in the NFL, to use Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, and that allowed the team to win out over multiple bids for the final expansion spot in 2020. The club hired John Fox as their first head coach and have started to build a team over their initial 3 years, struggling as most expansion teams do to create a culture and a roster that can win consistently, but, fans in Boston don't seem to mind, loving the fact that they have a team back in the league once again.
2022 Uniform
2022 Uniform
San Antonio Gunslingers
Founded: 2020
All-Time Record: 20-28-0 (.417)
Playoffs: 1 in 3 Years
Championships: None
Stadium: OGE Energy Stadium (58,202)
Colors: Kelly Green, Royal Blue, Silver, Black
Red McCombs promised San Antonio two things when he sold off the Texas Outlaws to an OKC group, that he would rebuild the Alamodome and that he would bring a USFL team back to San Antonio when it was ready. The USFL agreed to both projects, helping in the stadium rebuild and assuring the team a home in 2020. The dome was ready for them in 2020, but COVID-19 forced the team to play all their games in empty stadiums in Houston. The Gunslingers, named after the short-lived 1987 franchise, opened the Alamodome in their 2nd season, and have made history by winning the Southern Division in only their 3rd season, aided by an agreement with the Outlaws that allowed several former Texas Outlaws to return to San Antonio with the team, including All-USFL QB Joe Flacco, who led the Gunslingers to the playoffs in 2022.
