[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. Roster Download Roster (PDF) . 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. Stallions odds with USFL picks, predictions and bets.. The original United States Football League was an alternative football league that lasted for three seasons between 1983 and 1985. Home venue: ThunderDome, now known as Tropicana Field (1991-1996), Ice Palace/St. This American football team article is a stub. While Haley's name isn't as big as some of the other coaches in the USFL, the players on his roster are big names in many circles. Scouting Report: It is easy to see why so many NFL teams have had interest in Taamu, as he possesses an intriguing combination of size, athleticism and arm talent. In their second year, guard Kevin Williams (who ultimately had brief stints with five NBA teams) scored 58 points in a game against the Baltimore Lightning and 59 in a playoff game 10 days later. The team is led by head coach longtime NFL assistant coach Todd Haley. The league initially played a spring and summer schedule but was scheduled to be played in the fall and winter beginning in 1986 directly competing against the National Football League. Follow our Tampa Bay Times sports team on Twitter and Facebook. Cheerleaders warm up the crowd at the first game (FOX 13 / file). [5][6], Rookies in italics [29][34], Rushing Yards: 1206 (1985), Gary Anderson, Receiving Yards: 1146 (1983), Danny Buggs, This article is about the first edition of the USFL. New Orleans answered with a 4-yard touchdown pass from Sloter to wide receiver Johnnie Dixon. The Bandits' mascot gallops around Tampa Stadium (FOX 13 / file). The Bandits were one of the most successful teams in the short-lived spring football league both on the field and at the ticket booth. 5 Rate. [26], Ta'amu signed with the Detroit Lions on August 17, 2021. Next week, the Bandits (1-1) will take on the Houston Gamblers on Saturday, April 30 at 4 p.m. With an enclosed setting, 200-foot-long field and six players to a side (including the goalkeeper), the sport seems a hockey-soccer hybrid. 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.. The Tampa Bay Bandits selected former Ole Miss quarterback Jordan Ta'amu with the second choice. From Bombers to Bandits, Renegades to Rollin Thunder, weve seen a smorgasbord of pro teams try to make their mark with varying degrees of success. Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, Kyle Lowry headline NBA injury report for Wednesday, March 1, Senators acquire D Jakob Chychrun from Coyotes, The Jake Paul boxing experiment is not dead (yet), How to bet on Kevin Durants player props for Suns debut Wednesday vs. Hornets. Taamus flashy play in St. Louis earned him another shot in the NFL with the Kansas City Chiefs adding him to their roster in April 2020. Pete Times Forum/Tampa Bay Times Forum/Amalie Arena (1997-2017). On October 15, 2019, Ta'amu was allocated to the St. Louis BattleHawks of the XFL, the first player for the team. Note: The Finish, Wins, Losses, and Ties columns list regular season results and exclude any postseason play. 1983 Tampa Bay Bandits Roster. This led to USFL teams losing substantial amounts of money, causing much instability throughout the league. [26][27], However, by mid-1985, the Bandits' ownership group was in disarray. Advertise with us (Opens in new window) Read Today's . The USFL's Tampa Bay Bandits drafted quarterback Brady White from Memphis on Tuesday, February 22. Letsgetstarted. The team also got a former second-round NFL Draft pick in Obi Melifonwu, a safety. [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. Below is a brief history of the first Tampa Bay Bandits franchise.--- . 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. February 26, 2023 8:35 pm NBC ProFootballTalk. Jordan Taalolo Ta'amu-Perifanos (born December 10, 1997) is an American football quarterback for the DC Defenders of the XFL. Todd Haley, the longtime NFL coach who has been coaching high school ball in Florida, will be not only the USFL team's coach, but also their general manager. Game log for the match-up between Bridgewater Jr. Bandits vs. New Hampshire Jr. Nine of the players are questionable due to illness, including starting quarterback J'Mar Smith. Tampa Bay Bandits coach Steve Spurrier, pictured here with quarterback (and Robinson High alumnus) John Reaves, led the team during its three seasons (1983-85) in the original United States . As a senior, he passed for 1,779 yards with 29 touchdowns against four interceptions. 0 Rate. 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. Weve ranked them right here. 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! The Breakers made impact plays from players on all three levels of their defense. He would lead the USFL in passing yards at 2,014 and touchdowns with 14. The Florida stars up-tempo, aggressive offense which earned the nickname Bandit Ball was usually among the best in the league. Spurrier's "Bandit Ball" offense led them to three winning seasons and two playoff appearances, and their exciting brand of play combined with innovative local marketing helped the Bandits lead the league in attendance. Though a rousing success on the court, the Thrillers couldnt draw an audience locally, and came and went like a roadside produce stand. The Bandits began play in 1983 in Tampa Stadium, and were immediately more successful than the area's NFL franchise, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with whom they shared a home field (though the Bucs played in the fall and early winter while the Bandits played in the spring and early summer). On December 30, 2021, Ta'amu was signed to the Carolina Panthers practice squad. COLLEGE FOOTBALL TODAY. The team was led by quarterback John Reaves, who graduated from Robinson High School in Tampa before playing at the University of Florida. + Details. ('92), bullpen coach for the Tampa Bay Rays (2003-05) and catching/bullpen coach for the Philadelphia Phillies (2016-17). Tampa