Jordan Ta’amu Captures UFL Championship MVP, Leads D.C. Defenders to Title
OXFORD, Miss. — Jordan Ta’amu’s football journey has always defied the odds.
Once an overlooked junior college prospect, Ta’amu arrived at Ole Miss in 2017 with little fanfare, expected only to back up five-star recruit Shea Patterson.
But when Patterson went down with an injury, Ta’amu stepped in and never looked back, ultimately becoming one of the most productive quarterbacks in Rebel history.
Ta’amu’s two-year run at Ole Miss was nothing short of remarkable. He broke the school’s all-time record for 400-yard passing games (4) and tied Chad Kelly’s record for 300-yard performances (12).
In his senior season, he threw for 3,918 yards and led the SEC in both passing yards per game and total offense, all during a turbulent period marred by NCAA sanctions and a bowl ban. Despite the adversity, Ta’amu remained loyal to Oxford. “It’s honestly like my second home,” he told reporters, “I still have love and support everywhere.”
His underdog story has continued in professional football.
After going undrafted in 2019, Ta’amu signed with the Houston Texans but never appeared in an NFL regular season game, bouncing between practice squads for the Chiefs, Lions, Commanders, and Panthers.
He found his footing in spring football, first making noise with the St. Louis BattleHawks in the XFL before joining the D.C. Defenders, where he was named Offensive Player of the Year in 2023.
Ta’amu’s latest chapter might be his most impressive yet.
On June 14, 2025, he led the D.C. Defenders to a 58-34 victory over the Michigan Panthers in the UFL Championship, shattering league records in the process.
Ta’amu completed 20 of 27 passes for 388 yards and four touchdowns—marking the highest single-game passing total in UFL history.
He also added 28 rushing yards and another score on the ground, finishing the game with no turnovers and earning UFL Championship MVP honors.
For Ta’amu, the performance was especially meaningful after being snubbed for the league’s regular-season MVP award, which went to Michigan’s Bryce Perkins.
“It hurt whenever I got that news last night,” Ta’amu said. “It was a chip on my shoulder, and I knew God had a bigger plan for me. He wanted me to have a different hardware. I would rather have a championship and win with the team than my own self.”
Ta’amu’s humility and leadership have never wavered. “Such a surreal feeling,” he said postgame. “I trusted my coaches, trusted my o-line and receivers. Could not have done it without Jesus Christ. Could not have done it.” (ESPN NFL on X)
Across five seasons of spring football, Ta’amu has accumulated multiple all-league selections and has topped the UFL in touchdown passes this year with 17, finishing second in passing yards (2,153) and adding 178 yards and two scores on the ground (UFL Official Stats).
His path has made him a role model for perseverance.
“It’s the way you look at life and the way you look at things,” Ta‘amu reflected. “If you just continue to pour good things into people, if you continue to pour good things into yourself, you’re going to get great outcomes. I’m so grateful for this opportunity because a lot of kids want to do this.”
In a league designed to offer overlooked players a second chance, Jordan Ta’amu’s record-breaking night is a reminder of what’s possible with patience and grit. For Ole Miss fans and spring football followers alike, Ta’amu’s story still has chapters left to write.
