The wait is almost over for chad powers season 2, with Glen Powell returning as Russ Holliday and his outrageous football alter ego when the Hulu comedy returns on September 3, 2026. The new season picks up with the South Georgia Catfish facing bigger expectations on the field while Russ faces an even bigger problem away from it: keeping his real identity hidden.
The football comedy became one of Hulu’s notable new series after introducing viewers to Russ, a former college quarterback who creates an elaborate disguise to get another opportunity in the sport. What begins as a second chance quickly becomes a complicated web of secrets involving teammates, coaches and the people helping Russ maintain his fake identity.
Season 2 is set to raise those stakes considerably. Chad has become an important part of the Catfish, but his growing success makes Russ’s secret increasingly difficult to protect.
When Does Chad Powers Season 2 Premiere?
The second season premieres on Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Unlike the first season’s weekly rollout, all six episodes of the new season are scheduled to become available at the same time. U.S. viewers can watch the season on Hulu, while international audiences can find the series through Disney+ in markets where the Hulu Original is distributed on that platform.
The six-episode release gives viewers the opportunity to watch the entire new storyline in one sitting. It also means fans will not have to wait several weeks to discover how the major conflicts surrounding Russ and the South Georgia Catfish develop.
For anyone who wants a refresher before the new season begins, the complete first season remains available to stream.
What Is Season 2 About?
The central problem remains the same: Russ Holliday is living a double life.
On the football field, he is Chad Powers, an eccentric and seemingly unusual quarterback who has become increasingly valuable to the South Georgia Catfish. Away from the field, however, Chad does not actually exist. He is a carefully constructed identity created by Russ so that he can return to competitive football.
That arrangement becomes much more difficult in the new season.
Chad’s performance has increased his importance to the team, meaning more people are paying attention to him. His unusual personality and behavior are also making some members of the Catfish increasingly suspicious.
Coach Jake Hudson and Gerry are among those questioning whether everything about Chad is exactly what it appears to be.
Russ therefore has two goals that increasingly work against each other. He needs Chad to succeed on the football field, but he also needs to prevent Chad from attracting too much attention.
The closer the Catfish get to their postseason ambitions, the greater the consequences become if Russ’s identity is exposed.
Glen Powell Returns as Russ Holliday and Chad Powers
Glen Powell remains the heart of the series, playing both Russ Holliday and the fictional Chad Powers persona.
The role requires Powell to switch between Russ’s more serious ambitions and Chad’s deliberately exaggerated personality. That contrast continues to provide much of the show’s comedy while also driving its central dramatic conflict.
Russ is not simply trying to fool people for entertainment. He believes the Chad Powers identity is his opportunity to rebuild a football career that ended years earlier.
The problem is that the disguise has taken on a life of its own.
Chad has developed relationships with people around the Catfish, and some of those relationships have become important to Russ. As a result, exposing the truth would not simply end his football comeback. It could also hurt people who have become connected to his secret.
Powell also remains involved behind the scenes. He co-created the series with Michael Waldron and serves as an executive producer.
Returning Cast for the New Season
The new season brings back several important members of the South Georgia Catfish organization.
The principal cast includes:
- Glen Powell as Russ Holliday/Chad Powers
- Perry Mattfeld as Ricky
- Frankie A. Rodriguez as Danny
- Steve Zahn as Coach Jake Hudson
- Quentin Plair as Coach Byrd
- Wynn Everett as Tricia Yeager
- Colton Ryan as Gerry
- Clayne Crawford as Coach Dobbs
Each character has a different connection to Chad, which makes Russ’s secret increasingly difficult to control.
Ricky is particularly important heading into the new season. She knows the truth about Russ, creating a complicated situation because she is also closely connected to the football program.
Danny remains another essential part of Russ’s operation. As the person who helps maintain the Chad Powers disguise, Danny is forced to deal with increasingly complicated situations as the deception grows.
Coach Hudson, meanwhile, has his own reasons to question Chad. As the team’s head coach, he has to determine whether the unusual quarterback is really the answer to the Catfish’s problems or whether something about him does not add up.
Ricky Becomes Crucial to Russ’s Future
One of the most interesting relationships heading into the new season is the one between Russ and Ricky.
Ricky is not simply another person on the sidelines. She understands the truth behind Chad Powers, which gives her considerable influence over what happens next.
That puts Russ in an uncomfortable position.
He needs Ricky’s cooperation, but he cannot simply assume that she will continue helping him. Their relationship has become more complicated, especially as the pressure surrounding Chad increases.
The Catfish’s ambitions also make the situation more serious. If Russ wants to continue playing and help the team make a postseason run, he needs the people around him to keep the secret intact.
That becomes increasingly difficult when personal relationships and football ambitions collide.
What Happened to Russ in Season 1?
Russ Holliday was once viewed as a promising quarterback, but his college career ended after a major mistake damaged his reputation.
Years later, he decides that he is not ready to give up on football.
Instead of returning under his real name, Russ creates Chad Powers, complete with a disguise designed to make him almost unrecognizable.
