Defenders Drop Season Opener to St. Louis, 16-10
UFL DC Defenders

Defenders Drop Season Opener to St. Louis, 16-10

Published on March 28, 2026 under United Football League (UFL)
DC Defenders News Release


ST. LOUIS, MO - The atmosphere of The Battledome did not disappoint in the season opener. Pita Taumoepenu and the Battlehawks defense dominated the defending UFL champions and helped Ricky Proehl to the first win of his head coaching career.

As expected, The Dome at America's Center, better known as The Battledome, was rumbling as the Battlehawks took the field. It was evident from the start that this would be a hostile environment.

However, the Battlehawks failed to respond to the crowd early. Two drops on the opening drive led to a three-and-out start.

Reigning UFL Championship MVP Jordan Ta'amu came out firing in his first sequence of the season. He quickly connected with Ty Scott for a 30-yard completion, which set up a historic sequence.

On 4th-and-14, head coach Shannon Harris elected to send Matt McCrane out for the first four-point, 60-yard field goal in UFL history. The fourth-year kicker delivered, signaling the official birth of the game-changing rule.

On St. Louis' following drive, kicker Tucker McCann showed off his leg strength. He split the uprights from 58 yards, bringing the Battlehawks within one point.

Ta'amu and the Defenders' offense then settled in and posted their best drive of the half. He delivered multiple 20-plus-yard plays to M. Fairchild and Seth Williams, setting up a Deon Jackson one-yard rushing score. Ta'amu was a perfect four-for-four for 67 yards on the 10-play drive.

DC went for the two-point conversion but failed, keeping the score at 10-3.

After the quick scoring burst, defense began to take over and ultimately defined the first half. St. Louis totaled five sacks, while DC recorded three. Reigning Defensive Player of the Year Pita Taumoepenu picked up where he left off, notching a remarkable 2.5 sacks in the first 30 minutes.

The Battlehawks' pass rush led to Ta'amu's first interception early in the second quarter, as Jordan Mosley jumped a deep ball intended for Braylon Sanders. However, Silvers and the offense went three-and-out once again.

St. Louis' best scoring chance came in the final minutes of the half. On a five-yard hitch route, Gary Jennings Jr. made a defender miss and followed his blockers 64 yards to the one-yard line.

Howard was then stopped twice, to go along with a Derick Roberson eight-yard sack. The Battlehawks settled for a 27-yard McCann field goal and trailed 10-6 heading into halftime.

Uncharacteristically, Ta'amu came out of the locker room and was picked off again, and the DC offense being out of sync became the theme of the second half.

Myles Sims secured his first interception of the season, but the Battlehawks went three-and-out once again. Their offensive struggles carried into the second half, as DC repaid the favor and gave the ball right back.

The Battlehawks offense was sparked by a Kevon Latulas catch-and-run for 42 yards. The big play set up St. Louis' first touchdown of the season, as tight end Tyler Neville found the end zone from 10 yards out to give them a 13-10 advantage, their first lead of the game.

Momentum shifted to St. Louis, and after McCrane hit the post from 55 yards out on a game-tying attempt, The Battledome came alive.

The first play of the fourth quarter brought a big decision for head coach Ricky Proehl. He rolled the dice on fourth-and-one from DC's 34-yard line and saw Jarveon Howard pick up 14 yards to move the chains. Howard then rushed for an additional seven, setting up first-and-goal.

However, the red zone struggles continued. The Battlehawks were forced to settle for a chip-shot field goal from McCann, extending their lead to 16-10. It felt like another missed opportunity on the doorstep of the end zone.

But when the offense struggled to convert, the defense became the true x-factor. They held DC scoreless over the final three quarters, shutting down what was widely regarded as one of the strongest offenses in the UFL.

The Battlehawks put the game away with a strong final drive, draining the final 4:36 of the game. Howard recorded 43 of his 69 total yards in the fourth quarter alone, while Latulas added a multitude of critical rushes that fully established the ground attack.

Ricky Proehl and AJ Smith managed the second half to perfection on the offensive side of the ball, ultimately stealing the story from the defending champions.

Despite a slow start, Brandon Silvers protected the football and threw for 198 yards and a touchdown. His 91.1 quarterback rating outperformed Ta'amu, who was intercepted twice and managed just 24 passing yards in the second half.

St. Louis' defense thoroughly dominated over the final three quarters. Sean Fresch and Demone Harris joined the sack party, recording 1.5 sacks each in their season debuts.

Following the loss, the Defenders remain on the road. They will search for their first victory of the season against the Columbus Aviators next Friday night at 8:00 PM ET on FOX

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United Football League Stories from March 28, 2026


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