Flashback to '84

On May 27, 1984, the Chicago Tribune echoed a growing concern across the football landscape with the headline: "Pay Spiral may lead to merger for USFL." This article captured the double-edged sword of the burgeoning United States Football League (USFL). While the upstart league had undeniably injected excitement into the sport by attracting top-tier talent like Herschel Walker (New Jersey Generals), Steve Young (Los Angeles Express), and Anthony Carter (Michigan Panthers), its aggressive player salaries were beginning to strain the financial stability of several franchises.

The parallels to the American Football Conference (AAFC)'s demise nearly 35 years prior were striking. The AAFC, a rival league that showcased exciting football, ultimately succumbed to financial pressures, leading the dominant NFL to absorb only three of its strongest teams: the Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers, and the original Baltimore Colts. In 1984, speculation was rife about a similar fate for the USFL. Potential catalysts for an NFL merger included the deep-pocketed ownership of Donald Trump's New Jersey Generals and J. William Oldenburg's Los Angeles Express. Alternatively, the franchises boasting the highest average attendance – the Jacksonville Bulls (51,169), Birmingham Stallions (42,092), and Tampa Bay Bandits (45,534) – were also seen as attractive merger targets due to their strong fan bases.

However, history took a different turn than many predicted. The USFL, despite its star power and initial success, would ultimately fold after its controversial antitrust lawsuit against the NFL failed in 1986. The anticipated NFL swoop never fully materialized in the way it did with the AAFC.