Houston's USFL Franchise Survives Merger With XFL
One of the four USFL teams to survive the merger with the XFL was the Houston Gamblers. Or, should we say, the Houston Roughnecks.
In perhaps the most curious twist of the merger, the USFL’s Houston franchise was one of the eight teams selected. But the franchise will take on the nickname of the XFL’s Houston entry, the Roughnecks, for 2024.
The Houston Roughnecks will play in the USFL Conference with the other three USFL teams to survive the merger — Birmingham Stallions, Memphis Showboats and Michigan Panthers
Curtis Johnson will return as head coach. He was the Gamblers’ coach last season.
Below is a recap of how the Gamblers did last season and its history in the USFL.
Houston in 2023
Houston finished 5-5 in the South Division last season and was out of the playoff picture, as both Birmingham (8-2) and New Orleans (7-3) finished ahead of the Gamblers. Houston had the top rusher in the league in terms of touchdowns.
Running back Mark Thompson finished the season with 14 scores. Thompson was also the second-leading rusher in the league in yardage with 653 yards in just eight games. He was the USFL’s Offensive Player of the Year.
Manny Bunch was Houston’s top defender with 54 tackles, four tackles for loss and two sacks on the season.
Modern USFL History
Houston opened 2022 with former Houston Cougars, Texas A&M and Arizona head coach Kevin Sumlin running the show. But it only led to a 3-7 record and he departed after the season.
The Gamblers did have a award winner in 2022 as defensive end Chris Odom was the USFL’s Defensive Player of the Year.
For its two seasons in the new USFL, the Gamblers were 8-12 and never made the postseason.
Legacy USFL History
The Houston Gamblers were one of the most exciting teams in the previous incarnation of the USFL, which was from 1983-85.
The Gamblers joined the USFL in 1984 and made waves by stealing quarterback Jim Kelly away from the Buffalo Bills just before he signed as a rookie. Kelly threw for more than 5,000 yards and 44 touchdown passes as the Gamblers went 13-5 and won the Central Conference. They fell to Arizona in the playoffs.
After the USFL folded, Kelly’s rights reverted back to the Bills and he started his Hall-of-Fame career in Buffalo.
Unique History of USFL: Past, Present and Future
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Matthew Postins writes about baseball for Fan Nation/SI and covers Big 12 basketball for Heartland College Sports. He formerly covered the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and USports football for the College Football America Yearbook.