Ray Horton Beats Fellow Cowboys Ex, Moves to USFL Championship

Horton, previously part of Dallas' championship trek in 1992 as a cornerback (before later winning two more Super Bowl rings as a defensive coach in Pittsburgh), guided the Maulers into the USFL title game over Nolan, who served as the Cowboys' defensive coordinator during the 2020 season. The job, which saw him succeed fellow former NFL boss Jeff Fisher, was his first professional football coaching gig since his single season with a starred headset.

Saturday's thriller was the culmination of dramatic turnaround efforts led by both Horton and Nolan, each in their first year with their respective franchise. Pittsburgh and Michigan finished a combined 3-17 in last year's return of the USFL, which uses revamped identities of the original edition that ran from 1984-86. This time around, both teams went 4-6, which was enough to secure the two playoff spots afforded to the North Division and to create a thrilling postseason match. Saturday's extra period, which employs three rounds before advancing to sudden death, was the first in the USFL this season.

Horton's Maulers now await the winner of Sunday's South Division title game, which will pit the New Orleans Breakers against the defending USFL champion Birmingham Stallions (6 p.m. CT, NBC). The championship game will be held in Canton on July 1. 

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