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Fox Sports
4 days ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
UFL 2025: Every Touchdown from Defenders-Panthers Championship Game
The 2025 UFL Championship Game had a little bit of everything and a lot of scoring. In the end, the DC Defenders took down the Michigan Panthers at The Dome at America's Center in St. Louis on Saturday in an action-packed game that featured 13 touchdowns and three field goals. Jordan Ta'amu and the Defenders' offense put on a show, scoring a UFL record 58 points. Let's take a look at every touchdown scored in Saturday's title game! DC Defenders 58, Michigan Panthers 34 Michigan got on the board first, going 67 yards in six plays on the game's opening drive to kick things off with a bang. Nate McCrary broke through a huge crease, beat his opponents to the sideline and turned on the jets for a 35-yard touchdown in the first few minutes of regulation. Just like that, the Panthers jumped out to a 6-0 lead. The Defenders answered on their first drive of the game, knotting things up at 6-all with a touchdown drive that took twice as long — 12 plays and over six minutes. Facing a third-and-10 from Michigan's 26-yard line, Ta'amu dropped back and found Jayden Mickens wide open on a seam route. Ta'amu lofted a pass into the bread basket, and Mickens corralled it with ease. The tie was short-lived, however, as Michigan scored again on a creative play-action pass on its second drive of the game just before the end of the first quarter. QB Bryce Perkins baited the Defenders' defense with a fake hand off to RB Toa Taua, which allowed WR Saiosi Mariner to break wide open on the right sideline. Without a defensive back in sight, Perkins lofted a softball to Mariner, who ran it in for an uncontested 8-yard touchdown and a 13-6 lead. The second quarter was pure fireworks. After the Defenders added a field goal first thing to close the gap slightly, 13-9, the Panthers went three-and-out on the following drive. That swung the momentum toward the Defenders, who went on to score 22 unanswered points and grab a double-digit lead in the process, 31-13. The first score was on a nice corner route from Cornell Powell. Ta'amu showed off his accuracy, lofting a pass to the spot where Powell would end up, and the receiver ran a perfect route to secure the 27-yard touchdown. A fumble by the Panthers on the ensuing kickoff gave the ball right back to the Defenders deep in the red zone. Ta'amu & Co. only needed four plays and roughly two minutes to hit paydirt, with the quarterback cashing in for the rushing score. Michigan went three-and-out on their next drive, and just like that, the Defenders were back on the field. Ta'amu led his squad downfield, and RB Deon Jackson finished things off with a 5-yard touchdown. The Panthers scored on the following drive, going 84 yards in just two plays to keep things close, 31-19. The drive was highlighted by Perkins' short pass to WR Malik Turner, who turned it into a dazzling 71-yard touchdown. What's better than a 71-yard score? A 73-yard score. The Defenders did just that, one-upping the Panthers with a jaw-dropping score of their own on the very next drive, as Ta'amu connected with WR Ty Scott to make it a 37-19 game at halftime. The Defenders opened the second-half scoring with a field goal to put them ahead by 20-plus points, but after the Panthers coughed the ball up on their first drive of the third quarter, DC was back in the driver's seat. Jackson picked up his second rushing score of the day, this time from 17 yards out, to make it 46-19 midway through the third quarter. DC opened the fourth quarter with another explosive scoring play. Ta'amu led his team downfield, capping off a lengthy 10-play drive with a 1-yard touchdown pass to TE Briley Moore. With that, the Defenders were leading 52-19. The Panthers scored back-to-back touchdowns — both coming from the dynamic duo of Perkins and Turner — after opting to go for an alternative kickoff. With those scores and a field goal, they were able to pull within 18 points, 52-34, midway through the fourth quarter. It was too little too late, however, as the Defenders added one last score for good measure. With 3:40 to play, RB Chris Rowland punched in a 19-yard touchdown to seal the game, 58-34. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience United Football League DC Defenders Michigan Panthers recommended Get more from United Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Fox Sports
4 days ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
UFL 2025: Best hot mic moments from Defenders-Panthers championship game
