In the 2025 UFL Championship Game, the DC Defenders staged a dramatic second-quarter surge that would define their 58-34 win over the Michigan Panthers. During that quarter alone, the Defenders piled on 31 points while holding the Panthers to a mere six, a shift that ultimately determined the game. Five former Washington Commanders/Redskins players are currently involved with the team.
Offensive lineman Mason Brooks was previously on the Commanders practice squad. Defensive backs coach Vernon Dean played for the Redskins for six seasons.
Linebacker Ferrod Gardner was signed by the Commanders in the 2023 offseason. Safety Montae Nicholson was drafted by the Redskins in the fourth round of the 2017 draft and started 26 games for the team in three seasons. Quarterback and UFL Championship MVP Jordan Ta’amu was on the Washington Football Team’s practice squad in December 2021.
The Defenders’ offensive explosion was historic. Amassing 58 points– the highest total ever recorded in UFL history and the highest for any modern-era spring football game– DC became the first team in the league to eclipse the 50-point mark, a rare feat in contemporary spring football.
At the helm for DC was quarterback Jordan Ta’amu, who earned Championship Game MVP honors after throwing a record-setting 390 yards on 21-of-28 completions with four touchdown passes. Key to his success was wide receiver Jaydon Mickens, who caught six passes for 132 yards.
Michigan’s Bryce Perkins ended up completing 21 of 35 passes for 338 yards with four touchdowns and one interception, while Malik Turner set a UFL record by hauling in 168 yards and three touchdowns in the loss. Ultimately, it was the Defenders’ record-breaking offensive display and steadfast defensive effort that secured the Championship and left an indelible mark on UFL history.
