USFL stars squaring off in championship activity 'grateful' for option to play in league

USFL stars Victor Bolden Jr. and Maurice Alexander Jr. will perform for a championship Sunday.

Bolden’s Birmingham Stallions will get on Alexander’s Philadelphia Stars at Tom Benson Corridor of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, for the title, wrapping up the rebooted league’s inaugural season.

Bolden came to the USFL following he was unable to stick with an NFL group. He was with the San Francisco 49ers for more than a calendar year and then joined the Buffalo Expenses. 

He was on the Detroit Lions’ roster for a couple months prior to he was allow go in August 2021.

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Birmingham Stallions wide receiver Victor Bolden Jr. (7) celebrates right after a 19-garden touchdown reception in opposition to the New Orleans Breakers through a USFL game April 30, 2022, at Protecting Stadium in Birmingham, Ala. (Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire through Getty Photographs)

The Stallions picked Bolden in the 13th spherical of the draft, and he grew to become an all All-USFL selection as a wide receiver and a specific teams participant.

Alexander was drafted by the Stars a couple years right after he experienced played his ultimate collegiate recreation. Alexander was a quarterback and large receiver at Florida Worldwide, wherever he was a backup quarterback to Alex McGough, who performs for the Stallions.

USFL STAR VICTOR BOLDEN JR. TALKS MILESTONE Touchdown, CHAMPIONSHIP Recreation

Philadelphia Stars huge receiver Maurice Alexander celebrates immediately after returning a punt 87 yards for the activity-winning landing during a USFL playoff match from the New Jersey Generals June 25, 2022, at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio. (Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Illustrations or photos)

He manufactured the most of his USFL expertise, starting to be an All-USFL choice as a punt returner.

Both equally gamers instructed G3 Box News Electronic they had been grateful for their experience in the league.

"One particular point I want to say is that the high-quality of football has been wonderful. We acquired fellas that are really hungry hoping to get to the future amount, and you could see it in our participate in," Bolden said. "Men are out there taking part in genuinely difficult. The USFL did a great position of providing us that chance to showcase what we have."

"We don’t have to go to Canada or all the way throughout the region and be that significantly away from your loved ones. The excellent of football is good, and I assume they did a terrific task planning for this league with the G3 Box News backup. I think that it established balance with everybody becoming in the exact same bubble. That helped a lot as well. I’m quite grateful for this opportunity. I’m happy that I made the determination to perform."

Alexander claimed the USFL helped him get around some of the struggles he had the final few decades attempting to make it as a football participant.

USFL STAR MAURICE ALEXANDER JR. Recollects GO-Ahead PUNT-RETURN TD, TALKS CHAMPIONSHIP Game

The USFL emblem on a soccer for the duration of warmups prior to a match between the New Orleans Breakers and Michigan Panthers at Protective Stadium Could 28, 2022, in Birmingham, Ala. (Patrick Smith/USFL/Getty Visuals)

"The USFL took a probability on me, and I’m grateful for that for the reason that, prior to my senior of faculty, 2019, I got hurt. Then, in 2020, COVID strike. So, it was variety of difficult for me, and I was grateful and eager to get back and show that my tough operate is becoming put to use and that it is spending off now," Alexander mentioned. 

"Just after two and a 50 percent yrs of not participating in and then coming right into it, now contributing the way I am, that just variety of confirmed that when I was not playing, I was putting in the get the job done, stayed centered, trying to keep faith in the guy upstairs and when option provides by itself, I was listed here to execute and comply with by means of."

Bolden and Alexander just about every designed essential plays that helped their teams access the title recreation. 

Bolden returned a kick for a landing in opposition to the New Orleans Breakers. Alexander experienced the sport-winning punt-return touchdown towards the New Jersey Generals.

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The Stallions and Stars participate in Sunday night at 7:30 ET on FOX.