Football fans nationwide are looking for any glimpse of football they can get in the offseason. Besides the draft and waiting for Aaron Rodgers, among other stars, to decide where to go or whether it’s time to call it a career, football fans need their fix.
Those are the people the United Football League is trying to reach.
Minnesota doesn’t have one of the eight teams in the UFL, so it could be easy to ignore this spring football league. However, there are plenty of connections to Minnesota in the UFL.
The UFL is another way players try to further their careers. Besides the draft and signing as a free agent, this is another place NFL teams can find talent.
Before you watch a game, the UFL has a few unique rules.
There are no onside kicks. Instead, a team can retain possession by completing a fourth-and-12 at their own 28-yard line. If they complete the down, they retain possession. If they don’t, the other team gets it.
Head coaches can also challenge any officiating decision. The league will review any flag, non-call, and potential catch if the team has a timeout remaining. Win the challenge, and the team earns a second challenge.
Also, if you are behind the line of scrimmage, you can try to pull off the double forward pass. In the NFL, a team cannot pass the ball again after completing a forward pass.
The final major difference is the elimination of kicks after a touchdown. Instead, the UFL uses a one-point, two-point, or three-point system. Each point-after attempt starts from two, five, or 10 yards out, respectively.
Sounds fun, right? So, which team should you root for?
If you want proximity to Minnesota, your options are the Michigan Panthers or the St. Louis Battlehawks.
Looking for proven success? Check out the reigning champions, the Birmingham Stallions.
Want a team with Minnesota connections, whether it’s with the Minnesota Vikings, guys who played college in Minnesota, or a Minnesotan player?
Every team but the Houston Roughnecks has at least one connection to Minnesota. However, the San Antonio Brahmas have the most noteworthy connection. San Antonio’s quarterback is former Vikings 2021 third-rounder Kellen Mond. Joining Mond are former Vikings linebacker Zach McCloud and defensive tackle Jaylen Twyman. Former Gopher offensive lineman Chuck Filiaga is the other Minnesota connection for the Brahmas.
The Memphis Showboats have former Vikings cornerback Cameron Dantzler, Minnesota’s third-round pick in 2020. Dantzler played three seasons with the Vikings, with 149 tackles (six for loss), three interceptions, three forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries. Maple Grove’s Nash Jenson, an offensive guard, joins Dantzler in Memphis.
St. Louis has a few Minnesota connections. Their linebackers coach, Chris Claiborne, was a former Vikings linebacker. The 1999 first-round pick was with Minnesota in 2003 and 2004, totaling 137 tackles, four sacks, two forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, and two interceptions, one of which went for a touchdown in 24 games played with the team.
Other Minnesota connections for the Battlehawks include long snapper Alex Matheson from Marshall, Minn.; linebacker Chris Garrett, who played for Concordia-St. Paul; and former Gophers nose tackle Kyler Baugh.
The Arlington Renegades have a few guys with Minnesota ties. Former Vikings defensive back Myles Dorn was mainly on the practice squad, but they brought him up to the 53-man roster in 2021 for the Week 2 game against the Arizona Cardinals. The Renegades also have Minnesota natives Nico Bolden, a safety out of St. Paul, and Seth Green, a tight end out of Woodbury.
The DC Defenders have former Vikings quarterback Jordan Ta’amu. Minnesota signed Ta’amu in 2023 but released him as part of the final roster cuts before the 2023 regular season. Ta’amu is DC’s starting quarterback and won the Offensive Player of the Year award in 2023.
Another former Vikings quarterback, Case Cookus, plays for the Birmingham Stallions. Cookus was on Minnesota’s roster for three days in 2021 when Kirk Cousins was out due to COVID-19 protocols.
Finally, the Michigan Panthers have two former Vikings practice squad players, tight end Cole Hikutini and defensive end Kenny Willekes. Of the two, Willekes had some time with the 53-man roster after Minnesota took him in the seventh round in 2020.
The UFL has helped some players realize their NFL dreams.
Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates played with the Michigan Panthers last season and went 26 of 29 on field goals and 64 for 67 on extra points with the Lions. He set a franchise record for points scored in a season with 142.
The Vikings are the only other team to have a player from the UFL to make the 53-man roster. After the 2024 UFL season, Minnesota picked up Jalen Redmond, a defensive end who formerly played with the Arlington Renegades. Last season, Redmond played in 13 games, recording 18 tackles and one sack, which came early against the Houston Texans.
The Vikings also signed Bubba Bolden this offseason, who played with the Brahmas and the Stallions last spring.
Minnesota has used the spring football league to bolster its roster. In an offseason in which they are limited in draft capital and the need for quality depth, Vikings fans might be interested in watching some spring football to get used to names that may join the team after the League Championship in June.