The Complete History Of The USFL Of The 1980's

8 min readJan 15, 2023

The United States Football League (USFL) was a professional American football league that played for three seasons from 1983 through 1985. The league was intended to be a springtime alternative to the National Football League (NFL), with all of its teams playing in the warm-weather months of March through June. However, the league was plagued by financial problems and ultimately failed in its attempts to compete with the NFL.

The USFL was founded by David Dixon, a New Orleans businessman, who envisioned a league that would be able to compete with the NFL by signing top college players. The league began play in 1983 with 12 teams and quickly established itself as a legitimate rival to the NFL, with many of its teams drawing strong crowds and television ratings.

However, the league’s financial troubles began to mount, as many of its teams were losing money, and the league’s television contract was not as lucrative as it had hoped. In an effort to compete more directly with the NFL, the USFL decided to move its games to the fall, beginning in 1986.

This move proved to be the downfall of the league, as it was unable to secure a television contract, and many of its teams were unable to compete financially with the NFL. The league played its final games in the summer of 1985 and then folded.

Despite the USFL’s failure, it did have a significant impact on the NFL. The league served as a minor league system for the NFL, providing a training ground for future NFL coaches and executives and a number of players who went on to have successful careers in the NFL. Additionally, the USFL’s antitrust lawsuit against the NFL, which it filed in 1986, resulted in the NFL being forced to pay a large settlement and helped pave the way for the eventual merger of the NFL and the American Football League in 1970.

Top Players In The USFL

The United States Football League (USFL) had a number of talented players during its three-year existence from 1983 to 1985. Some of the best players in the league include:

Doug Flutie: A quarterback who played for the New Jersey Generals and later went on to have a successful career in the NFL. He was known for his strong arm and his ability to make big plays.
Herschel Walker: A running back who played for the Generals and later went on to have a long career in the NFL. He was known for his power and speed and was a dominant player in the USFL.
Jim Kelly: A quarterback who played for the Houston Gamblers, Kelly was known for his strong arm and his ability to lead his team to victory. He later went on to have a successful career in the NFL with the Buffalo Bills.
Reggie White: A defensive end who played for the Memphis Showboats, White was known for his speed and quickness and was a dominant force on the field. He later went on to have a hall-of-fame career in the NFL.
Steve Young: A quarterback who played for the Los Angeles Express, Young was known for his strong arm and his ability to make big plays. He later went on to have a successful career in the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers.
Anthony Carter: A wide receiver who played for the Michigan Panthers, he was known for his speed and his ability to make big plays. He later went on to have a successful career in the NFL.

These players, along with many others, helped to establish the USFL as a legitimate league, and many of them went on to have successful careers in the NFL.

Top Teams In The USFL

During its three-year existence, the United States Football League (USFL) had a number of successful teams. Some of the top teams in the league include:

The Michigan Panthers: The team won the league’s first championship in 1983, led by quarterback Bobby Hebert and wide receiver Anthony Carter. They were known for their high-powered offense and solid defense.
The Baltimore Stars: The team reached the championship game in both 1983 and 1984 and won the 1984 championship. Led by quarterback Chuck Fusina and defensive end Sam Mills, the Stars were known for their strong defense and ball-control offense.
The Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars: This team was the only USFL team to reach the championship game three times and won the championship in 1985. Led by quarterback Chuck Fusina and defensive back Mike Lush, the team was known for its strong defense and ball-control offense.
The Denver Gold: Led by quarterback John Elway and wide receiver Vance Johnson, the team had a high-powered offense and reached the playoffs in each of its three seasons.
The Los Angeles Express: Led by quarterback Steve Young and wide receiver Jojo Townsell, the team had a high-powered offense and reached the playoffs in 1985.
New Jersey Generals: Led by quarterback Doug Flutie and running back Herschel Walker, the team had a strong offense and reached the playoffs in 1985.

These teams, along with many others, helped to establish the USFL as a legitimate league, and their success on the field helped to generate fan interest and media attention.

