Shea Patterson released by USFL's Michigan Panthers, finds new team
Former Michigan Wolverines quarterback Shea Patterson was the No. 1 pick in the rebooted United State Football League draft. The Michigan Panthers made sure to secure a local name to generate buzz for the returning league.
Six games after the season began, it became time for a change.
The Panthers (1-5 record) released the former Michigan passer on Wednesday but was signed a little less than an hour later by the USFL’s New Orleans Breakers (4-2). The Panthers and Breakers play on Saturday night in Birmingham, Alabama.
Patterson is third in the USFL this season in passing yards (973), but has been woefully inefficient and made plenty of costly mistakes. He is dead-last in the league in QBR (112.4) to go with five interceptions and 13 sacks. He has also added 171 rushing yards.
Patterson was unable to generate much offense for the Panthers. They have averaged 17.3 points per game, which is second-to-last in the eight-team league. Former Denver Broncos first-round pick Paxton Lynch was also competing for the Panthers’ starting QB job, but has been injured.
Patterson’s new opportunity could be more beneficial to him, though. The Breakers are in second place in the South division and lead the league in passing offense (214.2 ypg). His new competition is Kyle Sloter, who has been a turnover machine in his own right. Sloter has thrown seven picks on the year.
The Panthers are led by longtime NFL head coach Jeff Fisher, who was on the sideline with the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans from 1995-2010 and the St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams from 2012-16. Fisher has a career record of 173-165 (.512 win percentage) at the NFL level and a 5-6 record in the postseason.
Remembering Shea Patterson at Michigan
Patterson was a five-star recruit, No. 7 player nationally and top-ranked quarterback in the 2016 class, per the On3 Consensus rankings. Prior to arriving at Michigan, he spent the first two seasons of his college career at Ole Miss. Patterson made 10 starts in 10 games with the Rebels, throwing for 3,139 yards with 23 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
Patterson transferred to Michigan ahead of the 2018 season and immediately took the reigns at the quarterback position. He appeared in 26 games (26 starts) as a Wolverine and was a two-time All-Big Ten selection on the third team. He helped lead Michigan to a 10-3 record in 2018 and a 9-4 mark during the 2019 season. Patterson finished his Wolverine career ranked No. 1 in passing yards per game (217.7), No. 7 in total passing yards (5,661) and sixth in touchdown passes (45).
His pro career at the NFL level never quite got going after going undrafted in 2020. He signed with the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2020, but was waived that same summer. Patterson has also spent time with the BC Lions and Montreal Alouettes of the CFL before jumping to the USFL with the Panthers and now Breakers.
