Houston Roughnecks Make Change at General Manager for 2025 Season
The Houston Roughnecks had a forgetful 2024, finishing with the worst record in the UFL at 1-9. No time was wasted in making swift changes to the front office.
Pro Football Newsroom’s James Larsen reported Friday that the team parted ways with general manager Lionel Vital and is replacing him with Will Lewis.
This is a return to Houston for Lewis, who worked for the Roughnecks in the XFL in 2020 as the assistant director of player personnel under then-general manager Randy Mueller. Lewis also worked with the San Antonio Brahmas last season as the director of player personnel with head coach Hines Ward. He spent time in the AAF back in 2019 with the Memphis Express as their general manager, signing former Texas A&M and Cleveland Browns first-round quarterback Johnny Manziel.
BREAKING: The Houston Roughnecks are parting ways with GM Lionel Vital, per sources.
— James Larsen (@JamesLarsenPFN) July 5, 2024
Sources say that Will Lewis, formerly DPP for the @XFLBrahmas under Hines Ward, is set to take over as General Manager for the @XFLRoughnecks.
Houston making changes after a 1-9 campaign. #UFL pic.twitter.com/3wmHpNnB5U
Houston has had three general managers under the Gamblers branding since 2022. Robert Morris held the title in 2022 before Vital was brought in by head coach C.J. Johnson when former head coach Kevin Sumlin departed for college football. The Gamblers/Roughnecks were 6-14 in two seasons under the Johnson-Vital management.
More moves with coaching and front office staff could be made soon. Due to the league's seasonal structure, UFL head coaches’ contracts expired on June 30 and will not be renewed until January 1, 2025.
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