The USFL has done something the XFL never did in 2020, revealing its Championship Trophy before the league kicks off in 2022.
In Canton, Ohio, the United States Football League (USFL) will play its playoffs and championship game at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. The playoffs will begin Saturday, June 25th, with the top two teams in each division facing each other in the league’s semifinals. The final two teams will play in the inaugural USFL Championship Game on Sunday, July 3rd.
The winner of the USFL Championship Game will take home the new USFL Championship Trophy.
The old USFL trophy is at the Pro Football Hall Of Fame. It is similar to the NHL’s Stanley Cup. The reigning champion’s name was on the trophy until it was passed to a new winner.
The first USFL Championship Trophy was awarded to the Michigan Panthers after their 24-22 victory over the Philadelphia Stars in the first USFL Championship Game on July 17th, 1983.
The trophy was donated to the Pro Football Hall of Fame by Carl Peterson. He took possession of the trophy as GM of the Baltimore Stars when they won the final USFL Championship Game on July 14th, 1985. Baltimore beat the Oakland Invaders 28-24.
The USFL’s first game since 1985 is today at 7:30 PM ET at Protective Stadium. The New Jersey Generals take on the Birmingham Stallions. The game will be televised live on NBC and FOX, making it the first scheduled sports competition to air at the same time on two competitive broadcast networks since Super Bowl I aired on NBC and CBS on January 15th, 1967.
