1984: Express Defeat Panthers in 3rd Overtime Period

The United States Football League first round playoff matchup on June 30, 1984 at the Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles featured two teams that completed the regular season with 10-8 records. The host Express, champions of the Pacific Division, were up against the Michigan Panthers, the defending league champions who had finished second in the Central Division and qualified for the postseason as a wild card entry.

The Panthers, under Head Coach Jim Stanley, had looked bound to win the title again as they broke out to a 6-0 start. However, the loss of key players to injury - in particular WR Anthony Carter, SS David Greenwood, and G Thom Dornbrook - caused the club to sputter. Michigan proceeded to lose four consecutive games, and seven of eight, before winning three of the last four contests to make it into the playoffs. QB Bobby Hebert, who had played so well as a rookie in ’83 in leading the team to the title, was still effective but was forced to play through injuries and clearly missed the presence of Carter as his primary receiver after the sixth game.

Los Angeles had started slowly at 2-5 under Head Coach John Hadl and had difficulty putting points on the board. However, the insertion of rookie Steve Young (pictured above) as the starting quarterback began to pay off in the second half of the season, and the team went 8-3 the rest of the way to win the league’s weakest division.

The Express had experienced difficulty in drawing fans, and even though it was a playoff game there were just 7964 in attendance at the huge Coliseum. LA scored first, keeping the ball on the ground for seven of ten plays in an opening drive that concluded with a five-yard touchdown run by RB Kevin Nelson, the club’s leading rusher during the season.

That was it until midway through the second quarter when the Express extended the lead to 10-0 thanks to a 32-yard field goal by Tony Zendejas. Michigan got on the board late in the period on a three-yard TD run by RB Cleo Miller and then scored quickly again after intercepting a Young pass that was followed by a 22-yard touchdown throw from Hebert to RB Ken Lacy. The Panthers took a 14-10 lead into halftime.

Zendejas narrowed the margin to 14-13 late in the third quarter with a 34-yard field goal. However, Hebert threw a two-yard touchdown pass to TE Mike Cobb in the fourth quarter to stake the Panthers to an eight-point lead.

With 8:57 left in regulation, LA took possession at its 20 yard line. On first down, Young looked set to pass but took off on a seven-yard run. He didn’t slide at the end of the play, attempting to pick up more yardage, and was hit hard by Michigan LB Kyle Borland. Appearing dazed by the hit, the rookie quarterback ignored a request by Coach Hadl to leave the game and trotted back to the huddle – an act that seemed to inspire the offense.

RB Mel Gray carried for six yards and a first down on the next play, and a screen pass to WR JoJo Townsell picked up nine more. The drive stalled on the Panthers 47, but on a fourth-and-one play Young ran for four yards before taking yet another hard hit, this time from FS Ron Osborne. He followed up with a 22-yard pass to TE Darren Long and then, on a third down play at the Michigan 12, took off on another run that ended just short of the goal line. From there, Nelson scored with just 52 seconds remaining. The Express went for the two-point conversion and Young ran it in to tie the contest at 21-21.

The game went into overtime, and for two periods neither team could break the deadlock. Michigan’s normally reliable placekicker, Novo Bojovic, who had been successful on 22 of 29 field goal attempts during the season, missed twice during OT – the first a near-miss from 37 yards out while the second, from 36 yards, was badly shanked. Hebert had been knocked out of the game after being blind-sided while sacked by DT Eddie Weaver and was replaced by backup Whit Taylor.

The Express offense couldn’t move during the first 30 minutes of overtime, but finally in the third OT period Young hit Townsell on two slant passes that totaled 47 yards and Gray ended the contest with a 24-yard burst for a touchdown. It was a painful end to the marathon game for Gray, who was hit hard as he reached the goal line and suffered a broken arm that had him lying on the field in pain rather than celebrating.

At 93 minutes and 33 seconds (the winning score came at 3:33 into the third overtime period), it had been the longest pro football game ever played, breaking the 82:40 mark of the 1971 NFL Divisional playoff between the Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs. As John Hadl summed up afterward, “I’ve never been through anything like that in my life.”


Steve Young completed 23 of 44 passes for 295 yards with two interceptions, ran for 44 yards on 7 carries, and received praise for his gritty performance, particularly in the game-tying drive in the fourth quarter. Mel Gray (pictured at right), who would go on to an outstanding NFL career as a kick returner, rushed for 124 yards on 31 carries including the game-winning TD. JoJo Townsell led the LA receivers with five catches for 96 yards; TE David Hersey also caught five passes, for 68 yards.

In defeat, Bobby Hebert completed 13 of 27 pass attempts for 201 yards with two TDs and two interceptions. RB John Williams gained 113 yards on 23 carries while Ken Lacy added 60 yards on five rushes. Lacy was co-leader in pass receiving with four catches for 57 yards and WR Derek Holloway had four receptions for a team-leading 67 yards.

Both teams topped 200 rushing yards, with Michigan outgaining the Express 236 to 217. The Express had the net passing yardage advantage at 285 to 245 and also led in time of possession, 51:59 to 41:34. The Panthers suffered four turnovers (three interceptions, one fumble) to LA’s three (two interceptions, one fumble). But the kicking game proved crucial, as Tony Zendejas was successful in both of his field goal attempts for the Express while Novo Bojovic missed all three of his attempted three-pointers for Michigan, including the two failures in overtime (Bojovic is pictured at bottom after one of the missed attempts).