The DC Defenders are 2025 UFL champions after taking down the Michigan Panthers by double digits in Saturday's title game, 58-34. Both teams' offenses were humming, but the Defenders had a historic day, scoring a league-record 58 points to take home the trophy. With all the points, both teams had their share of moments to celebrate and boast about. Here are the best hot mic moments from the 2025 UFL title game. "Oh yessir!" Panthers RB Nate McCrary, who broke free for a 35-yard touchdown run down the left sideline to get Michigan on the board first, celebrated the opening touchdown before he even broke the plane. "Boom! Boom!" Defenders interim head coach Shannon Harris was proud of himself after dialing up a touchdown. QB Jordan Ta'amu hit a wide-open Cornell Powell on a corner route in the back of the end zone to give DC its first lead of the game. "Get off of me bruh!" Ta'amu told the Panthers' defenders what he had just done to them after shedding a pair of tacklers for a 1-yard touchdown run. To boost the Defenders to victory, Ta'amu showed off his skills on the ground and with his arm. "Get your sorry a-- off the field!" After Defenders CB Kiondre Thomas picked off Panthers QB Bryce Perkins, Thomas's teammate Trey Dean rubbed it in further. As Perkins was exiting the field, he got up in his grill and told him to do just that. At that point, the Defenders were up 21 points, and Perkins was making desperate throws, one of which ended in Thomas's hands. "You the f------ MVP!" Defenders TE Briley Moore hyped up Ta'amu after his quarterback made one of his best throws of the day — a 73-yard connection with WR Ty Scott. Ta'amu's throw led Scott open and hit him in stride and the receiver did the rest. Ta'amu's deep ball placement and arm strength were at the root of the Defenders' championship run, and Moore acknowledged that with his comments. Ta'amu went on to win UFL Championship Game MVP. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience United Football League DC Defenders Michigan Panthers recommended Get more from United Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Fox Sports
5 days ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Decision time for DC's Shannon Harris tops storylines from 2025 UFL season
Jordan Ta'amu had a simple request for the DC Defenders organization after an emphatic 58-34 win over the Michigan Panthers in the 2025 UFL Championship Game on Saturday — remove the interim tag for head coach Shannon Harris. "We're trying to take the tag off," Ta'amu said. That sentiment is certainly warranted, considering Harris led the Defenders to a UFL title in his first season after replacing then-head coach Reggie Barlow just a week before the season began. Barlow took the head coaching job at Tennessee State, and Defenders defensive coordinator Gregg Williams followed a week later; Williams' son Blake Williams took over as the defensive coordinator for the Defenders after his departure. Despite major changes to the Defenders' coaching staff, they still managed to finish the season on top, championship trophy in hand and with Harris earning UFL Coach of the Year honors. "He never blinked," tight end Briley Moore said about Harris. "He preached to really have us come together as one throughout the season, no matter what happened. It's because of that we were able to keep our poise last week and beat them (the St. Louis Battlehawks) at home. And this week not to flinch in a big game. Shout out to Coach (Harris)." Harris said it's "yet to be determined" whether he'll follow Barlow and Williams to Tennessee State or accept a potential offer to remain the head coach of the Defenders permanently and defend the UFL title. "We still have a lot of meetings to go, and we still have things to talk over … but these guys here, it would be hard to leave these guys," Harris said. Where Harris lands will be one of the top storylines to keep an eye on this offseason. Here's a look at the other big themes from Saturday's title game and the 2025 UFL season overall. Ta'amu's revenge game Moore said he texted Ta'amu on Friday after learning the UFL leader in passing touchdowns did not earn Offensive Player of the Year or MVP honors. "When you're holding up that trophy on that stage, I'm going to be chanting M-V-P," Moore said he texted Ta'amu. Moore's prediction became a reality, as Ta'amu let his play do the talking on Saturday, passing for 390 yards and four touchdowns in a runaway win over the Panthers. Ta'amu helped the Defenders score on their first 10 possessions. Over the postseason, the Defenders scored on a jaw-dropping 17 of their 21 possessions and averaged 47 points a game, winning by an average of 21 points per contest. The Defenders dominated on offense, scoring the most points in UFL history (58) against what had been a tough Panthers defense — and Ta'amu rightfully earned MVP honors for the championship game. "When playoff time hit, we told them, 'This is a different season,'" Harris said. "These guys were ready for that moment. The one thing we challenged each other on — from coaches to players and support staff — is that we are going to finish the drills. … We were not going to end this game and not be winners. That was the approach." Not earning UFL MVP or Offensive Player of the Year served as extra motivation for Ta'amu. "I told [my teammates] pregame that I [was] going to put my body on the line for them," Ta'amu said. "Bryce Perkins is a great quarterback and he deserved all the awards, but it just gave us a big chip on our shoulders to go out there and play even harder." Perkins puts up numbers in loss for Panthers While Michigan failed to earn a title, Perkins showed up for the Panthers. The Virginia product finished 60% of his passes (21 of 35) for 338 passing yards, four touchdowns and just one interception. His favorite target was Malik Turner, who totaled 10 receptions for 168 receiving yards and three scores. However, the one area