Photo courtesy of PFN Newsroom.
Anyone else have their heart warmed by the Birmingham Stallions losing against the DC Defenders in week 1 of the 2025 season? We watched the Stallions fight their way to nine wins and one loss last season. The UFL championship win was the undesirable cherry on Birmingham’s cupcake in 2024. The tides may be turning for the first time in a long time, leaving room for other teams to succeed this year. Let’s talk about the game details!
Tommy Cutlets of the UFL
The biggest change since last season was the change of team leadership. 24-year-old GM Zach Potter of the Stallions moved on to a college GM gig, and Reggie Barlow, former head coach of the DC Defenders, moved on to coaching in Tennessee. The QB Coach Shannon Harris is taking the reins now. Are we already seeing improvements for the Defenders under coach Harris? Possibly. We are seeing the effects of Potter’s unique ability to spot talent missing already.
What we can’t seem to escape is what feels like a weird offshoot of the Tik Tok Boy Mom cringe, we have another Tommy Cutlets in the form of Birmingham QB Alex McGough. The return QB had his mom’s chicken hand-delivered to him pre-game. Maybe that’s why the team lost. A little cross-contamination may have put McGough in a Lamar Jackson-inspired spiral. You can’t trust everyone’s kitchen. Rumor has it that Defenders returning QB Jordan Ta’amu makes his own chicken.
Butter Fingers
Someone mixed up the Stick ‘Em and the butter in the locker room of the Stallions. Ricky Peterson Jr. was the first Stallion to discover this unfortunate substitute in the first quarter when he fumbled the ball. The Defenders smelled weakness and got a field goal on the next possession. Birmingham did get it together enough to get their own field goal. DC ended the first quarter with another field goal, leaving the score 6-3.
In the second quarter, it looked like the Stallions may have escaped the chicken’s grasp. Re-signed RB C.J. Marbale made the first TD of the game. A successful two-point conversion had Birmingham fans thinking this season would be just like the last. DC fans started to wither in the stands as they witnessed Ta’amu get his pass intercepted. He will be allowed on the team bus to travel home, though, because he finished the first half with a TD. The score was 12-11, with DC barely squeaking out a lead.
It Kicks In
Mom’s chicken took its revenge on Birmingham in the third half. It wasn’t pretty to begin with for either team. McGough tripped on his own feet attempting to scramble. However, the quarter was something. CB Deandre Baker channeled his inner ‘Budda’ and intercepted the ball. McGough can’t scramble or throw a long pass in the third.
DC Defenders fans fed on the excitement of the game, creating a beer snake for the ages. The players said the fans can’t be the only people having fun, so they got a field goal in the fourth quarter. Much like last season, the kickers are doing all the work for these teams. A 53-yard field goal in the final two minutes of the game left the DC Defenders making jello out of Birmingham.
Final Thoughts
The Kansas City Chiefs have fallen; maybe the Birmingham Stallions can too. DC has given the country hope for the first time in a long time. Maybe 2025 can be another team’s year. We thank the Defenders for their football service.
Next week the Stallions will be playing against the Michigan Panthers, who secured their first win of the season. When you have a Nacua, you have a chance. When you have two, you have real potential. The Defenders will defeat the Michigan Panthers opponents in week 1 – the Memphis Showboats. May the best man win!
Can’t get enough of the UFL? Make sure to check out the details on the Michigan Panthers win against the Memphis Showboats; make sure to read this article. Want a more general article on week 1 of the season? We have that here too. We’ll be here all season, folks!