The Express lost the Western Conference title game to the Arizona Wranglers the following week, 35-23. The marathon game proved to be the finale for the Michigan Panthers, although it wasn’t known at the time – the franchise was merged with the Oakland Invaders in 1985 and abandoned the Michigan home base and identity altogether.

1984: Kelly & Johnson Achieve Milestones as Gamblers Defeat Blitz

The Houston Gamblers were the best of the six expansion teams in the United States Football League’s second season. Under the direction of Head Coach Jack Pardee and operating the “run-and-shoot” offense developed by offensive coordinator Darrel “Mouse” Davis, the Gamblers got off to a 6-5 start. By the time they hosted the Chicago Blitz before 24,243 fans at the Astrodome on June 10, 1984 they had won four straight games and stood atop of the Central Division with a 10-5 tally.

Houston wasted little time in taking command of the game against the Blitz, who were struggling at 4-10 entering the contest. RB Sam Harrell, returning to action from a midseason injury, scored on a one-yard run in the first quarter, and before the period was over star rookie QB Jim Kelly threw a 10-yard TD pass to WR Richard Johnson.

Chicago got on the board early in the second quarter with a 38-yard field goal by Kevin Seibel, but the Gamblers came right back with another Kelly to Johnson TD pass, this one covering 30 yards. The score was 21-10 at halftime as Blitz QB Ron Reeves tossed a 15-yard touchdown pass to WR Kris Haines just before the end of the period.

The Gamblers put the game away in the second half thanks to two more touchdown throws by Kelly, of 62 yards to WR Ricky Sanders in the third quarter and 11 yards to WR Mark Barousse in the final period. Toni Fritsch capped the scoring with a 46-yard field goal midway through the fourth quarter, while Chicago managed only one more Seibel field goal in the third quarter. Houston won for the fifth consecutive game by a convincing 38-13 margin.

Jim Kelly completed 21 of 36 passes for 335 yards with the four touchdowns against two interceptions before being spelled by backup QB Todd Dillon. As a result, not only did his passing totals of 4825 yards and 40 TD passes after 16 games extend USFL records but they exceeded the then-existing NFL totals of 4802 passing yards by San Diego’s Dan Fouts and 36 touchdown passes by George Blanda of the Oilers (actually an AFL record) and Y.A. Tittle of the Giants. Interestingly, both of those records were broken by Miami’s Dan Marino when the NFL took the field in ’84.


Richard Johnson, who had emerged as Kelly’s favorite target, caught 5 passes for 58 yards and the two touchdowns. The five receptions gave him 103 for the year, also exceeding the existing NFL/AFL record of 101 held by Charley Hennigan of the Houston Oilers (another record that would fall in the NFL in ’84). However, Ricky Sanders, another accomplished member of the outstanding group of receivers, had the most catches and yards for the Gamblers in this contest, grabbing 7 passes for 130 yards and the one long TD.

While Houston’s aerial attack accounted for 394 net yards, the typically-solid running game accounted for another 149 yards on 25 attempts. RB Todd Fowler led with 105 yards on 14 carries.

By contrast, RB Larry Canada led the Blitz with 26 yards rushing on seven carries, Ron Reeves completed just 16 of 36 passes for 168 yards with a TD and an interception, and Kris Haines was the team’s best receiver with 5 catches for 45 yards and the lone TD.

The Gamblers ended up winning seven straight games to end the season with a 13-5 record and the division title. They were upset in the first postseason round, 17-16, by the Arizona Wranglers (the George Allen-coached club that had played in the Windy City in ’83 before swapping locations for 1984). Chicago remained at the bottom of the Central Division, finishing out at 5-13. The franchise folded in the ensuing offseason.

With two more games left in the USFL’s 18-game schedule, Kelly added to his totals and ended up with 5219 passing yards and 44 touchdown passes - an astounding performance for a rookie quarterback in any pro league. Richard Johnson led the league with 115 pass receptions, closely followed by Ricky Sanders with 101; they thus became the first teammates in pro football history to catch over 100 passes in a season.

1984: Fred Besana Sets Mark as Invaders Defeat Bulls

QB Fred Besana had been a major find by the Oakland Invaders in the inaugural United States Football League season. After failing to catch on in the NFL and playing in the semi-pro California Football League with the Twin City Cougars from 1980-82, the University of California product joined the USFL at age 29. Besana had an outstanding year in ’83 as he placed second in the league passing standings and led in completions (345), completion percentage (62.7), and yards (3980). The Invaders won the Pacific Division, albeit with a 9-9 record.

1984 had proven to be a more difficult year for Besana and the Invaders. The club lost its first nine games and had problems putting points on the board – the Invaders were shut out three times during the streak, and scored fewer than 10 points in five contests. Besana suffered from nagging injuries – not helped by a lack of mobility and an offensive line that allowed a league-leading 69 sacks during the year. He also was missing two favorite receivers from 1983 in TE Raymond Chester, who retired, and WR Wyatt Henderson, who was lost in the expansion draft.

However, after finally breaking into the win column, Oakland proceeded to win five straight games to creep back into the postseason picture in a weak division. Besana was part of the turnaround, as he demonstrated to good effect on June 2 as the Invaders hosted the expansion Jacksonville Bulls at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum (the Bulls, one of six expansion teams in ’84, were the club that had claimed Henderson).

