The inaugural United Football League (UFL) season is underway and returns plenty of talent from both the USFL and XFL. Among those returners is D.C. Defenders quarterback Jordan Ta’amu.
Jordan Ta’amu Returns to D.C. Defenders for 2024 Season
A former Ole Miss player, Ta’amu is a special talent at the quarterback position. Last year, he threw for 1,878 yards, 14 touchdowns, and three interceptions. Not only is he a solid passer, but he is also dynamic with his feet as he rushed for 301 yards last season. His performance earned him the 2023 XFL Offensive Player of the Year award.
In his senior year in 2018 at Ole Miss, Ta’amu broke single-season school records for yards per attempt (9.37), 300-yard passing games (nine), and 400-yard passing games (three).
The Defenders agreed to a contract with Ta’amu in early February, clarifying any speculation regarding the starting quarterback position.
He was the starting quarterback for the XFL’s St. Louis Battlehawks in 2020, throwing for 1,050 yards with five touchdowns and two interceptions. He added 217 rushing yards and one score in five games. He led the Battlehawks to a 3-2 record before the XFL canceled its season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ta’amu played in the USFL with the Tampa Bay Bandits in 2022, throwing for 2,014 yards with 14 scores and 12 interceptions. He also rushed for 365 yards and one touchdown. At the end of the season, Ta’amu finished as the league leader in passing yards and passing touchdowns.
Ta’amu has also spent time in the NFL with the Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, Minnesota Vikings, and Carolina Panthers. However, he has not seen any playing time in the regular season.
Ta’amu has been one of the shining stars of spring football since 2020 and hopes to lead the Defenders to a successful season.
“I’m so excited just to have another opportunity to play football again,” Ta’amu told KHON2. “I mean, it’s just such a blessing to continue to play the sport I love, and I’m so excited for the season. Every year, the chance I get to, you know, be in a locker room again, it kind of revs up my engine; I enjoy it every time I get to go through this whole experience again.
“I’m glad this is going to be my second year in [Washington,] D.C., so I’m excited about the fan base that we really have there,” Ta’amu said. “They made every game electric last year, and I’m just excited to do that all again this year.
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“Just going into it, I know that I’m going to do the best I can. I’m always going to play to win games. And if that leads to me going into the championship, that leads to winning MVP again, then so be it. But my goal is to win games and get to the next level, and I’m going to treat every day like it’s my last.”
The Defenders open their season on the road against the San Antonio Brahmas on March 31.
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