ARLINGTON, TX – June 11, 2026 – Following the blockbuster deal that sent Jason Bean from Louisville to DC, Bean now gets a shot against his former team. He'll additionally face off with former high school teammate Chandler Rogers, who served as his backup for the first four weeks of the season in the United Bowl presented by Credit One Bank.
Jason Bean and Chandler Rogers have a long history.
Their story began years ago at Lake Ridge High School in Mansfield, Texas. Now, after taking very different paths throughout the 2026 season, the two quarterbacks are set to meet on the biggest stage the UFL has to offer.
The journey for DC's starting quarterback Jason Bean hasn't been a straightforward one.
Bean opened the season as Louisville's starting quarterback and held the job through the first four weeks. During that stretch, he threw for 819 yards, four touchdowns, and three interceptions. But the Kings stumbled out of the gate at 1-3 and struggled to find consistency.
Following Week Four, Louisville made one of the boldest moves of the season.
The Kings traded Bean to the Defenders in exchange for their backup quarterback. The move caught many by surprise. Louisville had just earned its first win of the season, yet head coach Chris Redman decided it was time to turn the page.
He handed the keys to Chandler Rogers.
Rogers spent training camp and the first month of the season waiting for his opportunity. While his reps were limited, Redman saw enough both on the field and behind the scenes to believe he was ready.
The gamble paid off. Rogers helped guide Louisville to a 5-1 finish to the regular season and the third seed in the UFL playoffs. Suddenly, a team that looked dead in the water at 0-3 had become one of the hottest teams in the league.
While Rogers was finding his footing in Louisville, Bean was waiting for his next opportunity in DC.
That opportunity arrived following Jordan Ta'amu's season-ending injury. Bean stepped into a completely different situation than the one he left behind. In Louisville, expectations had faded after a slow start. In DC, expectations never left. The Defenders weren't just trying to stay alive. They were trying to defend a championship.
Despite a loss in the regular-season finale against Orlando, Bean showed enough to earn the postseason start.
The UFL Semifinal marked the fifth time Bean had faced Orlando this season and the fourth time he started against them dating back to his Louisville days. This time, he finally got his moment.
Bean helped lead DC to an upset victory over the top-seeded Storm and kept the Defenders' title defense alive. He protected the football, moved the chains, and guided DC to a 10-for-16 performance on third down.
Meanwhile, Rogers led Louisville into the Battledome and walked out with another upset victory.
The Kings earned their fifth straight win and punched their ticket to the United Bowl presented by Credit One Bank. Just like that, Rogers was headed to the nation's capital with a chance to finish one of the season's most remarkable turnarounds.
Two months ago, Bean and Rogers shared a quarterback room in Louisville.
One was traded away. The other inherited the job.
Now, after taking completely different roads to get here, they'll stand on opposite sidelines Saturday at Audi Field with the United Bowl presented by Credit One Bank on the line.