Bay ends a 10-play drive, their best so far, with a successful field goal attempt by Tyler Rausa. The revamped league gets kicked off this weekend with eight teams playing 10 games, all of which will happen in the hub city of Birmingham, Alabama. On the field, the Bandits went 11-7, 14-4, and 10-8. [31], Ta'amu was assigned to the DC Defenders of the XFL on January 6, 2023. Tampa Bay Bandits (@USFLBandits) January 6, 2022. . As a passer, Ta'amu, 24, displays effortless velocity and good accuracy on a variety of throws, consistently placing the ball away from opponents and leading his receivers to daylight. He jumped to the now-defunct XFL a few months later, starring for the St. Louis BattleHawks. Retrieved December 15, 2018, Proposed new football league plans game in Tampa | Tampa Bay Times, "Spring pro league scraps showcase game at Ray-Jay", "Based on Trademarks Which USFL Teams Could We See Return In 2022", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tampa_Bay_Bandits&oldid=1112262986, This page was last edited on 25 September 2022, at 13:11. With the second pick of the 2022 USFL Draft on Tuesday, the Tampa Bay Bandits selected quarterback Jordan Taamu from Mississippi. Monarchs on Mon 27/02, 2023 . For three scintillating years at the outset of the MTV era, the Bandits totally upstaged their creamsicle counterparts. The Michigan Panthers, New Jersey Generals, Philadelphia Stars and Pittsburgh Maulers will form the North Division. JORDAN ELLIS LIFTS BREAKERS TO FIRST USFL WIN OVER STARS. [24][25] He was waived on May 10, 2021. They won more than 4,000 games in their existence, captured 10 national fast-pitch titles and finished second eight other times. . The Tampa Bay Bandits will be one of the eight teams to play this season in the USFL. The USFL featured rules innovations, helped usher in underclassmen being drafted by the NFL and pushed the league to pay bigger salaries and create real free agency. A fan-friendly atmosphere (including a theme song, "Bandit Ball", penned and sung by Reynolds' friend Jerry Reed[10]) was one factor, and the Bucs' futility during the period (they went 1038 from 1983 to 1985the start of a 12-year stretch of 10-loss seasons) also helped the Bandits' success. He was one of 16 nominees for the U.S. Army National Player of . Thats why I think the casual fan will love it, said former Bucs kicker Martin Gramatica, who coaches both Strikers teams. The Tampa Bay Bandits are back. You've now found the USFL Tampa Bay Bandits t-shirt of your wardrobe. Call 1-800-GAMBLER (PA/OH) or 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). While they were owned by Canadian businessman John Bassett, actor and former Florida State player Burt Reynolds bought in as a minority owner and became a big part of the teams marketing. Competition Committee begins to explore the quarterback push play. Bandits players and coaches from last season now will represent the Memphis Showboats, a franchise in the original USFL (in existence from 1983-1985) that is re-joining the league for 2023. After eight first-round quarterbacks were selected, the 12th round also saw another eight signal-callers head to new teams. Visit ESPN to view the Tampa Bay Buccaneers team depth chart for the current season Use of this website (including any and all parts and components) constitutes your acceptance of these Terms of Use and . 2023 FOX Television Stations, 'Absolute mayhem': Suspect dead after shootout in Poinciana, Polk County sheriff says, Cheerleader competes alone at state champs after squad quits: It felt amazing, Two top members of Latin Kings arrested in Hillsborough County, sheriff says, Train carrying propane derails in Manatee County, but no leaks detected: officials, See the thrilling side of Florida at Canyons Zip Line and Adventure Park, Pasco County school district considering cell phone ban, FBI: Explosive found in bag at Pennsylvania airport, man arrested, Manatee County train derailment: Clean-up underway; cause remains under investigation, F-35 fighter jet pilot being trained at MacDill draws inspiration from sister, Southeastern softball teammates help opposing team's injured player get to home base. Follow our Tampa Bay Times sports team on Twitter and Facebook. The Breakers were up 21-3 by halftime, and they didn't allow the Bandits to score any points for the rest of the game. The Tampa Bay Bandits were a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. After an extra point by MacGinnis, the Breakers led 31-3. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Former UCF defensive back Rashard Causey was selected by the Tampa Bay Bandits during Tuesday night's new United States Football League draft. Tampa Bay will open the season Sunday, April 17 against the Pittsburgh Maulers. The Official Site of the United States Football League | The USFL.com Another key factor in the Bandits' success was the fact that there was no Major League Baseball team in Tampa at the time (the Tampa Bay Devil Rays would not debut for another decade), meaning that unlike other USFL teams, they did not have to compete with a baseball team for spectators. A great athlete similar to quarterback De'Andre Johnson, Martinez ran a 4.7 40-yard-dash and put up very solid numbers in college. RELATED: New USFL reveals team names, cities, logos for 2022 season. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/USFL/Getty Images). [27] He was cut six days later on August 23, 2021.[28]. [5] He also rushed for 342 yards and 6 touchdowns. or redistributed. But New Orleans responded on the next drive, as Sloter connected with wide receiver Shawn Poindexter for an 18-yard touchdown. The eight USFL teams will be split into two divisions. [9] Also, their memorabilia outsold that of the Buccaneers in the Tampa Bay area. David Aaro is a Reporter at Fox News Digital. Running back Jordan Ellis led the Breakers with 64 rushing yards on 21 attempts. 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. 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