When Mike Repole took over as leader of the UFL in early 2026, it was hard to predict the direction the league would take. One of Repole's first major decisions was to move the Michigan Panthers, Memphis Showboats, and San Antonio Brahmas to new markets with new branding. For those communities, it was the loss of a professional spring football team in each city. However, the creation of the Columbus Aviators, Louisville Kings, and Orlando Storm proved a big success for the UFL in its third season as a league. The biggest of those success stories after relocation were the Louisville Kings, which ultimately won the 2026 UFL championship, and the Orlando Storm, which finished the regular season as the UFL's best team. Much of the success of the Storm was due to naming the former Saint Louis Battlehawks head coach as its first head coach. Due to Becht's local connections to the Orlando area, the Storm quickly built a fan base that appears solid going forward. If the UFL is able to settle in for another season in 2027 without relocating teams or redistributing players, the Storm could be set to be a force to be reckoned with in the UFL for the next several seasons.
Orlando Storm Regular Season Schedule and Results
Heading into the 2026 UFL season, the Orlando Storm seemed to have the right mix of leadership and talent to make a run in the UFL. And for the first four weeks of the season, the Storm showed why they were held in such high regard by starting with four straight wins, including victories over the Columbus Aviators, the Louisville Kings twice, and the Birmingham Stallions. After a hot 4-0 start, the Storm ran into difficulties against the Saint Louis Battlehawks and in a rematch with the Birmingham Stallions, losing back-to-back games due to red-zone turnovers. While the Storm could have taken a downturn after those losses, they went on another four-game winning streak, defeating the Houston Gamblers, Dallas Renegades, and the DC Defenders twice. That left the Storm with the best record in the UFL at 8-2, which earned them the #1 seed in the playoffs and the right to host a home playoff game.
Postseason Loss the DC Defenders
During the Orlando Storm's first home game, they quickly learned a hard lesson. That lesson was that it is very difficult to beat the same team three times in a season, much less defeat them three consecutive times. The DC Defenders had made several adjustments to address what the Storm had done to beat them in two straight games to finish the season. While the Storm made a push to come back in the 4th quarter, they came up short in their effort to extend their winning streak into a berth in the third UFL championship game. By the end of the game, the Storm lost against the Defenders 28-22 at Daytona Beach, Florida.
Storm Award Winner and All-UFL Honors
It is no surprise that the team that had the best regular season also had several standout players. The All-UFL team featured several Orlando Storm players who were instrumental to the Team's success in 2026. Those players included quarterback Jack Plummer, offensive guard Michael Gonzalez, defensive tackle Isaiah Buggs, and WR/Kick Return Specialist Chris Rowland.
The most influential of the Orlando Storm's standout players this season was quarterback Jack Plummer, who was named the MVP of the UFL at the end of the season. During the season, Plummer started every game for the Storm and played extremely efficiently, setting the Storm's offense up for success. Plummer's stats include a 65% completion rate, 2,188 passing yards, 17 passing touchdowns, and only 1 interception. In addition, Plummer ran the ball for 189 rushing yards and 2 rushing touchdowns. It is important to note that Plummer did not throw his second interception of the season until their playoff game against the DC Defenders.
Orlando Storm head coach Anthony Becht was another standout performer for the Storm. Becht led the Storm to an 8-2 record, giving him four straight winning records in the XFL and UFL as a head coach. While Becht's teams have not won any postseason games, they have been the best team in the regular season during his three UFL seasons. If Becht remains as the head coach of the Storm, there is a good chance he will be able to help the Storm get the final push they need to play for a UFL championship in the future.
NFL Workout Opportunities
For the three seasons the UFL has existed as a league, its goal has been to give players opportunities to either return to the NFL or show they deserve a look from the NFL. Since the season has ended, two Storm players have been granted workouts with NFL teams. Defensive lineman Keshawn Banks was invited to complete a workout with the Atlanta Falcons, and wide receiver Cam Camper has completed workouts with the Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, and New York Jets.
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