Former Browns coaches & players in the UFL as spring league kicks off next week

Keeping the dream alive as the UFL debuts in late March

The United Football League (UFL) is set to begin its second season after last year’s merger of the USFL and the XFL.

The 2025 season begins on March 28th and concludes the regular season on June 1, followed by a two-week postseason consisting of XFL and USFL conference title games and the 2025 UFL Championship Game on June 14. All games will be aired on FOX, ABC, and ESPN.

FOX Sports half-owns the league, with the remaining shares divided by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Dany Garcia, and RedBird Capital Partners. The eight-team league is a professional football entity in which the league owns all of the teams, but each club has its own head coach and assistant coaches, plus their own GM. Each team plays 10 games without any bye weeks.

RELATED: 2025 UFL SEASON SCHEDULE

While each team plays in their own stadium located in their respective city, all players reside and practice in Arlington, Texas, during the week, and then are flown to their “home” city the day before the game and then fly back after the contest has concluded. Basically, every match except for the ones played in Arlington feels like a road game for every team and every player.

There are three rule changes for this year. Having invented the XFL kickoff and implemented by the NFL this past season, the UFL is adopting this style of play to align with the NFL’s version. Another rule change allows a coach a second challenge if the first challenge is successful. Lastly, the onside kick has been eliminated. They are now using the old XFL version in which the kickoff team will be able to retain possession of the ball with a fourth down and a 12-yard scrimmage play from its own 28-yard line.

After the 2024 season, 77 players signed with the NFL, of whom 21 were on NFL rosters on opening week.

The roster size for each club is 50 players, with 45 active on game days. During the off-season, the UFL players ratified an agreement establishing the UFPA as their player’s union. The pay scale is $65,000 to $122,000 per season, with most players earning $73,000. Playoff money is extra. In 2024, UFL players on the active roster earned $5,500 per week.

This league has closed the gap with the Canadian Football League whose minimum contract is $70,000, with the highest-paid player making $600,000 a season. Arena Football League athletes make between $20,600 and $64,000 per year. The NFL minimum is $795,000, which advances to $870,000 and $940,000 by the third year.

After the maiden UFL season, there was some chatter about expansion, but it was decided to focus on the core group of teams and build each club’s fanbase instead. However, the league has stated they are interested in adding new teams in 2026 and 2027. It is not certain if they will simply bring back some former XFL or USFL cities, such as the Jersey Generals, Tampa Bay Vipers, Seattle Sea Dragons, or the New Orleans Breakers.

Other cities could be Oakland, which had the Invaders in the USFL, Salt Lake City, which had the Stallions in the AAF, and Norfolk, Virginia, which has been the home of the Virginia Destroyers in the second version of the UFL.

It should be noted the UFL is not an NFL-rival league that is in competition for rookie and veteran players, coaches, and front-office executives. It is strictly a developmental entity in which players can still be paid to play the game with the hopes that they will be invited to NFL training camps and hopefully make a roster in the established league.

The UFL is not a farm system. It is not tied to the NFL or the CFL other than it is a vehicle for both of these major leagues to be able to test innovations related to rules and technology. The UFL is also a training ground for referees, assistant coaches, and front office personnel who can cut their teeth at a job that could get them employed with an NFL or CFL club one day.

The Cleveland Browns are well-represented in this year’s UFL schedule. Many former players and coaches are keeping their dream alive of being paid to play football, hoping that someone will notice their efforts and believe in their talents once again.

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Arlington Renegades

Head Coach: Bob Stoops

GM: Rick Mueller

Stadium: Choctaw Stadium (formerly The Ballpark in Arlington)

Seating capacity: 25,000

Home of: North Texas FC (MLS)

Record last season: 3-7-0

Accolades: 2023 XFL Champions

Former Browns:

S Brady Breeze

WR Damon Sheehy-Guiseppi

K Lucas Havrisik

LB Storey Jackson

DE Chris Odom

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Birmingham Stallions

Head Coach: Skip Holtz

GM: Paul Roell

Stadium: Protective Stadium

Seating capacity: 47,100

Home of: Birmingham Legion FC (MLS), UAB Blazers football

Record last season: 9-1-0

Accolades: 2022 USFL Champions, 2023 USFL Champions, 2024 UFL Champions

Former Browns:

DT Perrion Winfrey

WR Davion Davis

WR Austin Watkins

DT Marvin Wilson

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DC Defenders

Head Coach: Reggie Barlow

GM: Von Hutchins

Stadium: Audi Field

Seating capacity: 20,000

Home of: D.C. United (MLS), Washington Spirit (NWSL)

Record last season: 4-6-0

Accolades:

Former Browns:

Gregg Williams – Defensive Coordinator

K Matt McCrane

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Houston Roughnecks

Head Coach: C.J. Johnson

GM: Will Lewis

Stadium: Space City Financial Stadium (formerly TDECU Stadium)

Seating capacity: 40,000

Home of: University of Houston Cougars football

Record last season: 1-9-0

Accolades:

Former Browns:

DT Glen Logan

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Memphis Showboats

Head Coach: Ken Whisenhunt

GM: Dave Razzano

Stadium: Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium (formerly Liberty Bowl)

Seating capacity: 50,000

Home of: University of Memphis Tigers football

Record last season: 2-8-0

Accolades:

Former Browns:

DT Josiah Bronson

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Michigan Panthers

Head Coach: Mike Nolan

GM: Steve Kazor

Stadium: Ford Field

Seating capacity: 65,000

Home of: Detroit Lions

Record last season: 7-3-0

Accolades:

Former Browns:

RB Nate McCrary

S Kai Nacua

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San Antonio Brahmas

Head Coach: Wade Phillips

GM: Marc Lillibridge

Stadium: Alamodome

Seating capacity: 64,000

Home of: University of Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners football

Record last season: 7-3-0

Accolades:

Former Browns:

WR Marquez Stevenson

QB Kellen Mond

QB Kevin Hogan

CB Greedy Williams

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St. Louis Battlehawks

Head Coach: Anthony Becht

GM: Dave Boller

Stadium: The Dome at America’s Center (formerly Trans World Dome)

Seating capacity: 67,277

Home of: Battlehawks

Record last season: 7-3-0

Accolades:

Former Browns:

Bruce Gradkowski – Offensive Coordinator

LB Willie Harvey

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UFL

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