Besana, who had completed his last two passes in the previous week’s win over Oklahoma, proceeded to complete his first 17 passes against the Bulls for a USFL-record 19 straight. However, it didn’t translate into many points as Oakland scored just one TD on a five-yard pass from Besana to TE Brian Williams. Sandwiched between field goals of 21 and 32 yards by Jacksonville’s Brian Franco, it was good enough for a 7-6 halftime lead.

The Invaders finally pulled out the win with a 10-point fourth quarter that included a 37-yard field goal by Kevin Shea and three-yard touchdown run by FB Tom Newton. The Bulls scored a late TD on a two-yard pass by QB Robbie Mahfouz to WR Alton Alexis (followed by a failed two-point conversion attempt). It was too little, too late as Oakland eked out a sixth straight win by a 17-12 margin.

Thanks to the passing streak to start the game, Besana ended up with an 82.8 completion percentage (24 of 29 passes) for 214 yards with a TD and no interceptions. Brian Williams was the club’s top receiver with 8 catches for 88 yards and the one score. The Invaders outrushed the Bulls, 119 yards to 75, with Tom Newton the leading ground gainer at 72 yards on 10 carries.

As was usual during the year, the Bulls split the quarterback duties between veteran Matt Robinson (14 of 24 for 112 yards with two interceptions and no TDs) and Mahfouz (9 of 14 for 89 yards with a TD and none picked off). RB Larry Mason was the leading rusher with 45 yards on 8 attempts. Both WR Aubrey Matthews and TE Robert Young caught 6 passes, with Matthews gaining the most yards (65). In his Oakland homecoming, Wyatt Henderson had two catches for 22 yards.

While the Invaders outgained the Bulls and benefited from Besana’s accuracy, they also handicapped themselves by committing 11 penalties (for a total of 85 yards) as opposed to just two by the visitors. However, while Besana was sacked three times, the Oakland defense managed to sack the Jacksonville quarterbacks a total of seven times (DE Monte Bennett led with two).

The Invaders ultimately won seven straight games before losing the final two contests and finishing at the bottom of the Pacific Division with a 7-11 record. Jacksonville ended up last in the Southern Division with a 6-12 tally.

Fred Besana ranked far lower in the USFL’s passing standings for the ’84 season, coming in at 11th. His yards-per-attempt (6.3) were nearly a yard below his ’83 figure (7.2), but he still completed a healthy 57.6 percent of his passes and threw for more touchdowns (14) than interceptions (12).

1984: Gary Anderson Scores 3 TDs as Bandits Defeat Breakers

The Tampa Bay Bandits had started slowly in the United States Football League’s second season, but after a 3-3 beginning they won six straight contests. Coached by the offensive-minded Steve Spurrier, the team was adept at both passing and running.

On May 20, 1984 the Bandits (9-3) hosted the New Orleans Breakers (8-4) in a key Southern Division matchup before a crowd of 42,592 at Tampa Stadium. The Breakers had gotten off to the better start, going 7-2 before losing two of the prior three contests.

Tampa Bay scored first, thanks to a three-yard touchdown pass from the 34-year-old veteran QB John Reaves to WR Eric Truvillion. 20-year-old rookie RB Marcus Dupree tied the score for the Breakers near the end of the opening period on a one-yard run. The lead changed hands twice in the second quarter as Tim Mazzetti put New Orleans ahead 10-7 with a 31-yard field goal, followed by a two-yard TD run by Tampa Bay’s multi-talented RB Gary Anderson (pictured above), which was in turn followed by another Dupree one-yard touchdown carry that gave the Breakers a 17-14 advantage at halftime.

New Orleans turnovers in the third quarter proved crucial. The first was recovered by Tampa Bay LB Kelly Kirchbaum at the Breakers 20 yard line and resulted in a game-tying field goal by Zenon Andrusyshyn. On the very next New Orleans possession, it was DB Dwayne Anderson recovering a fumble for the Bandits, again deep in Breakers territory at the 30. This time it resulted in a touchdown as Gary Anderson ran for a three-yard score and 24-17 lead.

Mazzetti kicked a 19-yard field goal just over four minutes into the fourth quarter to narrow the margin, but Anderson’s third touchdown of the day, on a two-yard run with just under two minutes left to play, capped Tampa Bay’s 31-20 win.


Marcus Dupree was the game’s leading rusher, with 104 yards on 18 carries, while RB Buford Jordan contributed another 53 yards on 12 attempts as the Breakers outran the Bandits, 160 yards to 137. FB Greg Boone led Tampa Bay with 61 yards on 14 rushes while Gary Anderson, who scored all three of his TDs on the ground, had 57 yards on 16 carries. However, as an outstanding receiver out of the backfield as well as runner, Anderson gained 74 yards on 6 catches.

John Reaves had a typically solid passing performance, completing 23 of 32 throws for 276 yards with a TD and an interception. Eric Truvillion led the Bandits with 7 catches for 80 yards and a score. Meanwhile, John Walton connected on 19 of 32 passes for 258 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. WR Frank Lockett had an outstanding game with 5 pass receptions for 127 yards.

Neither team dominated the statistics, with Tampa Bay enjoying slight advantages in first downs (22 to 20) and time of possession (30:09 to 29:51). Both squads fumbled the ball away three times, but the Bandits better capitalized on their opportunities. Neither quarterback was sacked (not a surprise in the case of the Breakers, who allowed Walton to be sacked only 13 times all season).

