Here's a look at Ta'amu's background and a detailed scouting report from FOX Sports Draft Analyst Rob Rang: Background: Following two flashy seasons at Ole Miss, in which he completed 64.5% of his passes for 5,600 yards and an impressive 30 touchdowns against just 12 interceptions (with another 507 yards and 10 scores as a rusher), Taamu signed with the Houston Texans in 2019. [7] Though Bassett had also considered several established coaches with NFL experience, he chose Spurrier due to his deep connections to the state of Florida and his reputation as an innovative young offensive coach; Spurrier was 37 when hired, making him the youngest head coach in professional football at the time. The Breakers' defense held Tampa Bay to just 97 yards passing and Bandits quarterback Jordan Ta'amu was pressured throughout the contest. Bassett, who had registered one of the two "nay" votes, immediately declared his intention to pull the Bandits out of the USFL and organize a new spring football league. Below is a brief history of the first Tampa Bay Bandits franchise.--- . For the original USFL from the 80's, see, "USFL unveils team cities, nicknames and logos for 2022 debut", "USFL Southern Division Coaches Leak Before Official Announcement", "USFL expanding to Memphis, adding second market for games", "Tampa Bay Bandits won't play in United States Football League in 2023", "USFL to have a "player selection meeting" on February 2223", "USFL expands game-day rosters by two, total rosters by five", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tampa_Bay_Bandits_(2022)&oldid=1139341491, American football teams established in 2021, American football teams in Birmingham, Alabama, United States Football League (2022) teams, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, National Spring Football League Enterprises Co, LLC, (, Running backs/wide receivers - Yale Van Dyne. David Aaro is a Reporter at Fox News Digital. This came with the announcement of the creation of the Memphis Showboats. He only played eight games of the 1983 season because of a wrist injury. 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). The USFL was launched in 1983, but crumbled after three seasons because of out-of-control spending and an ill-conceived push led by Trump, owner of the New Jersey Generals, to compete directly against the NFL with a fall season. Tampa Bay Bandits News Tampa Bay Bandits News. The Tampa Bay Bandits of the United States Football League ended the 1983 season with a record of 11 wins and 7 losses, finishing third in the USFL's Central Division. Advertise with us (Opens in new window) Read Today's . Sloter was dominant in his second career USFL game despite popping his groin. The new USFL announced Thursday it will play next spring with a minimum of eight teams and deliver high-quality, innovative professional football to fans., Although those teams, along with the cities, head coaches and schedules wont be announced until later, the league said it retains the rights to key original team names.. Players chosen by the Tampa Bay Bandits during the 2022 USFL Draft. [DAVID KADLUBOWSKI | Tampa Bay Times], Selection to Lightning Hall of Fames inaugural class very, very special for Phil Esposito, Lightning assistant GM Jamie Pushor found his post-playing passion in scouting, Book Talk: Dominique Richardson, Sorboni Banerjee speak at Oxford Exchange, In Daniel Robertsons return to Rays, a clear mind is what matters, Sabres leave Lightning stunned in overtime, Andrei Vasilevskiy, Lightning shut down Red Wings, This Lightning trade is not just a risk, its a full-blown battle cry, Bucs players give team low marks for travel, treatment of families, Bucs raise ticket prices by 7.5 percent on new season-pass members, Bucs are wild for Kyle Trask at quarterback (for now), Tampa Bay Strikers, fielding both mens and womens teams, 49ers Brock Purdy has torn ligament in right elbow: Associated Press. The Michigan Panthers, New Jersey Generals, Philadelphia Stars and . The Tampa Bay Bandits of the United States Football League is currently playing the 2022 season with a record of 4 wins and 6 losses, placing them third in the USFL's South Division. Forgive us if we greet it with more than a smidgen of skepticism. Tampa Bay Bandits QB Jordan Ta'amu. [16], Taamu signed with the Kansas City Chiefs on April 2, 2020. The size of the contracts, particularly Clark's contract, led Spurrier and other team officials to question whether Bassett was acting or thinking rationally. 9 to 5) cost both of their second-round picks at Nos. Could the Tampa Bay Bandits, whose popularity in the 1980s rivaled that of the Bucs, be among them? He jumped to the now-defunct XFL a few months later, starring for the St. Louis BattleHawks. Jonathan Adams #9 of New Orleans Breakers misses the ball as Christian Campbell #7 of Tampa Bay Bandits defends in the second quarter of the game at Protective Stadium on April 24, 2022 in Birmingham, Alabama. He would lead the USFL in passing yards at 2,014 and touchdowns with 14. Howd you do it? Coached by Bill Musselman, whose journeyman career included stints as coach of the NBAs Cavaliers and Timberwolves, the Thrillers won the league title each of their three seasons in the area, though few noticed. With the USFL failing to win the necessary money from its antitrust lawsuit to continue operating, and suddenly without one of its most financially successful franchises, the league suspended operations the same day, never returning to play. Problem was, the team (owned by the league) never could secure local ownership and hemorrhaged money. Buoyed by that revolutionary offense, an A-list minority owner (Burt Reynolds) and an ensemble of NFL-caliber talent (John Reaves, Gary Anderson, Nate Newton), the Bandits routinely drew crowds of more than 40,000. Fox 13's Kevin O'Donnell had a little fun with it. Im going to go get that ball Im always open," Adamssaid during the broadcast. December 27, 2023 12:00 am Mike Margittai. