As summer begins and the NFL news cycle reaches a standstill while we wait for training camp next month, why not turn our attention to Philadelphia’s other football team?
The Philadelphia Stars of the USFL are playoff-bound after Saturday’s 46-24 win over former NFL quarterback Paxton Lynch and the Michigan Panthers. The win clinched the second playoff spot in the North Division for the Stars at 5-3, solidifying their spot as one of the four teams competing for the championship next month.
You haven’t been following the Philadelphia Stars season closely? Well here’s what you need to know about them to get you ready for the playoffs.
Players You Should Know
The Stars are led by dual-threat quarterback Case Cookus out of Northern Arizona. The 26-year-old quarterback bounced around the NFL as a depth quarterback, spending brief stints with the Giants, Broncos, Vikings, and Raiders before going to the CFL. Cookus is second in the USFL in passing touchdowns with 10 and used his legs to carry Philadelphia in week 8 with a 79-yard touchdown run.
Out of the backfield is Matt Colburn II who is second in the league in rushing touchdowns with 6. Colburn is a 24-year-old running back out of Wake Forest who had a stint with the Los Angeles Rams in 2019 and played in the XFL and CFL. Colburn is the Stars leading rusher with 322 yards on 80 carries.
On the outside, the Stars have former Southern Oregon wide receiver Jordan Suell and tight end Jonathan “Bug’ Howard who was a starter at the University of North Carolina before bouncing around the NFL.
Defensively, they are led by linebacker Jordan Moore who leads the team in tackles (51) and defensive end Adam Rodriguez who is second in the league with 7 sacks.
What’s Ahead for the Stars?
The Stars will be back in action on Sunday, June 12th against the 1-7 Pittsburgh Maulers (live on Fox Sports 1 at 7:30 pm) before ending the regular season against the New Jersey Generals on June 18th (live on USA at noon).
The playoffs will begin on June 25th when the Stars will match up with the Generals again. The winner of that game will head to the USFL championship to be played in early July.
Featured Image: Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports
