XFL owners The Rock and business partner Dany Garcia have been making the rounds to promote the merger of the XFL and the USFL, making a new UFL Spring Football League that will indeed include the Memphis Showboats!
Memphis' new head coach will be John Defilippo who played college football as a quarterback at James Madison University, and has served as offensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns, Minnesota Vikings, and Jacksonville Jaguars.
The 2024 complete UFL schedule hasn't been announced, but will begin March 30th with Birmingham taking on Arlington (TX). The Memphis Showboats will presumably play their home games once again in 2024 at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium. Full coverage live this week on 92.9 FM ESPN, Memphis' Sports Station.
ARLINGTON, TX – January 1, 2024 – The United Football League, the premier spring football league, today announced the eight teams, including the Memphis Showboats, competing in its inaugural season kicking off on March 30, 2024. The League will be divided into two conferences: USFL and XFL.
USFL CONFERENCE
XFL CONFERENCE
Birmingham Stallions
Arlington Renegades
Houston Roughnecks
D.C. Defenders
Memphis Showboats
San Antonio Brahmas
Michigan Panthers
St. Louis Battlehawks
Houston was the one overlapping market between the XFL and USFL and it was one of the strongest markets for both leagues. As a result, the USFL’s Houston Gamblers have been rebranded as the Houston Roughnecks.
The UFL’s 10-game regular season will start on Saturday, March 30, 2024, with a battle of the 2023 champions: Birmingham Stallions (USFL) vs Arlington Renegades (XFL). Players will report to training camp on Saturday, February 24, 2024, in Arlington, Texas.
2023 Season Ticket Members can renew their tickets through their account manager link. New Season Ticket Deposits for the upcoming season are on sale now. Click www.theufl.com to learn more. Act now to lock in your spot for the 2024 season – excitement is at an all-time high!
Head Coaches
The UFL’s Head Coaches include returning names from both the XFL and USFL. Collectively, they bring decades of coaching and playing experience, a passion for the game and a commitment to expanding opportunities for players.
John DeFilippo will serve as head coach for the Memphis Showboats this upcoming season. DeFilippo spent last season as head coach of the New Orleans Breakers, going 7-3 in the regular season and falling in the first round of the playoffs to the Birmingham Stallions, 47-22.
DeFilippo, born on April 12, 1978, boasts extensive NFL coaching experience prior to the Breakers. Notable roles include quarterbacks coach for the Eagles during their Super Bowl-winning season in 2017 and offensive coordinator for the Vikings in 2018. His career also includes stints with the Raiders, Jets, Browns, Jaguars and Bears.
A full list of UFL coaches can be found below:
Skip Holtz (Stallions)
Bob Stoops (Renegades)
Curtis Johnson (Roughnecks)
Reggie Barlow (Defenders)
John DeFilippo (Showboats)
Wade Phillips (Brahmas)
Mike Nolan (Panthers)
Anthony Becht (Battlehawks)
Today’s news was first announced by Dany Garcia and Dwayne Johnson on ESPN’s College GameDay Built by The Home Depot.
***
About the United Football League
The United Football League (UFL) is set to launch as the premier spring football platform, formed by the merging of the XFL and USFL in 2024. The UFL has eight teams in Arlington (TX), Birmingham (AL), Detroit (MI), Houston (TX), San Antonio (TX), Memphis (TN), St. Louis (MO), and Washington D.C.