The 1985 USFL season was the third and final season of the

United States Football League The United States Football League (USFL) was a professional American football league that played for three seasons, 1983 through 1985. The league played a spring/summer schedule in each of its active seasons. The 1986 season was scheduled to be ...

(USFL), and the last by a league using that name until the

2022 USFL season The 2022 USFL season was the inaugural season of the United States Football League, and the first season of a league using that name since 1985. The season began on April 16 and concluded on July 3. The league's eight teams represent various geog ...

Rule changes

Adopted instant replay for the 1985 season. Under the instant-replay rule, a team may have one appeal per half in three situations: *A fumble or no-fumble situation. *Whether a pass is complete, incomplete or intercepted. *Whether the ball has penetrated the goal line. The team asking for the replay would lose a time out if they were wrong. The replay was available only in games televised by ABC.

Franchise changes

*Pittsburgh Maulers fold. *Chicago Blitz suspend operations. *Michigan Panthers merge with the Oakland Invaders. *Arizona Wranglers and the Oklahoma Outlaws merge and create the Arizona Outlaws. *New Orleans Breakers relocate to Portland, Oregon as the Portland Breakers. *Philadelphia Stars move games to College Park, Maryland, with plans to move to Baltimore in 1986, team is renamed the Baltimore Stars. *Washington Federals are sold and relocate to Orlando, Florida, as the Orlando Renegades.

General news

August 22, 1984, the owners voted to move to a fall schedule starting in 1986. Harry Usher became the new commissioner of the USFL in January 1985. The USFL and the United States Football League Players Association (USFLPA) agreed on a four-year agreement in March 1985. On April 29, 1985, the league's owners voted 13–2 to reaffirm their decision to begin playing a fall season in 1986.

Regular season

''W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PCT= Winning Percentage, PF= Points For, PA = Points Against'' '' = Division Champion, = Wild Card'' ''New Jersey finished ahead of Memphis based on a head-to-head tiebreaker advantage (2-0-0).''

Playoffs

Statistics

1985 regular season stat leaders

1985 USFL regular season sortable offensive team statistics

1985 USFL regular season sortable defensive team statistics

Awards

*WR Richard Johnson, HOU *WR Jim Smith, BIRM *TE Marvin Harvey, TB *T Irv Eatman, BAL *T Ray Pinney, OAKL *G Buddy Aydelette, BIRM *G Pat Saindon, BIRM *C Kent Hull, NJ *QB

Jim Kelly James Edward Kelly (born February 14, 1960) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons with the Buffalo Bills. He also spent two seasons with the Houston Gamblers o ...

, HOU *HB

Herschel Walker Herschel Junior Walker (born March 3, 1962) is an American former professional football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons. He was also the Republican nominee in the 2022 United States Senate election ...

, NJ *HB Gary Anderson, TB *DE James Lockette, NJ *DE Bruce Thornton, DENV *DT

Reggie White Reginald Howard White (December 19, 1961 – December 26, 2004) was an American professional football defensive end who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 15 seasons. White played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers, ear ...

, MEM *DT Dave Tipton, AZ *LB Sam Mills, BAL *LB Kiki DeAyala, HOU *CB Kerry Justin, NJ *CB David Martin, DENV/ AZ *S Chuck Clanton, BIRM *S Mike Lush, BAL *K Brian Franco, JACK *KR Clarence Verdin, HOU *P Stan Talley, OAKL *PR Gerald McNeil, HOU *MVP – HB

, NJ *Coach of the year – Rollie Dotsch, BIRM *Special Teams Player of the year – WR Clarence Verdin, HOU Second Team *WR Anthony Carter, OAKL *WR Leonard Harris, DENV *TE Dan Ross,

PORT A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Hamburg, Manch ...

*T Pat Phenix, BIRM *T Dan Fike, TB *G Alvin Powell, AZ *G Chuck Commusky, BAL *C

Jim Leonard James Leonard may refer to: * Bobo Leonard (James Leonard), American Negro League baseball player * James Leonard, co-host of The Two Norries podcast * James Leonard, one of the co-proprietors of the Beverly Cotton Manufactory * James A. Leonard (1 ...

, OAKL *QB Cliff Stoudt, BIRM *RB Bill Johnson, DENV *RB

Mike Rozier Michael M. Rozier (born March 1, 1961) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the United States Football League (USFL) for two seasons and the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons from 1985 to 1 ...

, JACK *DE Keith Millard, JACK *DE Pete Catan, HOU *LB Bill Roe, BIRM *LB Herb Spencer, BIRM *LB Ray Bentley, OAKL *CB Vito McKeever, OAKL *CB Jonathan Sutton, BAL *S Luther Bradley, HOU *S Vic Monor, SA *K Toni Fritsch, HOU *P Greg Carter, ORL *KR Jerry Parish, ORL *PR Thad McFadden, BIRM *WR Richard Johnson, HOU *WR Jim Smith, BIRM *WR Anthony Carter, OAKL *TE Gordon Hudson, LA *T Irv Eatman, BAL *T

Gary Zimmerman Gary Wayne Zimmerman (born December 13, 1961) is an American former professional football player who was a Hall of Fame offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) and United States Football League (USFL). He earned a Super Bowl ring ...

, LA *G Buddy Aydelette, BIRM *G Pat Saindon, BIRM *C Kent Hull, NJ *QB

, HOU *HB

, NJ *HB Gary Anderson, TB *DE

, MEM *DE William Fuller, BAL *DT Jearld Baylis,

*DT Doug Smith, BIRM *OLB Herb Spencer, BIRM *OLB

Andy Hawkins Melton Andrew Hawkins (born January 21, 1960) is an American former professional baseball pitcher and current coach. Hawkins spent most of his Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the San Diego Padres, and also played for the New York Yankee ...

, HOU *ILB Sam Mills, BAL *ILB John Nevens, DENV *ILB Howard Carson, LA *CB

Jerry Holmes Jerry Lee Holmes (born December 22, 1957) is an American football coach and former cornerback. He played ten seasons in the National Football League (NFL), mainly for New York Jets but also with the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers. He a ...

, NJ *CB David Martin, DENV/ AZ *S

Barney Bussey Barney Bussey (born May 20, 1962) is an American former professional football safety. Biography Bussey was born in Lincolnton, Georgia. He attended high school at Lincoln County High School in Lincolnton where he was a major reason behind L ...

, MEM *S Chuck Clanton, BIRM *K Tony Zendejas, LA *KR Clarence Verdin, HOU *P Stan Talley, OAKL *PR Gerald McNeil, HOU *Player of the year—HB

, NJ *Coach of the year -- Rollie Dotsch, BIRM *Executive of the year -- Jerry Sklar, BIRM

References

{{USFL

1985 The year 1985 was designated as the International Youth Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** The Internet's Domain Name System is created. ** Greenland withdraws from the European Economic Community as a result of a n ...