Tampa Bay ended up with a 14-4 record, placing second in the Southern Division to Birmingham due to tiebreakers but losing to the Stallions in the first playoff round. New Orleans limped to an 8-10 mark to finish third in the division. Having moved from Boston after the ’83 season, the Breakers relocated to Portland, Oregon for 1985.

Gary Anderson gained 1008 yards rushing on 268 carries (3.8 average) with 19 touchdowns; he also caught 66 passes for another 682 yards and two more TDs. A sore hamstring ultimately hobbled Marcus Dupree, who compiled 684 yards on 145 carries (4.7 average) with 9 touchdowns.

John Reaves, who had been a disappointment in the NFL but a prolific USFL passer, ranked fourth in passing, including second in yards (4092) and completions (313) and third in TD passes (28). John Walton, a 36-year-old veteran of the Continental, World, and National Football Leagues, finished out his career with 3554 yards passing and 17 TDs to 19 interceptions.

Eric Truvillion had a second strong season as he caught 70 passes for 1044 yards (14.9 average) with 9 touchdowns. Frank Lockett snagged fewer passes (56) but for more yards (1199) and a 21.4 average with 8 TDs.

1984: Walker & Generals Defeat Williams & Outlaws

The Oklahoma Outlaws were one of six new franchises in the United States Football League’s second season, and they had gotten off to a good start. Coached by Woody Widenhofer, the offense featured QB Doug Williams, formerly of the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with TE Ron Wheeler and WR Alphonso Williams the top receivers. However, after attaining a 6-2 record and keeping pace with the defending champion Michigan Panthers atop the Central Division, the Outlaws lost two consecutive games by big margins.

On May 6, 1984 the Outlaws took on the New Jersey Generals at Giants Stadium in the Meadowlands. The Generals were 8-2 and just coming off of a win over the Panthers the previous week. They offered no relief to a team with a slumping defense, and no relief was to be had for Oklahoma.

New Jersey scored on its first four possessions, taking a 28-3 lead by halftime and winning 49-17. The Generals dominated on the ground, outgaining the Outlaws by 219 yards to 56. Star RB Herschel Walker led the way, accounting for 127 yards on 16 carries with three touchdowns on runs of 62, two, and four yards. Walker’s backfield mate, FB Maurice Carthon, gained 77 yards on 14 attempts. Carthon also scored on a 9-yard touchdown pass from QB Brian Sipe.

Sipe only threw seven passes, but made them count as he completed six for 103 yards and two TDs. TE Sam Bowers scored the first touchdown of the game on a 13-yard reception. TE Jeff Spek was the top receiver for New Jersey, catching two passes for 67 yards. Only one pass was completed to a wide receiver – a five-yard reception by Clarence Collins – but all things considered, it hardly mattered.

Behind from the start, Williams passed often, completing 31 of 51 throws for 381 yards with a touchdown and three interceptions; one of the pickoffs was returned for a 19-yard touchdown by Generals LB Bob Leopold. Alphonso Williams and RB Andrew Lazarus led the Outlaws with 7 pass receptions apiece, for 95 and 84 yards respectively. WR Jack Steptoe also had 95 yards, on five catches that included a 47-yard touchdown reception. Lazarus was also Oklahoma’s top ground gainer, with 30 yards on 9 carries.

Things never got back on track for the Outlaws. They lost the remainder of their games and finished at 6-12 and in fourth place in the Central Division. Over the course of the 10-game losing streak, they gave up 308 points. New Jersey cruised to a 14-4 tally, good enough for second place in the Atlantic Division and a wild card spot in the playoffs; they lost to the eventual champions, the Philadelphia Stars, in the first round.

Doug Williams had a disappointing year, suffering a knee injury and throwing for 3084 yards with 15 touchdowns and 21 interceptions with a passer rating of 60.5. The lack of a strong running game (they were at the bottom of the league in team rushing), and the defense’s collapse that had the Outlaws constantly playing catch-up, certainly didn’t help his cause.

Alphonso Williams had a solid season, catching 50 passes for 1087 yards (a 21.7-yard average) and seven touchdowns (Williams led the club in receiving yards, but Ron Wheeler led in receptions with 51).

The hundred-yard game for Herschel Walker was just his third of an eventual five during the ’84 season. Playing with a sore shoulder, he ranked third in the USFL with 1339 yards on 293 carries with 16 touchdowns. Maurice Carthon also crossed the thousand-yard threshold for the season, with 1042 yards on 238 attempts and 11 TDs. Not surprisingly, the team ranked second overall in rushing for the year.

1984: Chuck Fusina Throws 5 TD Passes as Stars Dominate Breakers

The Philadelphia Stars were the most successful team in the United States Football League’s brief history. Coached by Jim Mora, they excelled on both sides of the ball. Typically, the offense was spurred by the running game, in particular star RB Kelvin Bryant. But on April 27, 1984 against the New Orleans Breakers at Veterans Stadium, it was QB Chuck Fusina who was the headliner.

The game was really no contest at all as the Stars rolled over the Breakers, 35-0. To be sure, the running game was successful as always, accumulating 167 yards. Bryant, having missed the three prior contests due to injury, contributed 105 of that total on 17 carries, while his capable backup, Allen Harvin, added another 30 yards on five runs. But the scoring came directly as a result of the aerial attack as Fusina tied the USFL single-game record with five touchdown passes (it was the third of an eventual seven occurrences by five quarterbacks).

