The Michigan Panthers were a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Panthers competed in the United Football League (UFL) as a member of the USFL Conference. While they were active, the team was owned and operated by Dwayne Johnson's Alpha Acquico and Fox Corporation. The team played its home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit, which also hosts the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL).
History The Michigan Panthers were one of eight teams that were officially announced as a USFL franchise on The Herd with Colin Cowherd on November 22, 2021. On January 27, 2022, it was announced on The Herd with Colin Cowherd that former NFL head coach Jeff Fisher was named the head coach and general manager of the Panthers.
The Panthers selected Michigan quarterback Shea Patterson with the first overall pick in the 2022 USFL draft. In the first two games of 2022, the Panthers lost to the Houston Gamblers and New Jersey Generals. On May 1, 2022, the team won their first ever game with a 24–0 win at Protective Stadium against the Pittsburgh Maulers. Losses resumed after that, the Panthers' only other win of the season was against the Maulers, a 33–21 with the winner assuming the rights to the first overall pick in the 2023 USFL draft.
In October, 2022, the Panthers hired Steve Kazor as general manager. After all eight USFL teams played their home games in Birmingham, Alabama, the Panthers moved to the state of Michigan in 2023, announcing Ford Field as their home stadium. On February 3, 2023, the USFL announced that Fisher had been replaced as head coach by Mike Nolan, citing only "personal reasons."
In September 2023, Axios reported that the XFL was in advanced talks with the USFL to merge the two leagues prior to the start of their 2024 seasons. On September 28, 2023, the XFL and USFL announced their intent to merge with details surrounding the merger to be announced at a later date. The merger would also require regulatory approval. In October 2023 the XFL filed a trademark application for the name "United Football League". On November 30, 2023, Garcia announced via her Instagram page that the leagues had received regulatory approval for the merger and were finalizing plans for a "combined season" to begin March 30, 2024. The merger was made official on December 31, 2023.
With Ford Field charging a reported $500,000 per game, the Panthers paid the highest stadium rent of any team in the UFL. This high fee and other conflicts led to worsening relations between the UFL and the stadium, including a delay in the renewal of the Panthers' lease for 2025 and the preemptive decision not to host a playoff game at the stadium even if the Panthers had clinched home field advantage. Rynearson Stadium, a college football stadium that last hosted professional football games in 1974 with the ill-fated Detroit Wheels and had hosted the Panthers' practices in 2023, was reportedly considered as an alternative but ruled out mainly because of league officials' dislike of the stadium's nontraditional gray turf. These issues overwhelmed the strong gains that the Panthers had made both on and off the field in 2025 (the team was the only UFL team to see an increase in ticket sales that year) led to Michigan being included with the rest of the USFL Conference on a list of teams being considered for relocation following the 2025 season, a list that the UFL has not officially confirmed nor denied, calling it "unauthorized speculation." Incoming co-owner Mike Repole addressed the situation on August 26, confirming that the stadium situation was untenable, but that he had found a potential venue for the team: AlumniFi Field, a soccer-specific stadium that does not yet exist and will not until 2027. Executives at Eastern Michigan University stated they had never been contacted about the use of Rynearson and would have been willing to host the Panthers in 2026 until AlumniFi Field is completed.
On October 3, 2025, the UFL officially announced that the team would be discontinued. However, Repole cited Michigan as a return candidate for 2028 when AlumniFi Field opens. Players under contract were transferred to the Columbus Aviators; Mike Nolan was formally fired November 15. In July 2026, Repole reaffirmed his intent to bring back the Panthers once AlumniFi Field is complete, which is, as of that date, scheduled for early 2028; such a launch date would lead to the Panthers relaunching along with the Oklahoma City franchise. On September 23, 2026, the UFL ruled out a return for the Panthers in 2028, as the last expansion slot for that season was awarded to a Salt Lake City franchise.
As was the case with another UFL market (San Antonio), the Continental Football League announced a replacement franchise for the Panthers, a revival of the 1960s-era Michigan Arrows, which was to begin play in 2026. Panthers general manager Steve Kazor was to serve as the Arrows' head coach. The Arrows never launched, due to ownership disputes.
