How The Usfl Changed Pro Football

The United States Football League played professional football during three spring seasons from 1983 to 1985

. Even though it folded in the fall of 1986 due to a court case against the NFL, it still impacts the game of pro football even today. Here are three reasons why in case you are not familiar with the history of the USFL.

The USFL introduced rule changes which the NFL later adopted. The three most powerful rule changes are the introduction of instant replay, the two point conversion option, and the 15-yard incidental pass interference penalty (versus the old "spot of the foul" rule, even for incidental interference). Obviously, these rule changes have impacted the outcome of games for your favorite team. Whether you like the rules or not, the NFL adopted these rules after the USFL's demise in 1986.

The USFL also introduced many changes to the style of play in pro football. The best example is the "Run-N-Shoot" offense which Mouse Davis brought to the Houston Gamblers in 1984. Jim Kelly was the Gamblers quarterback; and he set pro football records as a rookie with this style of offense which was never seen previously at the pro level. Other teams introduced or refined different concepts in their styles of play, and many were seen at the NFL level in the following years.

Last, the NFL was impacted for years by those with USFL experience at all levels. The NFL Pro Bowl in January 1987 had nearly 30 percent of its players as USFL alumni. Many coaches in the years following the league ended up in the NFL, and many coaches and assistant coaches today either coached or played in the USFL. Former team executives also impacted their NFL teams, such as Carl Peterson's tenure with the Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars prior to his time with the Kansas City Chiefs.

These three topics have altered professional football, possibly forever. In addition to the court case which proved that the NFL is a monopoly, the style of play and rule changes have altered the history and money rewards long after the demise of the USFL. Should you see any sports commentator ever disparage the USFL, be sure to take a moment and recognize its impact on the game and how it changed the experience that you, the fan, have had watching pro football since the fall of 1985.

by: Matt Mc Dermott.

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