Houston Roughnecks
Current season
Established November 22, 2021 (2021-11-22)
Play in Rice Stadium (Houston, Texas)
League/conference affiliations
United States Football League (2022–2023)
  • South Division (2022–2023)

United Football League (2024–present)

  • USFL Conference (2024–present)
Current uniform
Team colorsNavy, red[1]
   
Personnel
Owner(s)Fox Corporation (50%), Dany Garcia, Dwayne Johnson, RedBird Capital Partners (50%)
Head coachCurtis Johnson
Team history
  • Houston Gamblers (2022–2023)
  • Houston Roughnecks (2024–present)
Championships
League championships (0)
Conference championships (0)
Division championships (0)
Home stadium(s)

The Houston Roughnecks are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The Roughnecks compete in the United Football League (UFL). The team is owned-and-operated by Dwayne Johnson's Alpha Acquico and Fox Corporation. The team was a founding member of the USFL, as the Houston Gamblers in 2022, named after the 1980s USFL team of the same name. Though named after the city of Houston, the 2020s Gamblers never played there under that brand, instead playing its home games as the guest of other USFL teams in Birmingham, Alabama in 2022 and Memphis, Tennessee and 2023. When the USFL and XFL merged to form the UFL in 2024, the Gamblers took over the branding of the original Houston Roughnecks that had played the 2020 and 2023 seasons in the XFL and expressed an intent to play in Houston.

History

The Gamblers' logo from 2022 to 2023.

Houston Gamblers (2022–2023)

The Houston Gamblers were one of eight teams that were officially announced as a USFL franchise on The Herd with Colin Cowherd on November 22, 2021.[2] On January 6, 2022, it was announced on The Herd with Colin Cowherd that former NCAA Football Head coach Kevin Sumlin was named the Head coach and General manager of the Gamblers.[3] Houston was the only city in the USFL nominally based west of the Mississippi River and the only team that had a representative team in both professional spring football leagues, the USFL (the Gamblers) and the XFL (the Roughnecks), though the Gamblers never set foot in Houston, instead playing as a traveling team under the USFL's hub model.

On January 6, 2022, from college head coach, Kevin Sumlin was named the head coach and general manager for the Houston Gamblers.[4] The Gamblers' first season game was on April 17, 2022, against the Michigan Panthers at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Alabama. Kicker Nick Vogel made a 37-yard field goal in the first quarter (the first points for the franchise). The Gamblers defeated the Panthers 17–12, winning their first game in franchise history. The Gamblers lost their next seven games before winning for their final two games of the season, and failing to qualify for the USFL playoffs.[5]

In September, 2022, the Gamblers announced that Robert Morris was named their new general manager.[6] In November 2022, the USFL announced that the Gamblers will play at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee for the 2023 season.[7] In February, 2023, Sumlin announced his plans to join the coaching staff of the Maryland Terrapins, this led to the Gamblers hiring former New Orleans Saints assistant coach, Curtis Johnson as their new head coach.[8]

Houston Roughnecks (2024–present)

On January 1, as part of the merger with the XFL, the Gamblers took on the identity (including name, history and social media presence) of their XFL counterpart, the Roughnecks, while maintaining the Gamblers' coaching staff and player rights.[9] The team will play in Houston as the Roughnecks did, but renovations to TDECU Stadium, the Roughnecks' home in 2020 and 2023, may require the use of a different venue; Rice University Stadium was approached about the possibility.[10]


Current Roster

Players

Houston Roughnecks roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

  • -- Tiyon Evans
  •  4 Shermari Jones
  • 29 T. J. Pledger
  •  7 Mark Thompson

Wide receivers

  • 88 Emmanuel Butler
  • 81 Keke Chism
  • -- Cyril Grayson
  • 17 Justin Hall
  • -- Isiah Hennie
  •  1 Anthony Ratliff-Williams
  •  9 Teo Redding

Tight ends

Offensive linemen
  • -- Paul Adams T
  • -- Isaiah Battle T
  • 66 Nick Buchanan C
  • 74 Avery Gennesy T
  • -- Shamarious Gilmore G
  • 65 Jair Joseph G
  • -- Jack Kramer C
  • -- Robert Myers G
  • -- Jakari Robinson G
  • -- Justin Redd T
  • 51 Na'Ty Rodgers T
  • -- Marcus Tatum T

Defensive linemen

Linebackers
  • 15 Ronheen Bingham OLB
  • -- Reuben Foster ILB
  • 30 Isaiah Pryor LB
  • -- Gabriel Sewell Jr. OLB
  • 44 Khalan Tolson LB
  • 18 Jeremiah Tyler LB
  • -- Bryson Young OLB

Defensive backs

  • -- Richard Bowens CB
  • 22 Manny Bunch S
  •  2 Jeremiah Johnson CB
  •  5 Bydarrius Knighten CB
  • 25 Dayan Lake S
  • -- Jai Nunn-Liddell CB
  • -- Colby Richardson CB
  • -- Markel Robey FS
  • -- Elijah Rodgers CB
  • 38 Donald Rutledge Jr. DB
  • -- Isaiah Zuber CB

