Birmingham, Ala. - "With fourth choice in USFL draft, New Jersey Generals select quarterback Ben Holmes."
That was former NFL star and current popular celebrity talk show host Michael Strahan, who announced that former Tarleton quarterback Ben Holmes is heading up the United States Football League.
Welcome to the team ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
— USFL (@USFL) February 23, 2022
Watch the moment Michael Strahan announced Ben Holmes was joining the Generals pic.twitter.com/KIR4nn13yH
The USFL is back from a 35-year hiatus, and the Texans will lead one of eight teams in the great league. Tuesday began the first USFL Draft, a league that last restarted after running from 1983-85.
It is a spring football league designed to bring football to spectators in the NFL's off-season, which runs from August to February. In 1983, the USFL started with 12 teams. It expanded to 18 teams in 1984 before ending at 14 in 1985. The Generals, the same team Holmes was drafted on Tuesday, signed to drive Herschel Walker from Georgia back in the 1980s, fresh off his Heisman Trophy-winning season.
Under center for the Generals: Ben Holmes 🎖 pic.twitter.com/Nf97M8mah7
— USFL (@USFL) February 23, 2022
Now Holmes joins the team in an effort to restart the league. The former Texan signal caller went 23-2 as the starting QB, the best mark in the history of the program. He ended his career with the fifth most passing yards (5,997), the most passing yards per game (262.3) and the second most passing touchdowns (62) in Tarleton history.
Only three players were drafted ahead of Holmes – the Michigan Panthers drafted former Michigan QB Shea Patterson first overall, the Tampa Bay Bandits drafted former Ole Miss QB Jordan Tamu at number 2, and the third overall pick. Along with, the Philadelphia Stars selected former Occidental College QB Brian Scott.
#InCommand
— New Jersey Generals (@USFLGenerals) February 23, 2022
Welcome to the squad Ben Holmes. pic.twitter.com/hcdJt2WlLT
The 2022 USFL regular season will begin on April 16 and run through mid-June, followed by the playoffs. The first game will feature Holmes and the Generals on April 16, which will air on both FOX and NBC.