The DC Defenders announced on today that Shannon Harris will return as head coach for the 2026 UFL season. Harris led the Defenders to the 2025 UFL Championship and earned Coach of the Year honors in his first season at the helm.
The confirmation comes as the UFL undergoes significant coaching changes heading into 2026. Bob Stoops announced his retirement from the Dallas Renegades. Mike Nolan will not return to the Michigan Panthers. CJ Johnson is out as Houston Roughnecks head coach. Harris now stands as one of the more experienced returning coaches in the UFL having been in the league for several years as an assistant.
Harris Turned Around the Defenders in 2025
Harris took over the DC Defenders just three days before the 2025 season opener. Reggie Barlow had departed to become head coach at Tennessee State, leaving Harris — then the quarterbacks coach — to step in as interim head coach on March 22, 2025.
The Defenders had finished 4-6 in 2024 and missed the playoffs. Under Harris, DC went 6-4 in the regular season and won the UFL Championship.
The title game was not close. DC defeated the Michigan Panthers 58-34, setting a UFL record for points scored in a championship game. Quarterback Jordan Ta’amu threw for 390 yards and four touchdowns in that game.
Harris became the first interim head coach to win a professional football championship. He also became the first HBCU alumnus to coach a U.S. professional football team to a league title.
The UFL named Harris the 2025 Buddy Teevens Coach of the Year. He is only the second interim head coach to win a Coach of the Year award in professional football history. Bruce Arians in 2012 took over as interim head coach of the Indianapolis Colts when Chuck Pagano was diagnosed with leukemia. Arians led the Colts to a 9-3 record during his time as interim coach.
UFL Coaching Landscape Shifts for 2026
Harris staying in DC provides stability while other franchises search for new leadership.
Stoops built the Arlington/Dallas Renegades program but has stepped away from coaching. Nolan’s Panthers lost the championship game to Harris and the Defenders. Johnson’s Roughnecks/Gamblers will move forward with a new voice on the sideline.
The league also added three expansion teams and removed three for 2026, which means more coaching hires across the UFL.
Front office changes have also occurred. Daryl Johnston, who served as UFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations, is no longer with the league. Mike Repole has taken on a larger role in UFL operations.
No word on the status of Skip Holtz’s return to the Birmingham Stallions after winning three consecutive USFL/UFL championships from 2022-2024. Anthony Becht is assumed back with the St. Louis Battlehawks. Wade Phillips did not coach much of the 2025 season due to health reason with the San Antonio Brahmas. We can assume he wont be back.
What This Means for DC in 2026
The Defenders enter the 2026 season as defending champions with their championship coach in place. That continuity matters in a league where coaching turnover has become common.
UFL head coaches are now full-time employees under the league’s current structure. This change means Harris will focus solely on the Defenders heading into the 2026 season.
Players pushed for Harris to stay after the championship run. Reports indicated that Defenders players lobbied UFL executives directly to make Harris the permanent head coach following the 2025 title.
Harris spent 20 years coaching at HBCUs before joining the Defenders as quarterbacks coach in 2023. His coaching stops included Tennessee State, Hampton, Alabama State, Alcorn State, and Virginia State.
Looking Ahead
The Defenders have made their intentions clear. DC will defend its championship with Harris leading the way.
The 2026 UFL season will feature a different landscape than 2025. New teams, new coaches, and front office changes have reshaped the league. Harris and the Defenders represent continuity in a league undergoing transition.
More roster and staff announcements from the Defenders are expected in the coming weeks.
1 Comment
by 4th&long
In a league that just lost Bob Stoops, and previously Mike Nolan and dare I say CJ Johnson… I’m happy to see Harris and UFL agreeing to keep him as Defenders HC.
They need to Lock in Skip Holtz into Birm next. He IS Birmingham.