Highlighting the former Philadelphia players, coaches, and executive in the United Football League.
Football is back!
Spring football, that is.
The United Football League is kicking off their 2025 season later this week on Friday, March 28.
There are a number of Philadelphia Eagles connections to the UFL, so, let’s run through those on a team-by-team basis.
It’ll be interesting to see if anyone below can use their current opportunity to re-launch an NFL career.
ARLINGTON RENEGADES
FRONT OFFICE
GM RICK MUELLER
Mueller used to be a member the Eagles’ front office. He was a player personnel executive from 2012-2013 and a director of pro personnel from 2014-2016. He’s now the Renegades’ general manager.
PLAYERS
WR DEONTAY BURNETT
Burnett spent time on the Eagles from 2019-2020, where he logged eight targets for five receptions and 67 yards. Fun fact: he’s only 27 years old! And actually younger than A.J. Brown.
CB AJENE HARRIS
Harris spent multiple stints with the Eagles in 2019 but never actually appeared in a regular season game for them.
QB LUIS PEREZ
Perez was on the Eagles’ offseason roster from April 9, 2019 until May 13, 2019. He notably quarterbacked the DC Defenders to an XFL title in 2023.
BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS
COACHING STAFF
ST COORDINATOR CHRIS BONIOL
The former NFL kicker played for the Eagles from 1997-1998. Boniol is now the Stallions’ special teams coordinator.
PLAYERS
WR DEON CAIN
Cain spent time with the Eagles from 2021-2022 before rejoining them during the 2023 offseason. It seemed like he was pushing to make the team at one point in time but he never actually made the Eagles’ regular season roster.
CB MARIO GOODRICH
Originally an undrafted rookie free agent signing in 2022, Goodrich spent time in Philly until the Birds waived him in July 2024. Goodrich played 70 defensive snaps (as a nickel cornerback) and 40 special teams snaps during the Eagles’ 2023 season.
WR AUSTIN WATKINS JR.
Watkins was on the Eagles’ offseason roster from January until August last year. He made some nice grabs in training camp.
DT MARVIN WILSON
Big Marv was on and off the Eagles’ roster multiple times from September 2021 through August 2023. He logged 38 defensive snaps and three special teams snaps in the only two NFL games he ever played, both with the Eagles.
DC DEFENDERS
PLAYERS
OT JARRID WILLIAMS
The Eagles originally signed Williams as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2022. He bounced on and off the team multiple times.
HOUSTON ROUGHNECKS
COACHING STAFF
DC/LB COACH CHRIS WILSON
Wilson was the Eagles’ defensive line coach from 2016-2018. Fun fact: he was the first person Doug Pederson hugged after the former Eagles head coach got a sideline Gatorade bath for winning Super Bowl LII. Now Wilson is the Roughnecks’ defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.
PLAYERS
DT OLIVE SAGAPOLU
Arguably the most forgettable connection on this list. Sagapolu was only on the Eagles’ offseason roster for 15 days in August 2023.
TE JOSH PEDERSON
Doug Pederson’s son never played for the Eagles but I’m still including Josh as an Eagles connection here. Deal with it.
MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS
PLAYERS
QB EJ PERRY
Perry reportedly agreed to sign with the Eagles as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2022 before finding out that the Eagles also signed former Nevada quarterback Carson Strong. Perry then ended up signing with the Jacksonville Jaguars instead. Perry technically wasn’t ever an Eagle but, hey, shut up! Including him here gives all eight UFL teams at least one Eagles connection.
MICHIGAN PANTHERS
PLAYERS
WR DEVIN ROSS
Ross spent time on the Eagles’ offseason roster from May 2019 until July 2019.
OT CHIM OKORAFOR
Okorafor was a 2023 undrafted rookie free agent signing out of Benedictine College.
SAN ANTONIO BRAHMAS
COACHING STAFF
HC WADE PHILLIPS
Phillips was once the Eagles’ defensive coordinator and linebackers coach from 1986-1988. He’s now the head coach of the Brahmas.
PLAYERS
CB GREEDY WILLIAMS
The Eagles took a flier on Williams during the 2023 offseason. He did not play well, got cut, and was out of football entirely until signing with the Brahmas in January.
P BRAD WING
The Eagles signed Wing as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2023. He lost a punter battle to Eagles legend and Super Bowl winner Donnie Jones. Wing went on to play in 66 NFL games. The 34-year-old clearly isn’t ready to retire just yet.
WR JACOB HARRIS
Harris spent time on the Eagles’ offseason roster last year. He got hurt on the opening kickoff of Philly’s final preseason game and was waived from injured reserve in October. He might’ve spent time on the Eagles’ practice squad last season if not for his injury.
WR GREG WARD JR.
Oh, hey! Here’s a name that’s definitely recognizable. Ward originally signed with the Eagles as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2017, earning a Super Bowl ring as a member of Philly’s practice squad that year. The college quarterback-turned-receiver eventually developed into a real contributor for the Eagles, logging 13 starts in 40 total games played. His 130 targets from 2019-2021 resulted in 88 receptions for 768 yards and 10 touchdowns. Ward last spent time with the Eagles in 2023 by finishing out that season as a practice squad member. Shane Steichen brought him to the Indianapolis Colts last summer but Ward’s stint in Indy only lasted 11 days. Ward then signed with the Brahmas in November. It’ll be interesting to see if he’s able to make a positive impact for them. Ward was always a fun player to root for on the Eagles. His unlikely contributions to their postseason push late in 2019 should be remembered fondly.
ST. LOUIS BATTLEHAWKS
PLAYERS
CB NATE MEADORS
Meadors spent time on the Eagles’ offseason roster from May 2021 until August 2021.
WR HAKEEM BUTLER
It’s very funny to me that Butler played exactly ONE career NFL snap and it was this failed fourth down conversion:
.@RealLoganRyan said nope!
Watch Live: https://t.co/y8glCzPbFy pic.twitter.com/ivxhdYh6Mq
— New York Giants (@Giants) October 23, 2020
Butler’s time in the NFL — his Eagles era included — has mostly been forgettable.
But, hey, he did crush it in the UFL last year as their reigning Offensive Player of the Year. Can he repeat?!