With this scoop by Mean Titanium Ted @Tedtanium1976 and the following press release that reads as if a news leak, I thought it was time to just start the new season’s thread, though it is about six months away.
Why a major labour union, which is also a powerful labour union, is walking away remains to be explained. It’s a highly unusual situation. Now the players must select a new union. Or perhaps they will form their own?
But then comes this news out of St. Louis on the 2025 schedule already, which is a tell that indeed next season could be starting EARLIER much as desired by most fans and for the better for ratings and attendance for that matter.
Basically, the schedule is known to a small few already. Now to take notice of any more leaks before whenever the 2025 schedule is released.
Hakeem Butler is an example of a player with prior pro football experience who has been released by the Bengals in the cuts, and it will be interesting to see what these players do next with regards to the CFL or to continue in the UFL, even if they land on an NFL practice roster.
This is a misleading article on the UFL site because in the next two days, around 900 more players are going to be cut, and many of those will include those who played in the UFL.
If it’s a player like Hakeem Butler with already NFL and CFL experience, meh, that’s not the same as a player who has only played in the UFL, but whatever.
Anyway, here’s the status BEFORE final cuts and that probably does not include recent cuts well before the deadline on Tuesday, with a period of one week for horse trading for practice rosters too.
The United Football League announced it has reached a milestone with over 19 percent (77 individual players) of its 400 players who made appearances during the 2024 UFL season signing with NFL teams.
We’ll see how many of these 77 stick in the NFL, but more importantly, what will the rest of them do after December, when their contracts expire and now that the status of any new contracts has yet to be determined fully given the change in union representation at hand.
Well, it will be interesting to hear what comes out before November for the 2025 season, which is when Fox starts pitching this league during NFL games.
It’s also in November when current players on practice rosters in the NFL have to decide whether they will perhaps play in the UFL or to give the CFL a shot in 2025, with the latter requiring a workout in December or January for any potential new players who are released from the NFL.
I have the feeling that a twist is still in store for us to with regards to the 2025 season.
For example, it’s rather bizarre that the United Steel Workers union dropped out a few weeks ago to represent the players, for something we don’t know must have gone wrong for the union to drop out before I do believe it’s last season under contract for representation.
Maybe they didn’t see an upside and rather than grind out another season, they simply cut their losses short and bailed early, but who knows what negative factor drove them away as the players now have to select new representation or simply hire legal help to help them represent themselves.
So far all the prognostication, 20 UFL players have made it to the NFL, yet 15 of these 20 are on practice rosters and 3 of them are on injured reserve. That leaves two who are actually on active rosters and playing, with Jake Bates a kicker.
I myself wonder how many of the remaining 18 are actually return-trips to the NFL, which in my opinion don’t actually count with respect to the UFL.
As further explained, these numbers are those left after 78 UFL players signed contracts to make it to NFL camp.
Hats off to those beating these very long odds.
Twenty players from the UFL’s 2024 season are currently active in the NFL. Michigan Panthers kicker Jake Bates (Detroit Lions) and Arlington Renegades defensive tackle Jalen Redmond (Minnesota Vikings) both solidified a spot on a 53-man roster when the NFL season began. 15 others are signed to NFL team practice squads, and three are on injured reserve.
It was a good week 1 for ex spring Leaguers. Kavonte Turpin took a punt return to the house for the Cowboys. Aubrey nailed all his PAT’s and field goals. He had a 67 yarder which was unfortunately called back do to a delay of game. Jake Bates hit a late fourth quarter field goal to bring the Lions into overtime which ultimately culminated in them winning. 2 UFL’ers were also just called up to the active roster this week.