The first two TD tosses were to FB David Riley, covering 47 and 13 yards respectively. WR Willie Collier also caught two of the scoring throws, of 19 yards in the second quarter and 8 yards in the third period. In between, also in the third quarter, TE Steve Folsom caught a five-yard pass for a touchdown.

Fusina completed 20 of 26 passes for 250 yards with none picked off. It was an effective and efficient performance by a quarterback who had not been highly regarded in 1983, even though the team made it to the league title game, and was often overshadowed by bigger-name quarterbacks in ’84. Rookie Jim Kelly put up big numbers directing Houston’s “run-and-shoot” offense, and mobile Steve Young did well in Los Angeles. Veterans Cliff Stoudt (Birmingham), John Reaves (Tampa Bay), and Greg Landry (Arizona) all performed capably. Yet in the end, it was Fusina at the top of the passing standings with a 104.7 rating and 31 touchdown passes to just 9 interceptions.

In this game, Bryant led the team in receptions with four (for 27 yards) while four other players caught three passes apiece (Riley, Collier, Folsom, and WR Scott Fitzkee). Riley was the receiving yardage leader with 76.

The defense excelled, holding the usually effective New Orleans running game to just 31 yards on 16 carries (rookie RB Marcus Dupree led with 20 yards on 9 attempts). The passing game was held to 193 net yards and quarterbacks Johnny Walton and Doug Woodward threw a total of four interceptions. All-League CB Garcia Lane accounted for two of the pickoffs.

Philadelphia went on to compile a 16-2 record in once again topping the Atlantic Division – they went on to win the USFL championship with ease. The Breakers, who had been located in Boston in ’83, went 8-10 to finish third in the Southern Division.

What made Philadelphia such a successful team? A look at the postseason honorees in ’84 provides ample evidence - as might be expected, many members of the Stars ended up receiving All-League recognition (by either the league, The Sporting News, or both). On offense, they included Fusina, Bryant, OT Irv Eatman, G Chuck Commiskey, C Bart Oates, while on defense there were DT Pete Kugler, LB Sam Mills, CB Garcia Lane, and S Mike Lush. Punter Sean Landeta also received recognition from The Sporting News. In addition, and perhaps most significantly, Mora was Coach of the Year and The Sporting News chose President/GM Carl Peterson as Executive of the Year for assembling the talent.

The win over the Breakers was a reflection of the sort of overall ability – from front office to the sideline to the playing field – that allowed the Stars to succeed with such consistency.

1984: Gold Overcomes 3-TD Deficit to Defeat Maulers

The Pittsburgh Maulers were one of six new teams in the United States Football League’s second season, and were experiencing plenty of difficulties as they got off to a 2-5 start. Coached by Joe Pendry, the offense was directed by former Cowboys backup QB Glenn Carano and featured rookie Heisman Trophy-winning RB Mike Rozier. However, the defense was mediocre, Rozier got off to a slow start, and Carano struggled (at least, prior to a 388-yard passing performance the week before in a losing effort at New Orleans).

Pittsburgh’s opponent at Three Rivers Stadium on April 14, 1984 was the Denver Gold. Under Head Coach Craig Morton, the Gold had gotten off to a 6-1 start and sat atop the Pacific Division. It hardly seemed likely that the Maulers would mount a strong challenge.

However, at halftime the score was 21-0 in favor of Pittsburgh. Carano had thrown touchdown passes of 21 and 24 yards to WR Greg Anderson and, in between, connected for a 65-yard TD to WR Jackie Flowers.

Denver finally got on the board in the third quarter as QB Craig Penrose threw a 34-yard touchdown pass to WR Kevin Williams. Shortly thereafter, Penrose went down with torn knee ligaments, but reserve QB Bob Gagliano stepped in and narrowed the margin to 21-13 with a 25-yard TD throw to WR Leonard Harris (the extra point attempt failed).

In the fourth quarter, Gagliano connected with Harris for another score, this one from five yards out, and the quarterback ran for a successful two-point conversion to tie the contest. The Gold pulled ahead thanks to an 18-yard touchdown run by Williams on an end-around, and Brian Speelman’s 20-yard field goal with under two minutes to play sealed the 31-21 Denver victory.


The game had been all Pittsburgh in the first half, all Denver in the second. The Maulers outrushed the Gold, 176 yards to 97, and controlled the ball for almost 34 minutes to Denver’s 26. However, Carano (pictured at left) threw three interceptions and was sacked six times (three times apiece by defensive ends Dave Stalls and Bruce Thornton), as opposed to Denver suffering one sack and neither quarterback having a pass picked off. Pittsburgh also committed 12 penalties, adding up to 100 yards, to Denver’s four for 26 yards.

A bright spot for the Maulers was the performance of Rozier, who had his first pro hundred-yard game with 137 yards on 24 carries. Carano’s numbers reflected his inconsistency as he threw three touchdowns, three interceptions, and completed just 14 of 34 passes. Greg Anderson caught 6 passes (for 96 yards) while Jackie Flowers led the team in receiving yards with 125 on three catches.

For Denver, Bob Gagliano’s solid relief performance was summed up by his completing 8 of 9 passes for 90 yards and the two TDs. Prior to that, Craig Penrose was successful on 7 of 16 passes for 106 yards and a score. Leonard Harris was the top receiver with 5 catches for 76 yards and two touchdowns. RB Harry Sydney led the runners with 60 yards on 15 carries.

