Spring has sprung! Maybe you noticed this. Maybe you didn't. Daylight savings led to the loss of an hour, and it feels like we aren't getting enough sleep now. The Phillies are back. The Philadelphia Eagles are hosting Top 30 visits. Those are also signs, but the weather is confusing. Too often, it's still freezing when we wake up.
Take our word for it though. Winter is over. We officially welcomed spring on March 20. That means the NFL Draft is coming. If you need something to tide you over until then, there's spring football, the UFL.
The UFL begins play on March 28.
Who says spring football can't work? Sure, there's still a lot of work to do, but we'll see what happens. The UFL (a league formed by the XFL and USFL merger in September 2023) begins its second season on Friday, March 28 at 8 p.m. EST on FOX with the debut of FOX UFL Friday.
The St. Louis Battlehawks and Houston Roughnecks lock horns in that one. That kicks off a ten-week regular season that concludes with the 2025 UFL Championship Game on Saturday, June 14.
Russ Brandon leads the way as President and CEO. He's the former President and CEO of the XFL.
Daryl Johnston has led football operations since 2024 after enjoying the same role as the former USFL President of Football Operations.
Must read: Reasons an Eagles trade for Travon Walker makes perfect sense
12 former Eagles will play in the UFL this season.
The United Football League is an eight-team league that is split into two conferences. The Birmingham Stallions, Memphis Showboats, Michigan Panthers, and Houston Roughnecks make up the USFL Conference. The XFL Conference is comprised of the Arlington Renegades, D.C. Defenders, San Antonio Brahmas, and St. Louis Battlehawks.
The Showboats were Reggie White's former home from 1984-85 before he joined the Eagles. A dozen former Eagles will play in the league this season. Here's a list of 12 familiar faces.
Quarterback Luis Perez - Arlington Renegades
Luis Perez's resume is extensive. It includes stints in the NFL, Alliance of American Football, XFL, USFL, and now UFL.
After the AAF suspended operations, he signed with the Eagles in April 2019 but was released in May 2019. He's one of three former Eagles joining the Arlington Renegades.
Offensive Lineman Chim Okorafor - Michigan Panthers
Chim Okorafor was one of a dozen undrafted free agents the Eagles added after the selection meeting in 2023. Now, he's one of a dozen former Eagles who will play the 2025 season in the UFL.
Wide Receiver Deon Cain - Birmingham Stallions
Deon Cain is most remembered by Eagles fans for hauling in eight of 18 targets that spanned three preseason games for 106 yards during the 2022 preseason. He lands with the spring football powerhouse Birmingham Stallions who have already won two USFL Championships (2022, 2023) and the inaugural 2024 UFL Championship last season.
WR Deontay Burnett - Arlington Renegades
The high point of Deontay Burnett's Eagles tenure was a Week 17 win over the hated New York Giants. He caught two passes for 48 yards in that one.
That 34-17 win, however, will be forever remembered as birth game of the Giant Killer, Boston Scott.
WR Austin Watkins - Birmingham Stallions
Austin Watkins is only 27 years old and has already seen seven locker rooms. That includes a stint on the Eagles' preseason roster (2024) and, now, two stints with the mighty Stallions.
WR Devin Ross - Michigan Panthers
Devin Ross spent parts of the 2019 NFL season on the Eagles practice squad but never caught a pass in an NFL regular season game.
WR Greg Ward -San Antonio Brahmas
Greg Ward is the most well-known name on this list and probably the most battle tested. He'll forever be remembered for a game-winning catch for the Birds vs. Washington in 2019.
In total, he appeared in 40 regular-season games with 13 starts from 2019-21. He caught 88 passes for 768 yards, and ten TDs. He also appeared in two postseason games (2019 and 2021) and caught three more passes for 24 yards.
Tight End Hakeem Butler - St. Louis Battlehawks
Hakeem Butler spent some time with the Eagles in 2020. He appeared in two games, played one offensive snap, and another 29 on special teams.
Defensive Tackle Marvin Wilson - Birmingham Stallions
Marvin Wilson signed with the Cleveland Browns after going undrafted in 2021. He joined Philly's practice squad after being waived, and appeared in two games over two seasons, logging seven tackles.
Cornerback Ajene Harris - Arlington Renegades
Ajene Harris joined the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2019 NFL Draft. He was released on August 13 that year but spent two stints on Philly's practice squad. He joins the Arlington Renegades.
CB Greedy Williams - San Antonio Brahmas
Greedy Williams may have had the best name a cornerback can have with the exception of maybe 'Pac Man'. Greedy was a low-risk, high-reward 2023 offseason signing that was released five months after his acquisition.
CB Mario Goodrich- Birmingham Stallions
Mario Goodrich always had talent. It's always been a numbers game for him. He never held down a steady spot on the active roster but started one of four in-game appearances for the Eagles in 2023.
He was a scout team mainstay for two seasons (2022-23) before being waived on July 30, 2024, spending some time on the New York Giants preseason roster, and being waived while injured on August 27.
Good luck to every player mentioned. Maybe this sounds petty, but we're kind of bummed the Philadelphia Stars didn't survive the merger.