It was business as usual for the D.C. Defenders this past Saturday afternoon against the Dallas Renegades. A strong complimentary output from all three phases of the team led to a comfortable 24-6 victory improving the team's record to 5-1 and in the driver seat for a playoff berth to defend their 2025 championship.
With his 227-yard performance, Defenders Quarterback Jordan Ta'amu has cemented himself in the ever-changing history of spring football. Ta'amu has now eclipsed 10,000 passing yards in his spring football career. Since 2001, Ta'amu is the only quarterback to obtain this milestone in the modern spring football era.
Ta'amu's spring football career has spanned over three leagues, starting in 2020 with the St. Louis Battlehawks. In 2022, Ta'amu returned to spring football after bouncing around with the Chiefs, Lions, Panthers, and Commanders, joining the USFL's Tampa Bay Bandits, leading the USFL in passing yards, and touchdowns.
In 2023, Ta'amu began his run as the Defenders franchise quarterback, earning several accolades since joining the team. Ta'amu has earned a plethora awards since joining D.C. including the 2023 XF; OPOY, 2023 All-XFL team QB, leading the league in passing touchdowns in 2025, and earning his championship ring with the D.C. Defenders, along with being named the UFL Championship Game MVP.
Currently Ta'amu owns a 31-19 record as a starting spring football quarterback, and is currently on pace to eclipse several records for spring football quarterbacks dating back to the USFL of the 1980s. Ta'amu currently sits behind Bobby Hebert (USFL MICH/OAK), and Johnnie Walton (CoFL, WFL, USFL) for most passing yards in American non-NFL football leagues.Hebert, and Walton have thrown for 11,137, and 11,444 yards respectively, with Ta'amu sitting at 10,056 just in front of former Philadelphia Star Chuck Fusina (10,051).
In addition to closing in on passing yards, Ta'amu is currently at 76 passing touchdowns which sits 7 behind Jim Kelly who threw for 83 during his time with the Houston Gamblers. The Defenders are scheduled to take on the Louisville Kings the next two weeks which bodes well for Ta'amu during the final stretch of the 2026 UFL regular season.