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The eight USFL teams will be split into two divisions. Though they never won a league title, the Bandits made the playoffs in two of their three years, and boasted the highest average attendance (43,760) during that brief history of the original USFL. League: Continental Basketball Association, Home venue: Bayfront Center (1984-85, 1986-87), University of Tampa (1985-86). The Bandits scored 363 points, but the defense conceded 378. ET at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Ala. Let's analyze Tipico Sportsbook's lines around the Bandits vs. Home venue: ThunderDome, now known as Tropicana Field (1991-1996), Ice Palace/St. Ta'amu played at the New Mexico Military Institute for two seasons, passing for 3,014 yards and 32 touchdowns as a sophomore. MOST RECENT. To the contrary, Tampa Bay just might lead the nation in fledgling sports franchises. The Breakers (2-0) will play the Birmingham Stallions in a matchup of unbeaten teams later in the day at 8 p.m. This article is about the second edition of the USFL. Spurrier's aggressive offense was usually one of the best in the league; Bandits players are among the USFL career leaders in touchdown passes (John Reaves, 4th), touchdown receptions (Eric Truvillion, 2nd), and rushing touchdowns (Gary Anderson, 3rd). Helping the teams popularity was another local star, Steve Spurrier. The 6-foot-3, 221-pound QB has an athletic frame with excellent size and better football speed than his 40-yard dash of 4.77 suggests, getting to top speed quickly with his long strides that make him a legitimate dual-threat nightmare for defenders. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/USFL/Getty Images). Over its three seasons, the league fielded a total of 18 teams in NFL cities like Chicago, Philadelphia, and Houston, but also in non-NFL cities like Jacksonville, Memphis, and San Antonio. The Official Site of the United States Football League | The USFL.com ET Sunday. Call 1-800-GAMBLER (PA/OH) or 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). Jordan Taalolo Ta'amu-Perifanos (born December 10, 1997) is an American football quarterback for the DC Defenders of the XFL. In the inaugural draft's unique format, each round is dedicated solely to one position group, and the first round featured only quarterbacks. Our main criteria for these rankings: on-field (or on-court) success, popularity and longevity. Gary Anderson, a star in any league, rushed for four touchdowns Saturday night to help the Tampa Bay Bandits open the United States Football League's third season with a 35-7 rout of the Orlando Renegades. The Tampa Bay Strikers, fielding both mens and womens teams in the second-year National Indoor Soccer League, debuted Sunday (the women won, the men lost) before a sparse audience at Yuengling Center on USFs campus. Before unleashing his Fun n Gun offense on the SEC, Steve Spurrier tried it out here in the greatest non-NFL pro football league this nation has ever known, and it flourished. Trapasso's mock draft has the Carolina Panthers trading up for Kentucky quarterback prospect Will Levis, who enters a great situation with a solid supporting cast and an impressive coaching start. calling plays and QB Kyle Trask Feb. 22 Sports . [ICON SPORTSWIRE | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images], Florida migrant flights lawsuit dismissed in wake of Legislature passing law, Editorial Cartoons for Thursday from Times Wire Services, Bucs new coordinator is confident! When the Pittsburgh Gladiators (one of Arena Football Leagues four original franchises) relocated to Tampa at the dawn of the 1990s, a diminutive dynasty was born. Ta'amu was selected with the second pick of the 2022 USFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Bandits. But attendance had bottomed out by then (as low as 295 for one game), and new owner John Tuschuman moved the team to South Dakota before the end of the third season. Jimmy Jordan tossed for 1,831 yards, while Mike Kelley and John Reaves took a . ET. He played at UConn during his college years and then spent five seasons in the NFL with three different teams. The USFL is relaunching in 2022, four decades after the spring football leagues short-lived run that featured such stars as Reggie White, Herschel Walker, Steve Young, Jim Kelly and future president Donald Trump. Never miss out on the latest with the Bucs, Rays, Lightning, Florida college sports and more. The USFL revealed the league will include the Memphis Showboats for the second season, moving the Tampa Bay Bandits to the city to play in 2023. All rights reserved. Running back Jordan Ellis led the Breakers with 64 rushing yards on 21 attempts. Headquartered at the original Jack Russell Stadium on North Greenwood Avenue, the Bombers had success, star power and an electric home atmosphere. ET on NBC and Peacock. Follow @TBTimes_Bulls. 