The 2023 New Orleans Breakers season was the New Orleans Breakers' second season in the United States Football League, their second at Protective Stadium, and their first under the head coach/general manager tandem of John DeFilippo and Ryan Jones. For the 2023 season, they improved upon their 6–4 record from the previous season by going 7–3, and lost to the Birmingham Stallions in the USFL South Division Championship Game for the second straight year. This time with the final score being 47–22 in favor of Birmingham.
Offseason Stadium plans Shortly before the completion of the 2022 season, the USFL announced plans to move into two or four hubs for teams to play in. In November, the USFL was reportedly exploring options of having a hub in Metro Detroit, with possible locations being the Eastern Michigan Eagles' Rynearson Stadium and the Detroit Lions' Ford Field.
It was announced that the Breakers would be playing their games in Birmingham for the 2nd straight season. They share a hub with their South Division rivals, the Birmingham Stallions.
Draft The Breakers clinched the fifth overall pick in the 2023 USFL draft and hold the fifth pick in each round.
The draft only included players that were 2023 draft eligible, contrasting with the 2022 draft, which was to build rosters. Also differing from the 2022 draft, players were not initially contracted with the USFL prior to the draft, meaning teams have to negotiate with players to retain their rights. As of February 26, 2023, no player drafted by the New Orleans Breakers has signed a contract with the team. 2023 New Orleans Breakers Draft Round Selection Player Position College Notes 1 5 Tyler Scott Wide receiver Cincinnati 2 12 Noah Taylor Linebacker Virginia 3 20 D. J. Ivey Cornerback Miami (FL) 4 28 Keaton Mitchell Running back East Carolina 5 36 Isaiah Moore Linebacker NC State 6 44 Dante Stills Defensive lineman West Virginia 7 52 Darius Hagans Cornerback Virginia State 8 60 Jake Bobo Wide receiver UCLA 9 68 Alex Palczewski Offensive lineman Illinois 10 76 Tyler Baker-Williams Cornerback NC State
Additions
PositionPlayerDateDBDarion SladeAugust 31DLSamuel Wright IIOctober 8WREli StoveOctober 18OLKenny ThomasNovember 9OLPaul AdamsDecember 3QBAqeel GlassDecember 13DEJustus ReedDecember 21LBZakoby McClainJanuary 7QBDavis CheekJanuary 14WRReggie DavisJanuary 14CBJosh Valentine-TurnerJanuary 20SDerrion RakestrawJanuary 24DTChris RichardsonJanuary 24LBJordan BrailfordJanuary 28OTTyler RoemerJanuary 28OTSalesi UhatafeJanuary 31DEAhmad GoodenFebruary 3LBShaheed SalmonFebruary 3OGKirk KelleyFebruary 9OGClayton LeGaultFebruary 9OTLo FalemakaFebruary 10RBPeter GuerrieroFebruary 10SSaquan HamptonFebruary 11TESage SurrattFebruary 15WRHergy MayalaFebruary 15WRRichard SindaniFebruary 15RBWes HillsFebruary 17OTMarcus TatumFebruary 17CBBryce WattsFebruary 19QBMcLeod Bethel-ThompsonFebruary 22KMatt CoghlinMarch 3OGKhalique WashingtonMarch 6WRDee AndersonMarch 19WRBreon MichelMarch 19DLKeonte SchadMarch 23OTKai AbsheerMarch 28SSidney McCloudMarch 28TEJared ScottApril 4
Subtractions PositionPlayerDateLBChristian SamJuly 8CBIke BrownJuly 20TESal CannellaJuly 21QBKyle SloterJuly 24KTaylor BertoletOctober 6DEDavin BellamyJanuary 1LBShareef MillerJanuary 1DTShakir SotoJanuary 1OTToree BoydFebruary 9RBJordan EllisFebruary 9DBDartez JacobsFebruary 9DET.J. JohnsonFebruary 9RBLarry Rose IIIFebruary 9CBManny PattersonFebruary 23QBZach SmithFebruary 26OGClayton LeGaultMarch 6OLTim ColemanMarch 28DLSamuel Wright IIMarch 28OGDonnell GreeneApril 4RBPeter GuerrieroApril 4WRRichard SindaniApril 4SDarion SladeApril 4CBJosh Valentine-TurnerApril 4OTLo FalemakaApril 10DEAhmed GoodenApril 10WRHergy MayalaApril 10WRBreon MichelApril 10
Final roster
Staff On September 14, 2022, head coach Larry Fedora stepped down and announced that he would only return if all the USFL teams played in their home markets. The Breakers named John DeFilippo as head coach.
Schedule Regular season Week Date Time (ET) Opponent Result Record TV Venue Recap1April 166:30 p.m.vs. Pittsburgh MaulersW 22–151–0FS1Protective StadiumRecap2April 2212:30 p.m.vs. Houston GamblersW 38–312–0USAProtective StadiumRecap3April 2912:30 p.m.at Birmingham StallionsW 45–313–0USAProtective StadiumRecap4May 73:00 p.m.at New Jersey GeneralsW 20–174–0NBCTom Benson Hall of Fame StadiumRecap5May 143:00 p.m.vs. Memphis ShowboatsL 10–174–1FoxProtective StadiumRecap6May 2112:00 p.m.at Philadelphia StarsL 10–164–2FS1Ford FieldRecap7May 274:00 p.m.vs. Birmingham StallionsL 20–244–3FoxProtective StadiumRecap8June 44:00 p.m.vs. Michigan PanthersW 24–205–3FoxProtective StadiumRecap9June 103:00 p.m.at Memphis ShowboatsW 31–36–3NBC, CNBCSimmons Bank Liberty StadiumRecap10June 181:00 p.m.at Houston GamblersW 17–107–3FS1Simmons Bank Liberty StadiumRecap Bold indicates divisional opponent.
