Missing football? Craving for some NFL action or a Saturday with college football? I can’t deliver either of those things to you, but we can serve up some United Football League action as the season kicks off today. The UFL is back for another year which will run until June 14. There are eight teams that will compete in a 10-game schedule and try to bring home the hardware. If you are looking for something to get behind while we drag our feet to the NBA postseason, this is exactly what you need. Here’s 2025 UFL season preview.
What happened in 2024
If you recall, the UFL kicked off with its merger of the XFL and USFL last season to create the UFL. It was a smart move by both respective leagues to combine and join forces rather than fight over the eyes that were probably confused as to which league was which. The Birmingham Stallions and San Antonio Brahmas were locked in for the championship game with the trophy going back to Birmingham with a dominant 25-0 victory. The Stallions were coached by Skip Holtz (last name sound familiar?) and the Brahmas were coached by Wade Phillips, yes, that Wade Phillps.
Power Rankings
- Birmingham Stallions – Fresh off their championship, the Stallions are well suited with Holtz at the helm. He has won at nearly every level, and it hasn’t changed with this team. The Stallions are looking to repeat and win their fourth championship under Holtz who also won two titles with Birmingham in the USFL.
- St. Louis Battlehawks – This was a team previously led by A.J. McCarron but now has a battle at the QB position with Max Duggan, Chevan Cordeiro, and Manny Wilkins – three successful college quarterbacks – all competing for the starting position.
- San Antonio Brahmas – The runners-up are back with Kellen Mond leading their team this time around. The former Texas A&M QB could turn eyes in the UFL.
- Michigan Panthers – Former 49ers head coach Mike Nolan oversees the Panthers and is hoping to build off of a 7-3 record from a year ago in Michigan.
- Arlington Renegades – The most interesting part of the Renegades is their head coach, Bob Stoops. The National Championship winning coach won an XFL title back in 2023, but the merger was not as kind after going 3-7 a year ago.
- DC Defenders – The Defenders have had talent in the past but lost their head coach Reggie Barlow who stepped down a few days before the season began to take over at Tennessee State University.
- Memphis Showboats – It looked like the Showboats were going to have former NFL head coach Ken Whisenhunt lead the team, but he took a leave of absence earlier this month. Offensive line coach Jim Turner will serve as the interim coach this season.
- Houston Roughnecks – Curtis Johnson returned as the head coach but went just 1-9 in his first season.
Three Players to Watch
If you’re looking to buy a UFL jersey, there are three players that could have big years. The Stallions have Matt Corral as their QB and the former Ole Miss gunslinger should be in line for a big year. Abram Smith is an impressive running back in DC who returns to the Defenders and was once an All-XFL running back. And finally, Donald De La Haye is the kicker for the Brahmas. He has a big following from his YouTube Page and will be a fan favorite.