Shannon Harris, a former HBCU quarterback and Tennessee State alum, etched his name in the record books.
On Saturday night, he became the first HBCU graduate to coach a U.S. pro football team to a league championship. Harris guided the DC Defenders to a dominant 58-34 victory over the Michigan Panthers in the 2025 UFL Championship Game at The Dome at America’s Center.
The Defenders exploded for 31 points in the second quarter, breaking open a close contest and setting a new UFL scoring record.
Quarterback Jordan Ta’amu was named MVP after passing for 390 yards and four touchdowns, while Chris Rowland, another Tennessee State product, contributed 69 total yards.
Harris, who took over as interim head coach just days before the season following Reggie Barlow’s departure, credited his staff and players for their unity and resilience.
“Yeah, to God be the glory,” Harris said after the win. “These guys here, man, the coaching staff, support staff, I mean, everybody’s been on the same page since day one, since taking over… We just rattle it around each other, and it continues to just be us, we, and ours…
I can’t thank them enough for the effort they put into this, the resiliency that we had throughout the course of the year. We have some great fans back in D.C., we want to do it for them as well, and God is amazing, man, God is amazing, and I’m very grateful”.
Harris also acknowledged the foundation laid by Barlow: “We owe a lot to Coach Barlow… The foundation, as you said, been laid from year one, from 2023, and we just followed suit. It came down to not just a one-man show. It came down to us, we and ours, and that’s been the motto for us the entire season. We’re going to do this together”.
The championship caps a remarkable season for Harris, who was named the 2025 UFL Buddy Teevens Coach of the Year earlier in the week. Under his leadership, the Defenders finished 6-4 in the regular season and advanced through the playoffs with unity and purpose