Game summaries Week 1: vs. Pittsburgh Maulers
The Breakers started their season against the Pittsburgh Maulers. The Maulers started with the ball and pulled off a surprise lateral from Tre Walker to Bailey Gaither to set up Pittsburgh at the New Orleans 41-yard line. The Maulers got their offense started a little before stalling out and taking a 37-yard field goal from Nathan Hierlihy to get the first points of the season. The Breakers got the ball in Pittsburgh territory due to a big return from Johnnie Dixon. The Breakers had their pass game rolling on the first drive, including a 37-yard pass from McLeod Bethel-Thompson to Jonathan Adams. However, a Boogie Roberts sack on 3rd down forced New Orleans to a field goal. On the next drive, Pittsburgh's offense got nothing going and were forced to punt. The punt however, was tipped by a Breaker which set up New Orleans inside the Pittsburgh 35. New Orleans' offense stalled out and the Breakers were again forced to only 3 points. In the 2nd quarter, none of the offenses were able to generate many yards. Reuben Foster of the Maulers forced a fumble off of Anthony Jones to take a 9–6 lead. New Orleans drove down the field with efficiency, but a red zone stand by the Maulers defense forced them to a 3rd field goal of the game. In the 2nd quarter, Breakers punter Matt White would appear to twist his ankle and not be able to return to the game, leading Matt Coghlin to start having to punt.
In the 3rd quarter, New Orleans started with the ball but the Maulers defense tightened up in the red zone again to force another short Matt Coghlin field goal. Pittsburgh's offense stalled out, and the Breakers marched down the field, but got stopped by the Maulers in the red zone again to force a 5th field goal from Matt Coghlin (tying the USFL record). In the 4th quarter, Pittsburgh started with the ball and moved it down the field well, but New Orleans has a goal line stand and forces a turnover on downs. New Orleans drives down the field but is forced to punt at Pittsburgh's 39-yard line. On that Coghlin punt, Maulers returner Isiah Hennie takes the punt 82-yards to the end zone to tie the game at 15. After that, the Breakers drove down the field and scored the only offensive touchdown of the entire game, a 2-yard touchdown pass from McLeod Bethel-Thompson to running back Anthony Jones to make the score 22–15. The Maulers would turn the ball over on downs to end the game.
With the win, New Orleans improved to 1–0 and 2nd place in the South Division. With the loss, the Maulers dropped to 0–1 and 3rd place in the North Division.
Week 2: vs. Houston Gamblers The Breakers hosted their division rivals, the Houston Gamblers. The game would start slowfor both of the offenses, but on the first drive of the second quarter, Wes Hills would run for a 19-yard touchdown to give the Breakers the first points of the game. Houston responded with a field goal on the next drive. New Orleans would add a field goal on the next drive, and Houston would score a touchdown to tie the game at 10 at halftime.
The Gamblers got the second half going with a touchdown to get them the lead. The Breakers would respond with a touchdown of their own, then took advantage of an Adonis Alexander interception with a 4-yard touchdown pass from quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson to receiver Johnnie Dixon to take the lead back. In the 4th quarter, Houston scored a touchdown on a 1-yard T.J. Pledger run to tie the game at 24. New Orleans scores a touchdown on the very next drive to make it 31–24 in favor of the Breakers. Then, Kenji Bahar led a methodical passing drive to tie the game at 31. Wes Hills scored a late touchdown to give the Breakers a 38–31 lead which would end up as the final after Vontae Diggs got the game sealing interception. The Breakers moved to 2–0 with the win.
Week 3: at Birmingham Stallions
The Breakers took on their division rivals, the Birmingham Stallions to determine who would sit in 1st place in the South Division. The Stallions received the opening kickoff, and Deon Cain took it 82 yards to open up the scoring early. New Orleans would respond with a 40-yard strike from McLeod Bethel-Thompson to Lee Morris to tie the game at 7. The teams traded scores throughout the rest of the 1st quarter. Birmingham got a field goal and New Orleans scored a touchdown. The 2nd quarter started off with more defense than the first quarter, with Birmingham forcing a punt and Adonis Alexander of the Breakers getting an interception. New Orleans got a field goal off of the interception. However, on the Breakers next offensive drive, McLeod Bethel-Thompson threw a pick to Donnie Lewis which led to a 1-yard touchdown run from C.J. Marable tied the game at 17. Both teams would get 7 more to make the score 24–24 at the half.
In the 3rd quarter, it would be all New Orleans. New Orleans scored a touchdown on the opening drive of the 2nd half. The defense forced a punt, then New Orleans scored another touchdown to make the score 38–24. In the 4th quarter, Birmingham attempted to make a comeback and brought the game to within 7, but a Wes Hills 2-yard touchdown run on a long 4th quarter drive iced the game for New Orleans. The Breakers would win 45–31 to give the Breakers sole possession of 1st in the South Division. It would also mark the first time the Breakers have beaten the Stallions since the 2022 USFL was founded.
Week 4: at New Jersey Generals
The Breakers will take on the New Jersey Generals in week 4.
Standings
Postseason Round Date Time (ET) Opponent Result Record TV RecapDivision FinalsJune 257:00 p.m.at Birmingham StallionsL 22–470–1FoxRecap
Notes
References