Davin Bellamy made his first impression loud and clear on Opening Weekend in the new United States Football League.
The New Orleans Breakers defensive end lined up on the first play from scrimmage last Sunday against the Philadelphia Stars, then sacked Stars quarterback Bryan Scott.
As he spun Scott to the ground, Scott’s helmet flew off and skittered along the turf. Bellamy walked away with a purpose. The tone was set.
“It was a freebie,” Bellamy said earlier this week to NBC Sports. “But the best thing about that – it was the preparation through the week. We knew once we got that look (from the Stars offense) to just come screaming off the edge and that’s what I did and kind of let things fall where they may.
“You’re never upset about the freebies, so I think it was a good momentum swing for the defense and also kind of demoralized their first drive.”
Bellamy posted two more sacks in the Breakers’ 23-17 win. He was later voted USFL Defensive Player of the Week by fans on social media.
But it wasn’t just him taking the shine off the Stars. It was the Breakers defense as a whole.
Scott was sacked six times in all and suffered a 37-yard pick six at the hands of linebacker Vontae Diggs. The defense also made a goal-to-go stand against the Stars on the ensuing drive after Diggs’ big play.
The Breakers special teams got in on the fun, too. Wide receiver Chad Williams blocked a punt out of the end zone for a safety. Williams was later voted USFL Special Teams Player of the Week, giving the Breakers two of the three Player of the Week awards from Week 1 (Birmingham Stallions quarterback J’Mar Smith was voted Offensive Player of the Week).
RELATED: How to watch New Orleans Breakers vs Tampa Bay Bandits: TV/live stream info for Sunday’s USFL game
When: Sunday, April 24 at 3:00 p.m. ET
Where: Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Alabama
TV and Live Stream: NBC and Peacock
The feeling was, as Bellamy put it, “contagious.”
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He knows that…