Special teams


Roster updated January 8, 2024
62 active, inactive

XFL rosters

Staff

2024 Houston Roughnecks staff
Front office

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

  • Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks - Eric Price
  • Running backs/wide receivers - Garrett Chachere
  • Special Teams/Tight ends - Ray Rychleski
Defensive coaches
  • Defensive coordinator/linebackers – Chris Wilson
  • Defensive line – Kwahn Drake
  • Defensive backs – Brett Maxie
  • Assistant defensive backs/defensive quality control - Zach Shagi




Player History

Current NFL Players

Season Pos Name NFL Team
2022 DT Domenique Davis Cincinnati Bengals
2022–2023 TE Josh Pederson Jacksonville Jaguars
2022 LS Tucker Addington Washington Commanders

Notable Players

Season Pos Name Notes
2024-present LB Reuben Foster Former San Francisco 49ers Linebacker, 2017 1st Round Pick
2024-present TE Ryan Izzo Former New England Patriots Tight End, 2018 7th Round Pick

USFL Offensive Player of the Year award winners

Gamblers USFL DPOY winners
Year Player Position Selector
2023 Mark Thompson RB USFL

USFL Defensive Player of the Year award winners

Gamblers USFL DPOY winners
Year Player Position Selector
2022 Chris Odom DE USFL

Coach History

Head Coach history

# Name Term Regular season Playoffs Awards
GC W L Win % GC W L
Houston Gamblers
1 Kevin Sumlin 2022 10 3 7 .300 - - -
2 Curtis Johnson 2023 10 5 5 .500 - - -
Houston Roughnecks
Curtis Johnson 2024-present - - -

Offensive Coordinator history

# Name Term Regular season Playoffs Awards
GC W L Win % GC W L
Houston Gamblers
1 David Beaty 2022 10 3 7 .300 - - - *Co Offensive Coordinator
2 J. D. Runnels 2022 10 3 7 .300 - - - *Co Offensive Coordinator
3 Eric Price 2023 10 5 5 .500 - - -
Houston Roughnecks
Eric Price 2024–present - - -

Defensive Coordinator history

# Name Term Regular season Playoffs Awards
GC W L Win % GC W L
Houston Gamblers
1 Tim Lewis 2022 10 3 7 .300 - - -
2 Chris Wilson 2023 10 5 5 .500 - - -
Houston Roughnecks
Chris Wilson 2024-present - - -

Records

All-time Gamblers/Roughnecks leaders
LeaderPlayerRecordYears with Gamblers/Roughnecks
Passing YardsKenji Bahar2,250 passing yards2022-present
Passing Touchdowns Clayton Thorson

Kenji Bahar

10 passing touchdowns 2022

2022-present

Rushing YardsMark Thompson1,116 rushing yards2022-2023
Rushing Touchdowns Mark Thompson 16 rushing touchdowns 2022-2023
Receiving YardsJustin Hall515 receiving yards2022-present
Receiving Touchdowns Isaiah Zuber 5 receiving touchdowns 2022-present
Receptions Justin Hall 47 receptions 2022-present
Tackles Donald Payne 117 tackles 2022
SacksChris Odom12.5 sacks2022
InterceptionsWilliam Likely4 interceptions2022
Coaching wins Curtis Johnson 5 wins 2023-present

Statistics and records

Season-by-season record

Note: The Finish, Wins, Losses, and Ties columns list regular season results and exclude any postseason play.

Legend
USFL champions Division champions Wild Card berth
Houston Gamblers season-by-season records
Season Team League Division Regular season Postseason results Awards
Finish Wins Losses Ties Pct
20222022 USFLSouth4th370.300Chris Odom (DROY)
20232023 USFLSouth3rd550.500
Totals 8 12 0 .400 (2022–2023, regular season)
0 0 (2022–2023, playoffs)
8 12 0 .400 (2022–2023, regular season and playoffs)

References

  1. "Houston Roughnecks' uniforms, helmet". XFL.com (Press release). December 3, 2019. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
  2. "USFL unveils team cities, nicknames and logos for 2022 debut". FOX Sports. Retrieved 2021-12-18.
  3. Stephan Rachuk (January 6, 2022). "USFL Officially Reveals the First Four Head Coaches on The Herd". Pro Football Newsroom. Retrieved January 6, 2022.
  4. Gaydos, Ryan (2022-01-06). "4 USFL teams reveal their head coaches for upcoming season". Fox News. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  5. Stephan Rachuk (June 19, 2022). "Houston Gamblers Conclude USFL Season with Defensive Win Over New Orleans Breakers". www.usflnewroom.com. USFL Newsroom. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  6. "USFL hires new general managers for two teams". foxsports.com. Fox Media LLC and Fox Sports Interactive Media, LLC. October 18, 2022. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  7. ""We're Home" – Professional Football Returns To Memphis With Iconic USFL Showboats". www.memphistn.gov. City of Memphis. November 15, 2022. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  8. Sam Young (February 16, 2023). "USFL's Houston Gamblers hire Curtis Johnson as head coach". houstonchronicle.com. Houston Chronicle. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  9. UNITED FOOTBALL LEAGUE REVEALS TEAM MARKETS AND HEAD COACHES FOR 2024 SEASON. Press release. Retrieved January 1, 2024.
  10. Rachuk, Stephan (2023-07-25). "XFL Issues Statement on Houston Roughnecks Future at TDECU Stadium". Pro Football Newsroom. Retrieved 2024-01-01.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.