Larry Fedora steps down as head coach of New Orleans Breakers

NEW ORLEANS – The USFL today announced that seven of eight head coaches are returning for Season 2, with New Orleans Breakers Coach Larry Fedora stepping away from football to spend more time with his family. Fedora, who celebrated his 60th birthday last Saturday, will stay until the USFL completes a search for his replacement.

“I want to express my sincere appreciation for Larry Fedora and the remarkable job he did leading the New Orleans Breakers to the playoffs during the USFL’s successful 2022 season,” said Brian Woods, President of Football Operations. “We are making measured progress towards our objective of establishing the USFL as a dominant, stand-alone spring football league, and Larry helped us create exciting and highly competitive football that was on display throughout the season. Indeed, he will always have a key place in the history of our league.”

Fedora informed league officials last week of his decision.

“The USFL is a great professional league, and it was an awesome experience to be part of the history-making inaugural season,” said Fedora. “With talented players and coaches who are getting a well-deserved opportunity to showcase their abilities, we proved the USFL is here to stay. I’m proud that we coached the Breakers to the 2022 playoffs and that we started something special for New Orleans fans.”

Fedora established New Orleans as one of the most balanced and exciting teams in the USFL. Coaching six All-USFL players – three on offense and three on defense — Fedora led the Breakers to a 6-4 regular season record, a second-place finish in the South Division, and a playoff berth.

The @USFLBreakers have booked the final ticket to the inaugural USFL Playoffs! 🌊🌊🌊

Watch the moment @CoachFedora reads the team's official invitation to Canton, Ohio ✉️🏆 pic.twitter.com/fRfeOeAJNo

— USFL (@USFL) June 12, 2022

“While I thoroughly enjoyed this season, starting up a new league and team kept me away from my family for an extended period of time. I can’t ask them to make that sacrifice again, so I have decided to step away from the USFL for the time-being,” said Fedora. “I love coaching and I will certainly be open to a USFL return at some point in the future once all teams get settled in their home cities. I will miss our players, coaches, and staff, but I know that Brian Woods and Daryl Johnston will find a great leader to continue what we started with the New Orleans Breakers.”

Woods and Johnston have already begun the search for a new Breakers head coach.

“We will miss Coach Fedora and we are grateful for his enormous contributions to help set up the New Orleans Breakers and the entire USFL for long-term success,” said Johnston, Executive Vice President of Football Operations. “All of our head coaches helped us complete an extraordinarily successful inaugural spring football season and we are excited that seven are returning for Season 2. We look forward to providing fans more high-quality, competitive football starting again in April 2023.”

Head coaches returning for USFL Season 2 are Bart Andrus (Philadelphia Stars), Jeff Fisher (Michigan Panthers), Todd Haley (Tampa Bay Bandits), Skip Holtz (Birmingham Stallions), Mike Riley (New Jersey Generals), Kevin Sumlin (Houston Gamblers), and Kirby Wilson (Pittsburgh Maulers).