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USFL stars Victor Bolden Jr. and Maurice Alexander Jr. they will play for a championship on Sunday.
Bolden’s Birmingham Stallions will face Alexander’s Philadelphia Stars at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, for the title, concluding the inaugural season of the revamped league.
Bolden came to the USFL after being unable to stick with an NFL team. He was with the San Francisco 49ers for over a year and then joined the Buffalo Bills.
He was on the Detroit Lions roster for a few months before being released in August 2021.
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Birmingham Stallions wide receiver Victor Bolden Jr. (7) celebrates after a 19-yard reception against the New Orleans Breakers during a USFL game on April 30, 2022, at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Ala. (Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Stallions selected Bolden in the 13th round of the draft and he became an All-USFL selection as a wide receiver and special teams player.
Alexander was drafted by the Stars a few years after he had played his last college game. Alexander was a quarterback and wide receiver at Florida International, where he was the backup quarterback to Alex McGough, who plays for the Stallions.
USFL STAR VICTOR BOLDEN JR. TALKS MILESTONE TOUCHDOWN, CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Philadelphia Stars wide receiver Maurice Alexander celebrates after returning a punt 87 yards for the game-winning touchdown during a USFL playoff game against the New Jersey Generals, June 25, 2022, at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio . (Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
He made the most of his USFL experience, becoming an All-USFL selection as a punt returner.
Both players told Fox News Digital they were grateful for their championship experience.
“One thing I want to say is the quality of football was outstanding. We have guys that are really hungry trying to get to the next level and you could see that in our play,” Bolden said. “The guys play really hard out there. The USFL did a good job giving us this opportunity to show what we’ve got.”
“We don’t have to go to Canada or across the country and be so far away from your family. The quality of football is excellent and I think they did a great job preparing for this league with the Fox reserve. I think it created stability with everyone being in the same bubble. That helped a lot too. I am very grateful for this opportunity. I’m happy I made the decision to play.”
Alexander said the USFL helped him overcome some of the struggles he’s had over the past two years trying to make it as a football player.
USFL STAR MAURICE ALEXANDER JR. RECALLS GO-AHEAD PUNT-RETURN TD, TALKS CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
The USFL logo on a football during warmups before a game between the New Orleans Breakers and the Michigan Panthers at Protective Stadium, May 28, 2022, in Birmingham, Ala. (Patrick Smith/USFL/Getty Images)
“The USFL took a chance on me and I’m thankful for that because, before I finished college in 2019, I got injured. Then in 2020, COVID hit. So it was kind of hard for me and I was thankful and eager to come back and to show that my hard work is being used and paying off now,” Alexander said.
“After two-and-a-half years of not playing and then coming straight into it, now contributing the way I am, it showed that when I wasn’t playing, I was putting in the work, staying focused, keeping faith in the man upstairs and when the opportunity came, I was here to execute and continue.”
Bolden and Alexander made key plays that helped their teams reach the title game.
Bolden returned a kick for a touchdown against the New Orleans Breakers. Alexander had the game-winning punt-return touchdown against the New Jersey Generals.
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The Stallions and Stars play Sunday night at 7:30 ET on FOX.
Ryan Gaydos is the sports editor for Fox News and Fox Business. Story tips can be sent to [email protected]