40 active, 5 inactive, 10 practice squad. The Bandits were a charter member of the USFL and was the only franchise to have the same principal owner (John F. Bassett), head coach (Steve Spurrier), and home field (Tampa Stadium) during the league's three seasons of play (19831985). The Tampa Bay Buccaneers made off like bandits . All rights reserved. The team was soon dubbed the "Bandits", and although it was widely assumed that the name referenced Reynolds' role in the hit Smokey and the Bandit movies, Bassett said that the mascot had been chosen before Reynolds joined the ownership group and instead came from the name of Bassett's daughter's German Shepherd. He also earned a BCS National Championship ring during his first season of college football at Florida State, where he backed up Jameis Winston. [18] He was signed to the practice squad the following day. 0 Rate. [2], After it was decided that the franchise would play in Tampa, several minority owners bought stakes, among them Hollywood star Burt Reynolds, a former college football player at Florida State who was one of the most popular motion picture actors in the world. He was out of football entirely for two seasons before stepping in as a high school coach in 2020 in the Tampa area before being named the Bandits coach. Jordan Ta'amu passed for 2,015 yards. New Orleans answered with a 4-yard touchdown pass from Sloter to wide receiver Johnnie Dixon. Home venue: Houlihans Stadium (1996-98), Raymond James Stadium (1999-2001). New Orleans had four sacks and 10 tackles behind the line . Kyle Sloter #10 of New Orleans Breakers looks to pass the ball in the third quarter of the game against the Tampa Bay Bandits at Protective Stadium on April 24, 2022 in Birmingham, Alabama. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are among multiple NFL teams that are looking for a new starting quarterback this offseason after Tom Brady officially retired last week. Believing that the USFL was on far stronger financial ground than the WFL ever had been, he agreed to sign on. Fu promosso nel roster attivo il 24 dicembre 2019, nel ruolo di wide receiver. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (CO/IL/IN/LA/MD/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500(VA). [2], On November 15, 2022, it was announced that the Tampa Bay Bandits would not play during the 2023 season and would instead be on a temporary hiatus. The Tampa Bay Bandits were coached by Steve Spurrier. 39 and 61. . They drew the highest average attendance over the three-year history of the USFL, coming in second in attendance in 1983 and leading the league in that category in 1984 and 1985 with over 40,000 fans per game. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. HIGHEST RATED. The USFL has returned to the hearts and eyes of the American people after disappearing in 1985. Neutral Media. In April 1985, the USFL (led by New Jersey Generals owner Donald Trump[24][25]) voted 122 to switch to a fall schedule for 1986, hoping to compete directly with the NFL and possibly force the more established league to accept a merger. Cheerleaders warm up the crowd at the first game (FOX 13 / file). This list excludes our mainstream, major-sports franchises (Bucs, Lightning, Rays) as well the Rowdies (who still exist and have survived several incarnations). In the inaugural draft's unique format, each round is dedicated . Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA (select parishes)/MD/MI/NH/NJ/NY/OH/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. Former USF rush end/linebacker Greg Reaves, a breakout player for the 2022 Bandits, said he intends to play for Memphis next spring. Michigan Panthers Shea Patterson, Michigan . Click the College Football Today RokFin live image below to learn more about top football recruits that have received offers from ACC football programs and visit the top 2022 quarterback recruits database to view scouting data on 2022 UNC QB Commit Conner Harrell & 2022 Louisville QB Commit Khalib Johnson! Tampa Bay Bandits quarterback John Reaves (7), under pressure from Arizona Wranglers end Karl Lorch (71), gets off a pass in the first half on March 3, 1984, at Tampa Stadium. The Bandits led the league in average attendance over their three years, outdrawing the Buccaneers, who also played at Tampa Stadium. The team also got a former second-round NFL Draft pick in Obi Melifonwu, a safety. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. The Tampa Bay Bandits' majority owner were Canadian businessman John Bassett (who was still in litigation against the NFL over his previous Memphis . And the soccer fan can love the fact that we have another chance to watch a different type of soccer, but its soccer.. Bandits' majority owner John Bassett was a strong proponent of the "Dixon Plan", which was a plan formulated by the USFL's founding owners that sought to build a sustainable league with budgetary restraint and a commitment to spring football. However, an average defense and Bassett's insistence on adhering to the USFL's original financial plan while other franchises spent millions on free agent signings kept the team from serious championship contention. Dia reuni dengan quarterback- nya saat masih di New England Patriots, Tom Brady. The Florida stars up-tempo, aggressive offense which earned the nickname Bandit Ball was usually among the best in the league. Memphis Showboats, a franchise in the original USFL (in existence from 1983-1985) that is re-joining the league for 2023. The Bandits stumbled, scoring only 162 points, though they the defensive unit yielded 195. Want more of our free, weekly newslettersinyourinbox? Gambling Problem? Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 1) De'Andre Johnson, New Jersey Generals 2) Brady White, Tampa Bay Bandits 3) J'Mar Davis-Smith, Birmingham Stallions USFL Tampa Bay Bandits T-Shirts. February 26, 2023 8:35 pm NBC ProFootballTalk. 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