In 2024, the Pittsburgh Maulers were squeezed out of the USFL-XFL merger. They’re not coming back for 2025. None of the franchises that folded and didn’t jump to the United Football League will return next season. UFL Head of Football Operations Daryl Johnston confirmed that while the league will return next spring, there won’t be any teams added.
“While there was talk of expansion, Year 2 will feature all eight teams returning to their home markets as the league works to refine things during the offseason and build a better product in 2025,” wrote Fox Sports’ Eric Williams.
Per Williams, Johnston said this offseason will offer the league time to “dial in the details” without having to play catch-up of getting ready for the season.
The Maulers were revived from their 1980s franchise to join the new-look USFL for the 2022 and 2023 seasons. But largely, they were Pittsburgh in name only. They didn’t wear black and gold uniforms until their second season, donning a purple and red color scheme in 2022, and they didn’t play any games in Pittsburgh. To cut down operations costs, the USFL played all its games in Birmingham in 2022. In 2023, each team received a home venue, but the Maulers played at Tom Benson Stadium in Canton, Ohio, two hours from Pittsburgh.
That lack of true home venue is reportedly a key reason why the Maulers weren’t brought into the UFL. The team’s Twitter/X account thanked fans on Jan. 1 and hasn’t posted since.
Along with the Pittsburgh Maulers, the USFL’s New Jersey Generals, New Orleans Breakers, Philadelphia Stars also folded. On the XFL side, the Orlando Guardians, Seattle Sea Dragons, and Vegas Vipers weren’t brought over.
Pittsburgh had a terrible 2022 season, finishing 1-9. After firing head coach and former Steelers RB Coach Kirby Wilson, the Maulers brought on ex-Steelers DBs Coach Ray Horton. After a slow start, the team found traction late in the year and made an improbable run to the championship game before losing to the Birmingham Stallions, 28-12.
The United Football League concluded its first season this past weekend, the Stallions shutting out the San Antonio Brahmas, 25-0. Largely, the league had a successful first year. Attendance was spotty but ratings were strong, and the league seems financially healthy heading into its second season.
If and when the UFL expands, it’s doubtful the Maulers will be one of the first teams chosen. Until and unless the stadium can find a place to play in the Pittsburgh, there won’t be much incentive to revive the franchise for a third time.