Player history Current NFL players SeasonPosNameNFL team2024KJake BatesDetroit Lions
Notable players SeasonPosNameNotes2023DTRobert NkemdicheFormer Arizona Cardinals Defensive Tackle, 2016 1st Round Pick2023–2025DEBreeland SpeaksFormer Kansas City Chiefs Defensive End, 2018 2nd Round Pick
Offensive Player of the Year award winners Panthers USFL OPOY winnersYearPlayerPositionSelector2025Bryce PerkinsQBUFL
Defensive Player of the Year award winners Panthers USFL DPOY winnersYearPlayerPositionSelector2023Frank GindaLBUSFL2024Breeland SpeaksDEUFL
Special Teams Player of the Year award winners Panthers USFL STPOY winnersYearPlayerPositionSelector2025Kedrick Whitehead Jr.SUFL
Coach history
Head coach history #NameTermRegular seasonPlayoffsAwardsGCWLWin %GCWLMichigan Panthers1Jeff Fisher20221028.200 0 0 02Mike Nolan2023–2025301713.586 3 1 2UFL Coach of the Year (2024)
Offensive coordinator history #NameTermRegular seasonPlayoffsAwardsGCWLWin %GCWLMichigan Panthers1Eric Marty2022–2023 20 6 14 .300 1 0 12Marcel Bellefeuille2024–2025 20 13 7.650211
Defensive coordinator history #NameTermRegular seasonPlayoffsAwardsGCWLWin %GCWLMichigan Panthers1Daniel Carrell20221028.200 0 0 02Steve Brown20231046.400 1 0 12Collin Bauer2024–2025 20 13 7 .650 2 1 1
Records All-time Panthers leadersLeaderPlayerRecordYears with Panthers Passing yards Josh Love 1,907 passing yards 2022–2023Passing TouchdownsJosh Love15 passing touchdowns2022–2023 Rushing Reggie Corbin 955 rushing yards 2022–2023Rushing TouchdownsBryce Perkins7 rushing touchdowns2024–2025 Receiving yards Siaosi Mariner 873 receiving yards 2024–2025Receiving TouchdownsCole Hikutini7 receiving touchdowns2023–2025ReceptionsJoe Walker66 receptions2022–2023TacklesFrank Ginda348 tackles2022–2025 Sacks Breeland Speaks 18.5 sacks 2023–2025 Interceptions Kai Nacua 4 interceptions 2023–2025Coaching winsMike Nolan17 wins2023–2025 Starting quarterbacks
Regular season – As of June 9, 2025 Season(s) Quarterback(s) Notes Ref 2022 Shea Patterson (0–5) / Paxton Lynch (2–1) / Josh Love (0–2) 2023 Josh Love (3–6) / E.J. Perry (1–0) 2024 Danny Etling (3–1) / E.J. Perry (2–2) / Brian Lewerke (2–0) 2025 Bryce Perkins (4–2) / Danny Etling (2–1) / Rocky Lombardi (0–1) Postseason Season(s) Quarterback(s) Notes Ref 2023 E.J. Perry (0–1) 2024 Danny Etling (0–1) 2025 Bryce Perkins (1–1) Most games as starting quarterback Name Period 2022–2023 14 11 3 8 2024–2025 15 7 5 2 2024–2025 12 6 4 2 E.J. Perry 2023–2024 5 5 3 2 2022 6 5 0 5 2022 6 3 2 1 2024 5 2 2 0 2025 2 1 0 1
Statistics and records
Season by season record UFL champions (2024–present)USFL champions (2022–2023)Conference champions Division championsWild Card berth
SeasonTeamLeagueConferenceDivisionRegular seasonPostseason resultsAwardsHead coachesPct.Finish20222022USFLNorth3rd28Jeff Fisher20232023USFLNorth2nd 46Lost Division Finals (at Maulers) 27–31 (OT)Frank Ginda (DPOY)Ethan Westbrooks (SMOY)Mike Nolan20242024UFLUSFL2nd 73Lost USFL Conference Championship (at Stallions) 18–31Mike Nolan (COTY)Breeland Speaks (DPOTY)20252025UFLUSFL 2nd 64Won USFL Conference Championship (at Stallions) 44–29Lost UFL Championship (vs. Defenders) 34–58Bryce Perkins (MVP)Total1921All-time regular season record (2022–2025)13All-time postseason record (2022–2025)2024All-time regular season and postseason record (2022–2025)
Rivalries Northern Duel The Michigan Panthers previously shared a rivalry with the New Jersey Generals. This rivalry was called the Northern Duel. The Panthers finished with a 1–3 record against the New Jersey Generals in 2 seasons. After the 2023 season the rivalry was not renewed as the New Jersey Generals folded during the XFL–USFL merger of 2024.
Franchise matchup history +TeamRecordPct.Dallas Renegades2–01.000DC Defenders2–1.667 Memphis Showboats4–1.800Houston Gamblers/Roughnecks4–2.667St. Louis Battlehawks1–1.500San Antonio Brahmas1–1.500Philadelphia Stars2–2.500Pittsburgh Maulers2–3.400New Jersey Generals1–3.250Tampa Bay Bandits0–1.000New Orleans Breakers0–2.000Birmingham Stallions1–7.125
Defunct teams in light gray.
References
External links