Michigan struggled with was running the football, totaling just 104 yards on the ground. Perkins was limited by a balky ankle, rushing for just eight yards on four carries. It's all about the quarterback Scoring was up this postseason, with games averaging a combined score of 73.7 points during the playoffs this year compared to 38 combined points per game in the 2024 postseason. One of the reasons for improved production in the postseason was the play of Ta'amu and Perkins. Elsewhere, the Arlington Renegades had the UFL's regular-season passing leader in Luis Perez, but they still failed to make the playoffs for a second straight season. The Birmingham Stallions failed to defend their championship title because they had instability at the most important position on the field, using five different quarterbacks due to injury. Jalan McClendon emerging as the Houston Roughnecks' starter helped them improve from 1-9 in 2024 to 5-5 this season. He was helped by private QBs coach Jordan Palmer, who worked with various players during the offseason. "You've got to walk into Week 1 with your leading quarterback, having your guy in place," UFL head of football operations Daryl Johnston said. "Then, as you get into the season, if you want to get some reps for No. 2 or No. 3 with the way the [Collective Bargaining Agreement] is structured now, then that's an opportunity for you to develop that position. But you have to have your guy in place in Week 1, and I hope that's the lesson our teams learn this year." Travis Feeney named 2025 UFL Sportsman of the Year The Battlehawks' linebacker was awarded the first Sportsman of the Year award, which is given to a player who exemplifies exceptional leadership, integrity and commitment to making a difference both on the field and in the community. Feeney was selected by a panel of league and team executives, coaches and players from all eight teams. The Washington product donated his time participating in community events in the UFL's home base of Arlington, Texas and in St. Louis. Feeny volunteered his time as an advocate for CARE St. Louis Adoption Center, the Adaptive Training Foundation and is an ambassador for the American Cancer Society. "Over the last three years, no one embodies this award more than Travis," said Battlehawks head coach Anthony Becht. "His commitment on and off the field has been tremendous." Building local support remains a work in progress Building more fan interest in local markets — a stated goal by the league entering this season — remains a work in progress as the UFL heads into a third season. "We are looking at every way to reengage and look at our marketplace in each separate silo as we move forward," said UFL president and CEO Russ Brandon. "We're a great product. We know it's affordable. We're trying to activate as much as possible in each of these local markets, and we have a great plan in place, I believe, to do that." UFL co-owner Danny Garcia said the league's vision for the future remains what is best to ensure long-term growth. "What I want to see is … this league clicking in with its consumer, it's audience … [and] this league continuing to … be that opportunity for its athletes, where their performance here matters," she said. "Where they know their expressing their love of football and their incredible skill at football, and it is being appreciated, … enjoyed and … celebrated. "We really have so many of our ingredients put down and planted, that it's just about letting it breathe and grow." Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him at @eric_d_williams . Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily ! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience United Football League DC Defenders Michigan Panthers recommended Get more from United Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Fox Sports
5 days ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Defenders' monster TDs highlight top plays from UFL Championship Game
The 2025 UFL season is complete, and the DC Defenders are your new league champions. The Defenders went off in Saturday's championship game against the Michigan Panthers, scoring a league-record 58 points in their victory. But the Panthers brought plenty of excitement as well, dropping 34 points in the 58-34 loss. As there was a lot of high-flying action in Saturday's championship game, here are the 10 best plays from the tilt. 10. Defenders' special teams unit forces the fumble After taking a 15-13 lead in the second quarter, the Defenders got the ball back immediately after forcing a fumble on the kickoff return. Micah Baskerville ripped the ball out of Xavier Malone's grasp, allowing Willie Drew Jr. to recover the ball at the Panthers' 7-yard line. 9. Defenders QB Jordan Ta'amu and WR Jaydon Mickens link up for huge gain During one of the few moments that the Defenders were trailing in Saturday's game, Ta'amu and Mickens helped chip away at the Panthers' lead after connecting for a 66-yard reception. The play got the Defenders down to the Panthers' 9-yard line, setting them up for a field goal early in the second quarter. 8. Ta'amu and Mickens connect for their first big play Ta'amu dropped a dime to Mickens for a 26-yard touchdown on a third-and-10 play in the middle of the first quarter. 