by Mick Moninghoff
LOWELL – The Massachusetts Pirates have signed quarterback Kenji Bahar for the 2025 season. For the former USFL starter, this will be his fifth professional League.
Most recently Bahar was on the roster of the Houston Roughnecks of the XFL in 2024. Bahar was selected in the 12th round of the 2022 USFL Draft by the Houston Gamblers. He started the last three games of the regular season for the Gamblers that year, winning two of three starts.
In 2023 the 6 ‘3″, 200 lb. quarterback became the full-time starter for the Gamblers, but an injury against the Philadelphia Stars hampered his season. He finished fourth in the USFL in passing yards with 1,709, throwing eight touchdown passes. In two years in the league he completed 61.6 percent of his passes (218 of 354) for 2,253 yards with 11 touchdowns. The Gamblers assimilated into the XFL in 2024.
The former Monmouth University record setter signed with the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League in 2021. That same year he signed with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League. In July of 2021 the Ravens came calling again, signing Bahar when Lamar Jackson was placed on the Reserve/Covid 19 list. He was signed a third time when backup Trace McSorely suffered a back injury in August. After being cut, he was signed on two more separate occasions to the Raven practice squad and was elevated to the active roster for Baltimore’s Week 16 game against Cincinnati. He was released on December 28.
A native of Baltimore, MD, Bahar re-wrote the record book at Monmouth. In 2019 as a redshirt senior, he was the Big South Offensive Player of the Year and a First-Team All-Conference selection. That season he threw for 3,684 yards and 30 touchdowns, which were both school records. A Third Team All-American by Hero Sports, Bahar was invited and played in the 2020 Hula Bowl. He was also a First-Team All ECAC selection as he connected on 65 percent of his throws completing 289 of 448 attempts.
Bahar arrived at the West Long Branch, NJ school in 2015 as a Freshman from Calvert Hall in Baltimore. After redshirting, he played in 48 games over the next four seasons. He finished his career with the Hawks throwing for 9,642 yards completing 798 of 1,290 passes (62%) with 70 touchdowns. He also rushed 206 times for 33 yards with 11 touchdowns.
When he finished his career at Monmouth Bahar had set all but one career passing record including, touchdowns, completions, yardage, 300-yard games, attempts, efficiency. He had the most games played by a Hawks quarterback and established the school record for total offense, and was the only Monmouth quarterback to win a playoff game.
