USFL, Pittsburgh Maulers returning this coming spring

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Maulers and the USFL are coming back with the new league starting this coming April.

The USFL will be divided evenly into a North Division and a South Division with 8 teams. The North will feature the Michigan Panthers, New Jersey Generals, Philadelphia Stars and Pittsburgh Maulers. The South will include the Birmingham Stallions, Houston Gamblers, New Orleans Breakers and Tampa Bay Bandits.

League officials said games will be played in one host city, which has yet to be announced. Teams will play a 10 game schedule, followed by semifinals between the top two teams in each division to crown the division winner. The championship will then be played between those two winners.

The Pittsburgh Maulers are not a new franchise. They competed in the 1984 season of the USFL with running back Mike Rozier who won the Heisman Trophy that year. There was talk before that season that the Maulers were in contact with then Pitt quarterback Dan Marino to play for the team. He ultimately went to the NFL.

It’s also been announced that the XFL is supposed to be making a comeback in 2022. It’s not clear when or if that will happen.

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