Paris Ford will now begin to prepare for his third season in the USFL.
Ford, a 6-foot, 190-pound safety from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, re-signed with the New Jersey Generals of the USFL Friday for another season, USFLNewsroom’s James Larsen reported.
He made strides in the Generals’ secondary in 2023, racking up 53 tackles (38 solo), two tackles for loss, an interception, three pass breakups, and he once again emerged as one of the hardest-hitting defensive backs in football.
The Generals selected Ford in the fourth round of the 2022 USFL supplemental draft, but he didn’t play much during his initial season in the league. His 2023 campaign allowed him to showcase his development at the pro level.
According to PFF, Ford allowed just a 72.9 pass rating when targeted (fifth among USFL safeties), 0.40 yards per coverage snap (third) and had an open-target percentage of 44.4% (fourth).
Ford, who left Pitt in the middle of the 2020 season, spent last summer with the Los Angeles Rams after joining the team as an undrafted free agent. He did not make the club coming out of training camp and did not play elsewhere last fall.
In four seasons at Pitt, redshirting in 2017, Ford racked up 136 tackles (89 solo), 5.5 tackles for loss, six interceptions (with one returned for a touchdown), 10 pass breakups and three forced fumbles.
Ford was a first-team All-ACC selection during his redshirt sophomore season in 2019 but left the Pitt program in the middle of the next season, following the team’s loss to Notre Dame on Oct. 24, 2020. But he still earned second-team All-ACC honors.
The Birmingham Stallions won the 2023 USFL championship last season, knocking off the Pittsburgh Maulers in the championship game. It was the Stallions’ second consecutive championship.
USFL president Daryl Johnston confirmed that the USFL will return for another season in 2024.
Dude quit on Pitt.