Former Ole Miss Linebacker DeMarquis Gates Salutes Rebel Nation After Winning USFL Championship
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The Birmingham Stallions beat the Philadelphia Stars 33-30 in the 2022 United States Football League Championship game on Sunday night. Former Ole Miss linebacker DeMarcus Gates led the Stallions on defense to their first USFL championship and made sure to give a shoutout to his alma mater during the postgame celebration.
Gates included a pair of Ole Miss football gloves in the championship celebration.
Gates was a key player on defense for the Stallions in the championship game versus the Stars, recording nine total tackles, two pass deflections, and half of a sack. In his first season in the USFL, Gates led the Stallions in total tackles with 62 and added on three pass deflections with one interception. Gates also recorded the third-most sacks in the USFL in 2022 with 6.5. The former Rebel is a big reason why Birmingham finished the 2022 season with a 9-1 record.
Gates has found success with the Stallions, but up until he was drafted by Birmingham in the 29th round of the 2022 USFL Draft, the former Rebel has struggled to find his footing in the world of pro football.
Gates spent 2014-17 with the Rebels and recorded 282 total tackles, 17.5 TFLs, six sacks, four forced fumbles, and nine pass breakups. After his impressive career at Ole Miss ended, Gates was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Cleveland Browns in May of 2018. Gates later joined the Alliance of American Football, a pro football league that went bankrupt after seven weeks, and soon after the XFL, a league that also went belly up.
Gates would have another short stint in the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings in 2021 before his first season in the revived USFL.
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