Is two league titles enough for the Birmingham Stallions to survive a possible merger between the USFL and XFL?

Apparently so. The two-time defending champions will take the field as members of the still-being-discussed combination of the two spring pro football leagues—the United States Football League and the Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson-owned XFL—according to Jefferson County Commission Chair Jimmie Stephens.

“I spoke with someone and received assurances the Stallions will be part of whatever the new league looks like,” Stephens said during a discussion about future events at Protective Stadium at Wednesday’s meeting of the Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center Board of Directors, of which he is an ex-afficio member as County Commission Chair.

Later, he added: “They said, they look forward to continuing their relationship with us as it has been in the past.”

There has yet to be a confirmation about the teams from any officials involved in the merger talks.

Earlier this week, it was reported, initially by Axios, that the two spring professional football leagues were discussing a merger.

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The USFL, mostly owned by Fox Sports as a television play, has played two seasons with Birmingham as its hub. The city hosted all eight teams in the inaugural 2021-22 season, then two teams in 2022-23. Three other cities—Detroit; Memphis, and Canton—also each hosted two teams. League headquarters was also based in the city during the season.

The Stallions defeated the Philadelphia Stars 33-30 in the 2022 championship game. This past spring, they beat the Pittsburgh Maulers 28-12 behind four touchdown passes from quarterback Alex McGough, who was recently signed to the Green Bay Packers’ practice squad.

RELATED: How the USFL came to Birmingham and almost didn’t

The reincarnation of the Stallions is an homage to the Stallions of the infant USFL, which survived only three seasons, 1983 through 1985.

The television-fueled product generated 1.2 million viewers for the 2023 championship game, though per-game averages were under 700,000.

The XFL was founded and still mostly owned by World Wrestling Enterprise (WWE) founder Vince McMahon in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Alas, it ceased after just five games and filed for bankruptcy in August 2020. A new consortium, led by the actor Johnson, bought the remnants for $15 million.

In 2023, the league, with games carried on ESPN and its varied affiliates, heaved through a season when the Arlington Renegades ultimately beat the DC Defenders to become the first “new” XFL champs. According to Forbes, the league lost $60 million in its first season.

The combined league could emerge by next spring, according to Axios.