The win marked the high point of the season for the Gold – they lost their next five contests and won only two more games the rest of the way to finish at 9-9 and in third place in the Pacific Division. Pittsburgh never got on track, ending up at the bottom of the Atlantic Division (along with the Washington Federals) with a 3-15 record. The Maulers folded following the season while the Gold changed ownership and Morton was replaced as coach by Darrell “Mouse” Davis, who had popularized the “run-and-shoot” offense.

1984: Steve Young Debuts with USFL’s LA Express

The April 1, 1984 matchup between the Los Angeles Express (2-3) and visiting New Jersey Generals (4-1) at the Memorial Coliseum before a small crowd of 19,853 didn’t provide any surprises; the Generals won handily, 26-10. But it did mark the first professional start for QB Steve Young, who had signed a 10-year, $40 million contract to join the USFL club after an outstanding career at Brigham Young.

The Express had failed to score more than 14 points in any of its first five contests, with Tom Ramsey and Frank Seurer splitting time at quarterback, and were ripe for an infusion of new talent. Young gave them that, completing 19 of 29 passes for 163 yards with a TD and an interception and also leading the club in rushing with 32 yards on six carries. His first pro touchdown pass was a nine yard toss to fellow rookie WR JoJo Townsell late in the second quarter, and at one point he completed nine consecutive throws.

“Steve is going to be a great quarterback,” said LA’s Head Coach John Hadl afterward. “He went up against one of the best defenses in the league and performed well. I like his leadership. He saw some things on the field that another quarterback wouldn’t see for a year.”

With his outstanding mobility to complement his passing, Young put together a solid rookie season. He completed 57.7 % of his 310 passes for 2361 yards with 10 touchdowns and 9 interceptions and ran for 515 yards on 79 attempts for a healthy 6.5-yard average and seven TDs. Moreover, he rallied the Express to a 10-8 record and the Pacific Division title. After averaging 10.7 points and 296.8 yards per game over the first five contests, the Express averaged 22.9 points and 338 yards the rest of the way.

It was a rather ordinary performance for the Generals, with star RB Herschel Walker gaining just 59 yards on 16 rushing attempts but scoring on a 50-yard pass play from QB Brian Sipe as he accumulated 66 receiving yards on three catches. The Generals outgained the Express on the ground, 111 yards to 56.

The 34-year-old veteran Sipe, a high-profile signee from the NFL’s Cleveland Browns who had started slowly in the USFL due to injury, completed 13 of 21 passes for 219 yards with two touchdowns. It was a solid outing for him as well, and afterward he commented, “This was probably my best game. I felt more comfortable than I have felt so far. And it was nice to see us do a lot of different things. My knee injury was a real setback to me, but each week, I seem to feel more and more comfortable.”

New Jersey went 14-4 for the season, finishing in second place in the Atlantic Division and qualifying for a wild card playoff spot. They lost convincingly in the first postseason round to the team that finished ahead of them in the division (and went on to win the USFL title), the Philadelphia Stars.

The greater significance of the game, however, which lasted far beyond the ’84 season and the USFL itself, was the beginning of Steve Young’s 17-season career (two in the USFL, 15 in the NFL) that ultimately earned enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

1984: Panthers Defeat Gamblers as Hebert Outduels Kelly

The Houston Gamblers, new to the United States Football League in its second season, quickly established themselves as an offensive force. With rookie QB Jim Kelly leading the “run-and-shoot” attack, the Gamblers broke out to a 3-1 record. On March 26, 1984 at home in the Astrodome they took on the reigning USFL champions, the Michigan Panthers, in a battle for supremacy in the Central Division.

The Panthers were off to a solid 4-0 start as they sought to defend their league title. Head Coach Jim Stanley’s team was ably directed by QB Bobby Hebert, who in combination with WR Anthony Carter provided a devastating aerial attack. The defense included the 1983 league leader in sacks, LB John Corker, as well as DE Larry Bethea, NT David Tipton, LB Kyle Borland, and SS David Greenwood.

The upstart Gamblers scored first, with Kelly connecting with WR Scott McGhee on a nine-yard touchdown pass. Michigan responded with a one-yard run by RB John Williams for a touchdown later in the quarter. Early in the second quarter, Houston scored again on another nine-yard pass play, this from Kelly to WR Richard Johnson. The Panthers narrowed the score on a 22-yard field goal by Novo Bojovic and then took the lead just before the half thanks to an 11-yard pass from Hebert to Carter.

Michigan pulled away with three third quarter touchdowns, two on Hebert touchdown passes of 72 yards to WR Derek Holloway and 19 yards to RB Linnie Patrick, who also scored on an 11-yard run. In the meantime, Houston scored a touchdown on a 63-yard pass play from Kelly to slotback Clarence Verdin. However, the Panthers led by 38-21 after three quarters, a margin that proved too much for the Gamblers to overcome.


The final score was 52-34 as Michigan scored twice more in the final period, with Hebert hitting Carter on a touchdown pass play that covered 55 yards and Patrick running for a TD from 14 yards out. Houston’s backup QB Todd Dillon combined with WR Greg Moser for a 65-yard touchdown and RB Todd Fowler ran four yards for the final score of the game.

Bobby Hebert set a then-USFL record with 444 passing yards as he went to the air 37 times and completed 26 of his throws. Four produced touchdowns, as against none intercepted. By comparison, Jim Kelly (pictured below) completed 18 of 23 passes for 298 yards with three TDs and two interceptions. Between Kelly and Dillon, the Gamblers still piled up plenty of passing yards with 423.