Famous Coaches In The USFL

The United States Football League (USFL) had a number of successful coaches during its three-year existence from 1983 to 1985. Some of the top coaches in the league include:

George Allen: The former head coach of the NFL’s Washington Redskins, Allen coached the Chicago Blitz in 1983 and led them to the playoffs. Allen was known for his innovative strategies and his ability to get the most out of his players.
Chuck Fairbanks: The former head coach of the NFL’s New England Patriots, Fairbanks coached the New Jersey Generals in 1983 and 1984. He led the team to the playoffs in both seasons and was known for his ability to develop young talent.
Jim Mora: The former head coach of the NFL’s New Orleans Saints, Mora coached the Baltimore Stars in 1985. He led the team to the championship game and was known for his ability to develop young talent and his innovative strategies.
Jack Pardee: The former head coach of the NFL’s Chicago Bears and Houston Oilers, Pardee coached the Houston Gamblers in 1984 and 1985. He led the team to the playoffs in both seasons and was known for his offensive strategies and his ability to develop young talent.
George Perles: The former head coach of the Michigan State Spartans, Perles coached the Michigan Panthers in 1983 and 1984. He led the team to the playoffs in both seasons and was known for his ability to develop young talent and his innovative strategies.
Ray Jauch: The former head coach of the Canadian Football League’s Edmonton Eskimos, Jauch coached the Oakland Invaders in 1983 and 1984. He led the team to the playoffs in both seasons and was known for his offensive strategies and his ability to develop young talent.

These coaches, along with many others, helped to establish the USFL as a legitimate league, and their success on the field helped to generate fan interest and media attention. Many of them went on to have successful careers in the NFL as coaches or executives.

Donald Trump And The USFL

Donald Trump was the owner of the New Jersey Generals, a team in the United States Football League (USFL), from 1983 to 1985. Trump was a vocal and prominent figure in the league, and his ownership of the Generals was a major factor in the team’s success on the field and in terms of fan interest and media attention.

Trump was known for his aggressive approach to building the Generals, and he made several high-profile signings, including Heisman Trophy-winning running back Herschel Walker and quarterback Doug Flutie. He also made several controversial statements regarding the league’s future, including his desire for the USFL to compete directly with the NFL by moving to a fall schedule and merging with the NFL.

Trump’s involvement with the league had a significant impact on its financial and strategic decisions. He pushed for the league to move from a spring schedule to a fall schedule to compete head-to-head with NFL and for the league to expand its teams, which many argue led to the league’s financial downfall.

In addition to his involvement with the Generals, Trump was also one of the driving forces behind the USFL’s antitrust lawsuit against the NFL, which was filed in 1986. The lawsuit, which claimed that the NFL had violated antitrust laws by monopolizing the market for professional football, ultimately resulted in the NFL being forced to pay a large settlement, but it was not enough to save the USFL, which folded shortly after the lawsuit was filed.

Despite the USFL’s failure, Trump’s involvement with the league helped to establish him as a major figure in the world of professional sports, and his experience as an owner would later serve as a stepping stone to his other business ventures and ultimately to his presidency.

USFL vs NFL Lawsuit

The United States Football League (USFL) filed an antitrust lawsuit against the National Football League (NFL) in 1986, claiming that the NFL had violated antitrust laws by monopolizing the market for professional football. The lawsuit was a result of the USFL’s failed attempts to compete with the NFL and was seen as a last-ditch effort to save the struggling league.

The USFL claimed that the NFL had an illegal monopoly on professional football in the United States and that the league had used its dominant position to prevent the USFL from gaining a foothold in the market. The USFL also claimed that the NFL had used its control over television contracts and other forms of media coverage to limit the exposure of the USFL and its teams.

The trial lasted for five months and was highly publicized, with both sides presenting evidence and calling witnesses to support their claims. At the end of the trial, the jury found that the NFL had indeed violated antitrust laws but awarded the USFL only $1 in damages, which was trebled to $3. This award was seen as a symbolic victory for the USFL, and it was not enough to keep the league alive.

The USFL folded shortly after the lawsuit was filed, and the NFL emerged victorious. However, the lawsuit did have a significant impact on the NFL, as it forced the league to pay a large settlement and also helped pave the way for the eventual merger of the NFL and the American Football League in 1970.

Overall, the USFL’s antitrust lawsuit against the NFL was seen as a David and Goliath type of story, where a small league tried to challenge a much larger and established league but ultimately failed. The USFL’s legacy is that of a league that was ahead of its time in its attempt to challenge the NFL but was ultimately undone by financial and strategic missteps.