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3 takeaways from DC Defenders' upset of Orlando Storm in UFL playoffs

DAYTONA BEACH — The UFL’s No. 1 seed won’t be competing in the United Bowl, but the defending champions will.

The DC Defenders upset the top-seeded Orlando Storm 28-22 on June 7 at Daytona Stadium to continue their quest for back-to-back UFL championships. The Storm, on the other hand, were eliminated after finishing as the regular-season champions in their inaugural season.

On top of the playoff implications, Sunday’s game was an anomaly that hadn’t been seen at the professional level in 83 years. It was the third consecutive game between Orlando and DC after the two played their last pair of regular-season games against one another.

The last time it happened was in 1943 when the New York Giants and Washington Redskins played three consecutive games against each other.

After losing the first two, the Defenders finally downed the Storm in the postseason. Here are three takeaways.

Orlando held to one offensive touchdown

Orlando Storm quarterback Jack Plummer (13) looks for an open receiver during the UFL playoff game against the DC Defenders at Daytona Stadium on June 7, 2026.

The Storm were led by MVP finalist Jack Plummer, who is the league’s leading passer and sported an impressive 17-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio entering the playoffs.

Unfortunately for Plummer and the rest of Orlando, DC edge rusher Derick Roberson was also a finalist, and his unit was responsible for keeping the Storm out of the end zone.

Orlando didn’t have trouble getting to the red zone, but that’s when the Defenders lived up to their names and refused to allow the Storm to score. Orlando mustered two field goals on its first two drives once DC’s defense resisted.

The Storm had four plays at the Defenders’ 1-yard line on their third drive of the game, but the Defenders stuffed three consecutive runs before Roberson sacked Plummer to turn them over on downs.

“The red zone was not kind to our offense today, and that’s unfortunate,” Orlando head coach Anthony Becht said. “I really felt like we were moving the ball well … From an execution standpoint, we weren’t at our best.”

Orlando’s only passing touchdown was a 40-yard bomb from Plummer to wide receiver Chris Rowland with 3:02 remaining in the game.

Jason Bean successful in fifth outing vs. Storm

DC Defenders quarterback Jason Bean (12) looks for an open player down the field during the UFL playoff game against the Orlando Storm at Daytona Stadium on June 7, 2026.

Jason Bean began the season as the Louisville Kings’ starter before getting traded to DC on April 19 for quarterback Mike DiLiello.

The former Kansas Jayhawk initially took the backseat to starter Jordan Ta’amu. But after Ta’amu’s season ended with an injury coincidentally sustained against the Kings, Bean was thrust into the starter’s role after he replaced Spencer Sanders.

And on Sunday, Bean was the offense’s primary catalyst against the UFL’s No. 1 scoring defense.

Bean finished 18 for 33 for 233 yards and a touchdown without an interception, and he also added 40 yards on five rushes. Thanks to Bean’s performance as the Defenders’ signal caller, they were able to drop 28 on the Storm, the most they allowed all season.

It kind of makes sense, considering Bean prepared to play Orlando five times this season — the final three in DC and twice in Louisville before he was traded.

“Being in the playbook for a certain amount of time, and then playing against a team five times in a season, it’s got to click some time,” Bean said. “So I’m glad that it was this week, and I’m glad we got the win today.”

Crowd packed Daytona Stadium despite venue change

Orlando Storm fans cheer on their team during the UFL playoff game against the DC Defenders at Daytona Stadium on June 7, 2026.

The Storm were set to host Sunday’s game in Orlando until a scheduling overlap with an international soccer match at their usual home field at Inter&Co Stadium forced them to look elsewhere.

Venues in Orlando and as far away as Columbus, Ohio, were scouted to potentially host the Storm’s playoff game before the UFL finally settled on Daytona Stadium, home of Bethune-Cookman University.

Daytona Beach locals, Orlando faithful and even the occasional DC Defenders fan packed the left grandstand with 6,317 fans. Both parking lots were full, forcing the influx of spectators to park in the grass on the side of LGPA Boulevard.

The crowd was a factor for the Storm, as their fans were loud enough to force DC to take a timeout early in the game.

Orlando’s fans ultimately went home empty-handed, but it was a positive sign for a team in its debut season.

“Man, I turned around, they were fun, they were loud, a lot of orange in the stands, and for the people that made the drive, just really blessed and thankful,” Becht said.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: DC Defenders head to United Bowl after Orlando Storm upset in Daytona

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