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Former Dallas Cowboy and current USFL Executive Vice President Daryl Johnston discusses Sunday’s championship game between the Philadelphia Stars and Birmingham Stallions and details the USFL’s progress since his return.
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USFL stars Victor Bolden Jr. and Maurice Alexander Jr. will play for a championship on Sunday.
Bolden’s Birmingham Stallions will face Alexander’s Philadelphia Stars at Hall of Fame Tom Benson Stadium in Canton, Ohio, for the title, concluding the rebooted league’s first season.
Bolden came to the USFL after failing to stick with an NFL team. He was with the San Francisco 49ers for over a year and then joined the Buffalo Bills.
He was on the Detroit Lions roster for several months before being released in August 2021.
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Birmingham Stallions wide receiver Victor Bolden Jr. (7) celebrates after a 19-yard touchdown reception against the New Orleans Breakers during a USFL game on April 30, 2022 at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Alabama (Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images )
The Stallions selected Bolden in the 13th round of the draft, and he became an All-USFL selection as a wide receiver and special teams player.
Alexander was drafted by the Stars a few years after he played his last varsity game. Alexander was a quarterback and wide receiver at Florida International, where he was the backup quarterback to Alex McGough, who played for the Stallions.
USFL STAR VICTOR BOLDEN JR TALKS MILESTONE TOUCHDOWN, CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Philadelphia Stars wide receiver Maurice Alexander celebrates after returning a punt 87 yards for the game-winning touchdown during a USFL playoff game against the New Jersey Generals on June 25, 2022 at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio. (Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
He made the most of his USFL experience, becoming an All-USFL selection as a punt returner.
Both players told Fox News Digital they are grateful for their experience in the league.
“One thing I want to say is that the quality of football is great. We have guys that are really hungry trying to get to the next level and you can see it in our play,” Bolden said. “The boys are playing very hard. The USFL did a good job of giving us this opportunity to show what we’ve got.”
“We don’t have to go to Canada or across the country and be so far away from your family. The quality of football is great and I think they have done a great job preparing for this league with the Fox backup. I think it created stability as everyone was in a bubble. That helped a lot too. I am very grateful for this opportunity. I’m glad I made the decision to play.”
Alexander said the USFL has helped him overcome some of the struggles he’s had over the past few years trying to make it as a football player.
USFL STAR MORRIS ALEXANDER JR RECALLS GO-AHEAD PUNT-RETURN TD, TALK ABOUT CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
The USFL logo on a football during pregame warmups between the New Orleans Breakers and the Michigan Panthers at Protective Stadium on May 28, 2022 in Birmingham, Alabama (Patrick Smith/USFL/Getty Images)
“The USFL took a chance on me and I’m thankful for that because before the end of college, 2019, I was hurt. Then, in 2020, COVID struck. So it was pretty tough for me and I was grateful and eager to come back and show that my hard work is being used and that it’s paying off now,” Alexander said.
“After two and a half years of not playing and then coming right into it, now contributing the way I am, it just showed that when I wasn’t playing, I was putting in the work, staying focused, keeping faith in the guy upstairs and when the opportunity came, I was here to perform and carry on.”
Bolden and Alexander made key plays that helped their teams reach the title game.
Bolden returned one punt for a touchdown against the New Orleans Breakers. Alexander scored the game-winning touchdown on a punt return against the New Jersey Generals.
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The Stallions and Stars play Sunday night at 7:30 ET on FOX.
Ryan Gaydos is a sports editor for Fox News and Fox Business. Story tips can be sent to Ryan.Gaydos@fox.com.
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