7. Panthers WR Malik Turner spins his way for six The Panthers kept fighting late in Saturday's game despite trailing 52-19. After hauling in a pass from QB Bryce Perkins, Turner ran downfield and spun out of a Defenders' tackler to reach the end zone for a 26-yard touchdown. 6. Defenders WR Seth Williams makes a big grab Plenty of Defenders' playmakers got in on the fun in Saturday's game. Williams was among them, making a long 46-yard reception on a deep pass from Ta'amu late in the third quarter. 5. Defenders WR Chris Rowland backflips his way into the end zone DC poured it on until the end of Saturday's title game, with Rowland rushing for a 19-yard touchdown before showing off some acrobatics to put the finishing touches on the win. 4. Defenders run "Philly Special" on two-point conversion After scoring a touchdown late in the first half, the Defenders dialed up some trickery. Mickens took his turn to throw a completion to Ta'amu, finding his quarterback in the end zone after getting the ball on an end-around to complete the two-point conversion and extend their lead to 31-13. 3. Panthers RB Nate McCrary dashes away for six Michigan got the first big play of the game when McCrary rushed for a 35-yard touchdown, grabbing a 6-0 lead. 2. Turner takes off for long TD Right after the Defenders ran the "Philly Special" to add to their lead, the Panthers found the end zone with a long touchdown. Perkins lobbed a pass to Turner, who turned a 10-yard completion into a 71-yard touchdown by breaking multiple tackles and dragging a Defenders player with him into the end zone. 1. Ta'amu throws another deep TD to cap off wild first half The back-and-forth scoring between the Defenders and the Panthers in the final two minutes of the first half of Saturday's game concluded with Ta'amu throwing a deep 73-yard touchdown to Ty Scott. The score gave the Defenders a 37-19 lead with 27 seconds remaining in the first half. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily ! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience United Football League DC Defenders Michigan Panthers recommended Get more from United Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
USA Today
7 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
How Jordan Ta'amu's UFL MVP snub motivated Defenders in 2025 championship game
How Jordan Ta'amu's UFL MVP snub motivated Defenders in 2025 championship game Show Caption Hide Caption Greg Olsen talks Tight End University and what he's excited for in the 2025 NFL season Greg Olsen stops by to talk about another year of Tight End University and who he's excited to watch as the NFL season inches closer. Sports Seriously ST. LOUIS — The UFL named Michigan Panthers quarterback Bryce Perkins its MVP for the 2025 season on its social media channels at 1:49 p.m. local time on Friday. It didn't take long for DC Defenders tight end Briley Moore to reach out to his quarterback, Jordan Ta'amu, who Moore believed "was a lock" to win the distinguished honor. At 2:51 p.m. local time, Moore sent a text to his quarterback. The 27-year-old shared the message verbatim in a news conference following the Defenders' 58-34 win over the Panthers in the 2025 UFL championship game. "I can't wait either at all," Moore read. "But when you're holding up that trophy on stage tomorrow night, I'm gonna be chanting MVP." That's exactly what happened. The entire Defenders team serenaded its quarterback after Ta'amu put together a record-breaking performance in the championship game. Ta'amu completed 21 of 28 passes for a league-record 390 yards while logging five total touchdowns in DC's rout. Despite being a part of the action, Moore could hardly believe what his quarterback had achieved. "I mean, this stat line is insane," Moore said, while glancing over a stat sheet from Saturday's game. "But that's just him. After getting that news (he didn't win MVP) 24 hours ago, he didn't flinch. He didn't try to do too much. He didn't let him affect him, and he just balled out." Moore believes one of the reasons Ta'amu progressed so much in 2025 — a season during which he led the league in passing touchdowns with 17 — was that the quarterback was playing "with a different confidence." Ta'amu explained his confidence stemmed from the trust he has in his teammates, who he said motivated him after he finished behind Perkins in the regular-season MVP voting. "Just having that brotherhood behind me meant a lot," Ta'amu said when he explained how he felt about Moore's pregame message to him. While Ta'amu praised Perkins as a "great quarterback" who deserved to be the MVP, he acknowledged that his missing out on the award fueled him and the entire Defenders team. "It just gave us a big chip on our shoulder to go out there and play hard," Ta'amu said about the championship game. The Defenders were able to do that, thanks in no small part to their offense. DC scored on its opening 10 possessions and set a UFL record for points scored in a game with 58. Moore was among those happy DC exacted revenge on Michigan, both for the team's sake and for Ta'amu's. "I feel like I didn't do enough throughout the season to get him that MVP," Moore said. "So, this game was a little personal." All the NFL news on and off the field. Sign up for USA TODAY's 4th and Monday newsletter.
