The UFL is seeing another change at General Manager. Dennis Polian has stepped down from his position with the Memphis Showboats, he announced today.
Breaking: @USFLShowboats General Manager Dennis Polian has announced that he is stepping away from the #UFL.
Polian joined Memphis during the USFL-XFL merger, as John DeFilippo took over as Head Coach.
Memphis has yet to name a replacement at GM.
— James Larsen (@JamesLarsenPFN) August 2, 2024
This is another big change for this Showboats organization. During the USFL-XFL merger, the team had to adjust to Dennis Polian and John DeFilippo taking the reins, replacing Dave Razzano and Todd Haley.
Now, Memphis has another shakeup in the DeFilippo era.
Dennis Polian & Spring Football
It’s been quite the journey for Dennis over the past year in the spring scene. He originally was hired by the USFL’s Pittsburgh Maulers to take over as their General Manager, replacing Lonnie Young.
Polian spent a few months with Pittsburgh, building towards season three of the USFL. However, when the merger shuttered that franchise, Dennis ended up making the jump to Memphis – to work with his long-time colleague John DeFilippo.
News: The Memphis Showboats have a new General Manager, source confirms. Dave Razzano is out, and Dennis Polian – who originally joined the #USFL in Pittsburgh – has taken over.
DeFilippo opted to run with Polian, despite working with Ryan Jones in New Orleans. #UFL
— James Larsen (@JamesLarsenPFN) January 2, 2024
For Dennis and John, this was a tough year in Memphis. The team went 2-8, with their only wins of the year coming against the Houston Roughnecks. It was a rather unique situation for the two of them to be in – having to take over a team that was essentially leftovers from the Haley era.
In his post to X, Polian thanked the UFL and it’s executives for the opportunity:
“Football has given my family so much. It has opened doors to experiences and relationships that can never be duplicated. I am beyond grateful to Daryl Johnston, Russ Brandon and the entire @TheUFL family. Year one was an amazing experience… but it’s time to say goodbye. It’s time to make up for the sacrifices my family has made, and it’s time to give back to our Waco community we are blessed to call home. Stay tuned for big things ahead!”
Polian has spent time in the NFL, CFL, and UFL in various personnel positions.
Final Thoughts
The Memphis Showboats will look to rewrite the script in 2025. They didn’t see much success on either side of the football this past season. Now, they’re seeing more changes in the offseason, something this franchise hasn’t been able to avoid the past couple of years.
We’re told that Dennis made this decision after the UFL College Draft was complete. Currently, the Showboats have not named a replacement for Polian. It’ll be intriguing to see how this all plays out for Memphis. There were several GM’s who lost their jobs in the merger process, so it’s certainly likely we see one of them return to the UFL.
In July, the Houston Roughnecks also saw a change at GM, with Will Lewis taking over for Lionel Vital.
What are your thoughts on Dennis Polian moving on from the UFL? Who should the Memphis Showboats bring in to take over? Let us know down in the comments below, or join the conversation on Discord!