Michigan had two hundred-yard pass receivers, as Derek Holloway pulled in 6 catches for 133 yards with a score and Anthony Carter grabbed 5 for 111 with two TDs. WR Ricky Sanders led Houston with 7 receptions for 76 yards, while Greg Moser had the most receiving yards with 83 on three catches, including the 65-yard touchdown.

The Panthers also outran the Gamblers, 116 yards to 43. Top rusher was Linnie Patrick, with eight carries for 48 yards; Jim Kelly actually led Houston with 27 yards on four runs.

The Panthers stayed undefeated through the first six games, but Anthony Carter broke his arm and the passing game was not as effective. Carter’s loss was a major turning point as the club then lost four straight contests and nine of the last 13. Hebert suffered a knee injury that limited his mobility, in addition to no longer having his best target available. While he still threw for 3758 yards and 24 touchdowns, he also tossed 22 interceptions and ended up the tenth-ranked passer in the league. The loss of David Greenwood in the secondary later in the season put a hole in the defense as well.

Jim Kelly threw more interceptions than Hebert, with a league-leading 26, but he also threw 44 touchdown passes as well as topping the USFL with 5219 yards, 370 completions, and an average of 8.89 yards-per-pass. Richard Johnson and Ricky Sanders both topped 100 passes, with 115 and 101, respectively.

The Panthers, with a 10-8 record, ended up in second place and earned a wild card spot behind Houston, the division champions at 13-5. Both teams lost in the first round of the postseason, as Michigan was defeated 27-21 by the Los Angeles Express in a marathon game that lasted into a third overtime period. Houston was upset by Arizona, 17-16.

1984: Kelvin Bryant Leads Stars Past Invaders in 28-Point Second Half

At halftime of the March 18, 1984 USFL game between the host Philadelphia Stars and visiting Oakland Invaders at Veterans Stadium, it appeared that a significant upset was in the making. The Invaders, 0-3 coming into the contest and having failed to score in the previous 12 consecutive quarters, held a 7-0 lead on the 2-1 Stars, who had come within two points of the league championship in ’83.

The second half proved to be a different story as Philadelphia’s offense pulled out of its funk and scored touchdowns the first three times they had the ball. Star RB Kelvin Bryant, who had been held to 40 yards on 10 carries in the first half, scored touchdowns of four and two yards on his way to a 133-yard second half rushing total. QB Chuck Fusina threw for the last two scores, on passes of 25 yards to WR Scott Fitzkee and 35 yards to WR Tom Donovan. In the end, it was a comfortable 28-7 win for Head Coach Jim Mora’s team.

Philadelphia rolled up 234 rushing yards, 173 of that total accounted for by Bryant. Fusina completed 19 of 31 passes for 260 yards with the two touchdowns and an interception. WR Willie Collier led the Stars in receiving, with 6 catches for 95 yards. The defense held the Invaders to nine first downs, with 76 rushing and 140 net passing yards. LB George Cooper recorded a sack, while CB Garcia Lane picked off a pass.


For Oakland, QB Fred Besana completed 13 of 28 passes for 153 yards and an interception. RB Arthur Whittington was the top runner with 62 yards on 16 carries. WR Gordon Banks was the standout among the receivers with 5 catches for 99 yards.

The Stars had quickly emerged in the USFL’s first season as one of the best-balanced clubs, and after barely losing in the title game to the Michigan Panthers it was anticipated that they would again be strong contenders. They more than fulfilled expectations in 1984, going 16-2 over the course of the season to win the Atlantic Division and cruising through the postseason to win the league championship.

Kelvin Bryant, achieving All-League honors for the second season, ranked second in the USFL with 1406 rushing yards. Chuck Fusina might not have been the most highly regarded quarterback in the league, but he nevertheless led the circuit in passing in ’84 with a 104.7 rating that included a 64.9 completion percentage, 3837 yards, 31 TD passes, and just 9 interceptions. They operated behind a solid offensive line that featured OT Irv Eatman and the Oates brothers – center Bart and tackle Brad. Defensively, they had All-League performers in DT Pete Kugler, LB Sam Mills, safety Mike Lush, and Lane at cornerback.

In a roller coaster ride of a year, Oakland endured nine straight losses to open the season, turned around and won seven consecutive games to pull into playoff contention in the mediocre Pacific Divison, but dropped the final two contests to drop back into last place at 7-11. Fred Besana suffered through an injury-riddled year, and couldn’t duplicate his solid 1983 performance. Gordon Banks was a standout at wide receiver (61 catches, 937 yards), but the offensive line play was inconsistent, allowing the immobile Besana to be sacked too many times, and the defense was especially poor against the run.

1984: Sam Harrell Runs for 200 Yards & Scores 4 TDs as Gamblers Defeat Blitz

The Houston Gamblers, new to the United States Football League in 1984, had established themselves as a potent passing team in the first two weeks of the season. Rookie QB Jim Kelly had thrown for a combined 538 yards and three touchdowns as the club lost a narrow 20-17 verdict at Tampa Bay and handily defeated the San Antonio Gunslingers, 35-7. In their third game, on March 11 at Chicago’s Soldier Field, it was RB Sam Harrell making headlines as he became the league’s first 200-yard rusher and scored four touchdowns in a high-scoring battle won by the Gamblers, 45-36.