He joins the struggling South Georgia Catfish as a walk-on and initially has to prove that he deserves a place on the roster.
The plan works better than expected.
Chad’s ability begins attracting attention, and Russ finds himself in a position he never anticipated. The more successful Chad becomes, the harder it becomes to simply walk away from the identity.
By the end of the first season, the secret is no longer as secure as it once was.
That unresolved situation provides the foundation for the new episodes.
Season 2 Episode Guide
The second season contains six episodes, with the complete batch arriving on September 3.
The episode lineup is:
Episode 1 — “7th Quarter”
Russ and Danny attempt to maintain their complicated arrangement with Ricky while Chad faces an injury during a game.
Episode 2 — “8th Quarter”
A team gathering during the bye week creates another opportunity for Coach Hudson to question Chad’s unusual behavior.
Episode 3 — “9th Quarter”
The Catfish encounter problems after an away game leaves the team stranded by severe weather.
Episode 4 — “10th Quarter”
Russ takes an unusual step to make Chad’s fabricated background appear more believable by bringing his real father into the story.
Episode 5 — “11th Quarter”
Gerry makes a discovery that threatens both the Catfish’s season and the future of the Chad Powers identity.
Episode 6 — “12th Quarter”
The Catfish face a critical matchup against Texas, with a playoff opportunity on the line while Gerry’s actions create another major obstacle.
The episode descriptions indicate that the second season will combine the show’s football storyline with increasingly serious consequences surrounding Russ’s deception.
The Catfish Have More at Stake
The South Georgia Catfish are not simply playing games for entertainment.
Their postseason ambitions become a major part of the second season, and Chad’s presence could determine how far the team goes.
That creates an interesting conflict for Russ. His personal comeback is directly connected to the team’s success.
If Chad plays well, Russ has a chance to rebuild his football career. But if Chad becomes too successful, the attention surrounding him could expose the truth.
The Catfish’s playoff pursuit therefore increases the pressure on everyone involved.
Every game potentially brings Russ closer to achieving his dream while simultaneously bringing him closer to being discovered.
Why the Disguise Is Becoming a Bigger Problem
The Chad Powers identity originally gave Russ freedom because nobody knew who he was.
That advantage is disappearing.
Chad is now known around the team. Coaches are paying attention. Teammates have formed relationships with him. His performance has created expectations.
In other words, Russ has created a successful football player who happens to be fictional.
That is the central irony of the series.
The better Chad performs, the more difficult it becomes for Russ to abandon the identity. At the same time, the more important Chad becomes, the more dangerous it is for anyone to discover that he is actually Russ Holliday.
Season 2 can therefore push the show’s original concept into more complicated territory without abandoning its comedic foundation.
How the Series Was Inspired
The Chad Powers character has its roots in a football prank involving Eli Manning.
Manning famously used an elaborate disguise while participating in an undercover football experience, creating the fictional Chad Powers persona. The idea became popular online and eventually inspired the television series.
The scripted show takes that basic premise and turns it into the story of Russ Holliday, a fictional quarterback trying to restart his career.
Eli Manning and Peyton Manning are also involved as executive producers, connecting the series to its football origins.
Michael Waldron, known for his work on projects including Loki, co-created the series with Powell and remains heavily involved in the production.
Will There Be a Season 3?
There is currently no confirmed Season 3 announcement.
For now, the focus is on the six new episodes arriving September 3. Whether Hulu continues the series beyond the second season will likely depend on its performance and the creative direction established by the new episodes.
The conclusion of Season 2 could also determine whether there is a natural story for Russ, Chad and the Catfish to continue.
Because Russ’s identity remains the central engine of the series, there are plenty of possibilities for future stories if Hulu decides to order another season.
Where to Watch the Series
U.S. viewers can watch the new episodes on Hulu beginning September 3, 2026.
The series is also available through Hulu on Disney+ for eligible bundle subscribers. International viewers can watch through Disney+ in regions where the show is distributed there.
All six episodes of the new season will be released together, making the series particularly suited to viewers who prefer watching an entire season over a single weekend.
Fans who have not watched the first season can also catch up before beginning the new episodes.
Final Thoughts
The second season arrives with a simple question at its center: how much longer can Russ Holliday remain Chad Powers before someone finally exposes him?
That question has become more important now that Chad is no longer an anonymous walk-on. He is a key part of the South Georgia Catfish, and the team’s hopes of reaching the College Football Playoff are tied to his performance.
At the same time, Russ’s relationships with Ricky, Danny, Coach Hudson and the rest of the Catfish continue to complicate his attempt to maintain the deception.
The combination of football competition, personal relationships and the constant threat of discovery gives the series plenty of material for its return.
With six episodes arriving together on September 3, viewers will not have to wait long to see whether Russ can keep his secret intact or whether the Chad Powers identity finally begins to collapse.
Are you ready to see Russ return to the field as Chad Powers? Share your predictions in the comments and keep checking back for the latest developments from the series.