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Michigan Panthers (2022) facts for kids

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Michigan Panthers
Current season
Established November 22, 2021; 3 years ago (2021-11-22)
Play in Ford Field (Detroit, Michigan)
Michigan Panthers transparent.png
League/conference affiliations
United States Football League (2022-2023)
  • North Division (2022-2023)

United Football League (2024–present)

  • USFL Conference (2024–present)
Current uniform
Team colors Royal plum, champagne silver, light blue
              
Personnel
Owner(s) Fox Corporation (50%), Dany Garcia, Dwayne Johnson, RedBird Capital Partners (50%)
Head coach Mike Nolan
Team history
  • Michigan Panthers (2022–present)
Championships
League championships (0)
Conference championships (0)
Division championships (0)
Playoff appearances (1)
  • USFL: 2023
Home stadium(s)
  • Protective Stadium/Legion Field (2022)
  • Ford Field (2023–present)

The Michigan Panthers are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. The Panthers compete in the United Football League (UFL). The team is owned-and-operated by Dwayne Johnson's Alpha Acquico and Fox Corporation. The team plays 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.

Current roster

Players

Michigan Panthers roster
Quarterbacks
  • 19 Brian Lewerke
  •  8 Danny Etling
  •  4 E. J. Perry

Running backs

  • 26 Matt Colburn
  • 31 Wes Hills
  • 28 Nate McCrary

Wide receivers

  • 15 Devin Gray
  • 16 John Hightower
  • 18 Trey Quinn
  • 12 Devin Ross
  •  9 Marcus Simms
  •  2 Jordan Suell

Tight ends

  • 82 Derrick Deese Jr.
  • 80 Cole Hikutini
  • 84 Gunner Oakes
Offensive linemen
  • 73 Jake Burton G
  • 69 Cohl Cabral C
  • 64 Joshua Dunlop T
  • 79 Jarrett Horst T
  • 61 Noah Johnson C
  • 75 Ryan Nelson G
  • 72 Chim Okorafor T
  • 77 Ryan Pope T
  • 65 James Walker G

Defensive linemen

  • 97 Ron'Dell Carter DE
  • 96 T. J. Carter DT
  • 55 Garrett Marino DT
  • 99 Walter Palmore DT
  • 57 Breeland Speaks DE
  • 52 Mike Tafua DE
  • 48 Kenny Willekes DE
  • 95 Daniel Wise DT
Linebackers
  • 10 Noah Dawkins ILB
  • 43 De'Gabriel Floyd ILB
  •  5 Frank Ginda ILB
  • 30 DaShaun White ILB
  • 11 Javin White ILB

Defensive backs

  • 36 Adonis Alexander CB
  •  7 Corrion Ballard FS
  •  3 Nate Brooks CB
  •  6 Keith Gipson Jr. CB
  • 24 Kiante Hardin CB
  • 29 Sean Mahone SS
  • 21 Kai Nacua SS
  •  1 Levonta Taylor CB
  • 13 Bryce Torneden CB
  • 32 Kedrick Whitehead Jr. FS

Special teams

  • 38 Jake Bates K
  • 41 Brock Miller P
  • 44 Jordan Ober LS
Reserve lists
  • 34 Raymond Calais RB (Suspended)
  • 85 Nick Guggemos TE (IR) Injury icon 2.svg



Roster updated March 23, 2024

50 active, 2 reserve(s)

Staff

2024 Michigan Panthers staff

Front office

  • General manager – Steve Kazor

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

  • Offensive coordinator – Marcel Bellefeuille
  • Offensive line – Tim Holt
  • Running backs – Jordan Pavlisin
  • Special teams coordinator/Wide receivers – Jaron Fairman
  • Tight ends – Gary Watkins
Defensive coaches
  • Defensive coordinator/Defensive line – Collin Bauer
  • Linebackers – Christian Runza
  • Defensive backs – Brock Marion



Player history

Current NFL players

Season Pos Name NFL team
2023 DE Levi Bell Seattle Seahawks
2023 WR Kaden Davis Arizona Cardinals
2023 WR D. J. Montgomery Indianapolis Colts
2023 CB Josh Butler Dallas Cowboys

Notable Players

Season Pos Name Notes
2023 DT Robert Nkemdiche Former Arizona Cardinals Defensive Tackle, 2016 1st Round Pick
2024 WR Corey Coleman Former Cleveland Browns Wide Receiver, 2016 1st Round Pick

USFL Defensive Player of the Year award winners

Panthers USFL DPOY winners
Year Player Position Selector
2023 Frank Ginda LB USFL

Coach history

Head coach history

# Name Term Regular season Playoffs Awards
GC W L Win % GC W L
Michigan Panthers
1 Jeff Fisher 2022 10 2 8 .200 0 0 0
2 Mike Nolan 2023–present 12 5 7 .417 1 0 1

Offensive coordinator history

# Name Term Regular season Playoffs Awards
GC W L Win % GC W L
Michigan Panthers
1 Eric Marty 2022-2023 20 6 14 .600 1 0 1
2 Marcel Bellefeuille 2024–present 2 1 1 .500

Defensive coordinator history

# Name Term Regular season Playoffs Awards
GC W L Win % GC W L
Michigan Panthers
1 Daniel Carrell 2022 10 2 8 .200 0 0 0
2 Steve Brown 2023 10 4 6 .600 1 0 1
2 Collin Bauer 2024–present 2 1 1 .500

Records

All-time Panthers leaders
Leader Player Record Years with Panthers
Passing Yards Josh Love 1,630 passing yards 2022–2023
Passing Touchdowns Josh Love 15 passing touchdowns 2022–2023
Rushing Reggie Corbin 809 rushing yards 2022–2023
Rushing Touchdowns Reggie Corbin

Stevie Scott

4 rushing touchdowns 2022–2023

2022–2023

Receiving Yards Joe Walker 576 receiving yards 2022–2023
Receiving Touchdowns Joe Walker 6 receiving touchdowns 2022–2023
Receptions Joe Walker 66 receptions 2022–2023
Tackles Frank Ginda 194 tackles 2022–present
Sacks Breeland Speaks 7.0 sacks 2023–present
Interceptions Frank Ginda 3 interceptions 2022–present
Coaching wins Mike Nolan 4 wins 2023–present

Statistics and records

Season-by-season record

Note: The Finish, Wins, Losses, and Ties columns list regular season results and exclude any postseason play.

Legend
USFL champions Division champions^ Wild Card berth#
Michigan Panthers season-by-season records
Season Team League Division Regular season Postseason results Awards
Finish Wins Losses Ties Pct
2022 2022 USFL North 3rd 2 8 0 .200
2023 2023 USFL North 2nd# 4 6 0 .400 Lost Division Finals (Maulers) 27–31OT
Totals 6 14 0 .300 (2022–2023, regular season)
0 1 .000 (2022–2023, playoffs)
6 15 0 .286 (2022–2023, regular season and playoffs)
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