The New Orleans Breakers were a United States Football League franchise that played in the Louisiana Superdome for one season, in 1984. The Breakers began their USFL tenure in Boston, in 1983, but a stadium issue forced a move, allowing New Orleans real estate developer Joe Canizaro to buy the team, and move it to New Orleans for the 1984 season.

In 1984, the Breakers began the season 5-0, but went 3-10 the rest of the way, and missed the USFL playoffs.

New Orleans supported the team well, with the Breakers averaging 30,557 per game, but the USFL opted to move their schedule from the spring to the fall in 1986, and with the Saints in town, the franchise elected to move to Portland for the 1985 season.

All summer long, we’re looking back at former players for the New Orleans Breakers.

Today, linebacker James Reed:

Born in Corpus Christi, Texas, Reed went on to play his college football for the California Golden Bears, from 1974-1976.

Undrafted in the 1977 NFL Draft, Reed was by the Philadelphia Eagles as a free agent and appeared in four games with them, before being released during the 1978 season.

After his short stint in the NFL, Reed moved north of the border, to the Canadian Football League, where he played for Winnipeg from 1979-1981, and then both Winnipeg and Montreal in 1983, after missing the 1982 season.

In 1984, Reed joined the USFL, where he played for the Arizona Wranglers, New Orleans Breakers, and Washington Federals.

With the Breakers, Reed accumulated 18 tackles in his short stay.

The 6-foot-2, 230-pound Reed went back to the CFL in 1985, finishing his professional career with stops in Toronto and Saskatchewan.

In 52 career CFL games, Reed intercepted seven passes.

Below, watch Reed, who wore # 48, and the Breakers, take on the Pittsburgh Maulers, from week seven of the 1984 USFL season, back on Sunday, April 8, 1984:

 

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