Monday saw some surprising news for fans of the USFL. After seeing multiple commercials during the Super Bowl, the USFL saw some news about a former USFL player make their way on the CFL transaction wire. On Monday CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders, announced via twitter they were signing Shea Patterson, who was one the Number One overall pick of the February 2022 inaugural draft.

Patterson has been well traveled since leaving Michigan in 2020. After spending 68 days with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2020, Patterson joined the Spring League in 2020, displaying his skill set and earning a ticket to the CFL with his first Canadian team in 2021 the BC Lions, before being released about two months later. Patterson joined the Montreal Alouettes in September of 2022, being utilized as the Als short yardage QB before being released in the offseason.

Patterson would find his way back to Michigan in February being drafted with the USFL’s number one overall pick. He’d start six games for the Panthers throwing for 947 yards 4 TDs while adding 2 TDs on the ground. On May 25th Patterson would be released by the Panthers in a shocking move and picked up by the New Orleans Breakers on the same day. Earlier in the year, Patterson was removed form the Breakers roster on the Fox Sports website.

With the USFL seemingly in Patterson’s rearview mirror, he becomes another casualty in the football wars. With the XFL, USFL, and CFL all seemingly looking at each other for talent, players are given more opportunities, to showcase their skills on multiple platforms. For Patterson maybe a return to CFL is what he needs in an effort extend his pro football career. Regardless, Shea Patterson goes down in history as the first Quarterback taken in the rejuvenated USFL of 2022.