Will Texas Get a USFL Football Team?

A professional football league that was big in the mid-80s for a hot minute is making a comeback, and the franchise locations haven't been announced yet. Could East Texas land a team?

I've always been a huge NFL fan and probably have enough jerseys and t-shirts in my closet right now to clothe at least the mezzanine section of a stadium.  I grew up in Nebraska and there was no professional team there to get behind, so that turned into an appreciation for EVERY team.  Now, if the kids are occupied on a Sunday afternoon in the fall and I've got a break, I'll park it in front of the TV and watch whatever game is on, pick a team, and cheer them on as if I've been a huge fan my whole life.  I'm a diehard Dolphins fan at least once a year, and I'll cheer for the Cowboys every Thanksgiving.  For me, it's the sport, not the team that makes me happy.

Wouldn't it be cool if East Texas could get a USFL team?  The United States Football League announced last week that it's returning in the spring of 2022 with at least eight teams.  It's a long shot since there will be so few teams, but it sure would be cool to have a professional sports team in Tyler or Longview, or at least in College Station and they could borrow the Aggies stadium during the part of the year when it's not in use.

ESPN said the USFL teams, cities, head coaches, and schedule won't be announced until later, the league said it retains the rights to "key original team names." That could mean the teams land in places like Houston, San Antonio, Oakland, and L.A.  The USFL had its run from 1983 to 1985 and produced stars like Jim Kelley, Steve Young, and Herschel Walker.

Even if we don't get a team, at least football fans will have professional football nearly year-round!  Between the NFL, the USFL, and the re-launch of the XFL, 2022 is looking like the year of football.  And if Houston and San Antonio get USFL teams, well that's a fun road trip in the making.