There were just 7808 fans in attendance as the two offenses piled up 81 points, the most in any USFL game thus far. Harrell scored on runs of 7, 53, and 2 yards as he amassed an even 200 yards on 20 carries; he also scored on a 13-yard pass from Kelly. The young quarterback hit WR Ricky Sanders for a 61-yard TD that opened the scoring in the first quarter and WR Greg Moser from 33 yards in the third quarter. In the end, Kelly completed 13 of 26 passes for 229 yards with three touchdowns against a lone interception. Sanders was Houston’s top receiver with 4 receptions for 119 yards.

Chicago’s QB Vince Evans, formerly of the NFL’s Bears, had a big statistical day as he completed 22 of 36 passes for 371 yards with a touchdown and an interception; he also ran for two scores. TE Gary Lewis led the Blitz receivers with 7 pass receptions for 105 yards. The running game was not nearly as effective as Houston’s, accumulating 91 yards on 26 attempts – leading ground gainer was Larry Canada with 35 yards on 11 carries.

“This is the greatest game I’ve ever played, that I’ve ever had in my life,” said Harrell afterward. It was certainly the highlight of his season – he gained a total of 697 yards on 120 carries, averaging an impressive 5.8 yards-per-carry and scoring 14 touchdowns on the ground. He also caught 25 passes for 304 yards and two more scores in a year in which he missed several games due to a broken leg. He was part of an effective running tandem with Todd Fowler, who was ultimately the club’s leading rusher with 1003 yards.

The 6’2”, 225-pound Harrell had been chosen in the 11th round of the 1980 NFL draft out of East Carolina by the Minnesota Vikings, but he missed all of that season due to a hip injury and saw extremely limited action in ’81 and ’82. Released during preseason in 1983, he signed with the Gamblers and started the first eight games of ’84 until sidelined by the injury.

Head Coach Jack Pardee’s team remained committed to the innovative “run-and-shoot” passing game that allowed Jim Kelly to lead the league in attempts (587), completions (370), yards (5219), yards per attempt (8.9), and touchdown passes (44) – on the downside, he also led in interceptions (26). The Gamblers ended up with two hundred-catch receivers in wide receivers Richard Johnson (115) and Ricky Sanders (101).

Houston ended up with a 13-5 record to win the Central Division, but lost to Arizona in the first round of the playoffs. The Blitz, who were the remnant of 1983’s Arizona Wranglers team (the franchises had switched locations), were the mirror opposite, going 5-13 and ending up at the bottom of the same division.

1984: Jacksonville Bulls Score 53 Points in USFL Debut

The Jacksonville Bulls were one of six new teams in the USFL for the 1984 season. Owned by Fred Bullard (hence the Bulls nickname) and coached by Lindy Infante, they took the field for their first game on February 26 before 49,392 fans at the Gator Bowl. They didn’t disappoint, rolling up 53 points as they obliterated the visiting Washington Federals.

The first points came on a safety as Washington punter Dana Moore fell on a fumble in his end zone. The first touchdown occurred on a 74-yard pass play from QB Matt Robinson to WR Aubrey Matthews. It was 16-0 at the end of the first quarter after RB Larry Mason scored from a yard out.

By the end of the first half, the Bulls had a 29-0 lead as Mason scored a second TD on an eight-yard run (the PAT failed) and Robinson connected on another long pass play, this one covering 54 yards to WR Wyatt Henderson. Washington finally got on the board in the third quarter on a one-yard run by QB Mike Hohensee, but it was Jacksonville accumulating the next 17 points as the Bulls cruised to the 53-14 victory.


Robinson (pictured at right), who had played in the NFL with the Jets, Broncos, and Bills, completed 15 of 25 passes for 299 yards with three touchdowns against two interceptions. Rookie WR Gary Clark led the team with 4 pass receptions (for 65 yards), although Matthews had the most receiving yards with 74 on his lone catch, the long TD. Larry Mason led the team’s runners with 36 yards on 11 carries with the two scores.

WR Joey Walters had an outstanding statistical day in a losing effort for the Federals as he gained 205 yards on 8 receptions that included a 51-yard TD on a pass from relief QB Reggie Collier.

It was a great start for the franchise both on the field and in terms of attendance. But while the Bulls would set a USFL single-game attendance record in their next game with 73,227 on hand to witness a heartbreaking loss to the New Jersey Generals, and would go on to lead the league in attendance over the course of the season, they went 6-12 on the way to a last place finish in the Southern Division. The Federals also finished last with a 3-15 record, tied with the Pittsburgh Maulers in the Atlantic Division.

Matt Robinson ended up splitting time at quarterback with Robbie Mahfouz. Gary Clark was the top receiver, with 56 catches for 760 yards. However, the team finished next to last in the USFL in rushing with 1729 yards; Mason’s 495 yards led the club.

Defense was a problem as the team failed to consistently put pressure on opposing quarterbacks and ended up surrendering 455 points. They were good at picking off passes, with 28 interceptions (led by safety Don Bessillieu’s seven), but defensive lineman Bob Clasby was the team’s leader with just five sacks.

The franchise’s enduring legacy was the fan support that it generated. Long after the Bulls disappeared with the rest of the USFL, the NFL awarded Jacksonville an expansion franchise for the 1995 season. The enthusiasm generated for the Bulls apparently played a role in that decision.