The Arizona Cardinals have spent a lot of time in this year’s offseason in an attempt to get their roster in better shape. Hiring an offensive-minded head coach has mandated this.
As the NFL draft, free agency, and the schedule release have all come and gone, the United Football League (UFL) playoffs are set to begin. There are numerous former Cardinals players and coaches who are taking their shot at the UFL crown.
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The UFL is allowing these athletes and
coaches to keep their dream alive of once again playing in the NFL.
This weekend, the UFL playoffs are in full swing with two games slated on Sunday, June 7. The first contest pits the #1 Orlando Storm against the defending league champions, the #4 seed DC Defenders, with kickoff at 3:00 p.m. (Eastern). The game will be nationally televised on ABC. At 6:00 p.m., the #2 seed St. Louis Battlehawks are set to host the #3 Louisville Kings with the game broadcast by FOX.
The championship game is called the United Bowl, which is scheduled for Saturday, June 13 at 3:00 p.m. (Eastern) broadcast on ABC.
The Orlando game has been switched to the 10,000-seat Daytona Stadium in Daytona Beach, Florida, about 50 minutes east of Orlando. The Storm play their home games at Inter&Co Stadium, an MLS stadium that is home to Orlando SC, plus the NWSL club Orlando Pride. A prior-committed international soccer match prevented the Storm from using their home stadium, so a new venue was found. Orlando’s Camping World Stadium, home of the Citrus Bowl, is undergoing a massive $400 million renovation.
The UFL is a league that allows former players in all associations to come together and perform, get additional film, receive notoriety, gather additional stats, and get paid to continue their career playing professional football. Last year, 190 UFL players received workout invitations, with 160 getting training camp contracts. When the 2025 NFL season began, of that number, 46 were on an NFL roster beginning Week 1, either on the main roster, practice squad, or on some type of injury list.
There are eight teams in the UFL, and several former Cardinals are involved in this year’s playoffs.
Orlando Storm (8-2-0)
Average home attendance: 9,830 (#4)
DE Keshawn Banks
DE Chris Garrett
Head coach Anthony Becht
ST coach Martin Bayless
It is amazing just how many pro football teams have called Orlando home. But what has happened is that after a few seasons, the league they played in evaporated. So, Orlando fans weren’t exactly slamming down the turnstiles with this new club. The result was a sterling performance and the #1 seed.
Head coach Anthony Becht was the Battlehawks’ coach last year, so the league wanted the new city team to have an experienced head coach right away, and it paid off. The former tight end played for the Cardinals from 2009-2010.
DC Defenders (5-5-0)
Average home attendance: 9,000 (#5)
K Matt McCrane
OT Trey Wedig
CB Ekow Boye-Doe
The defending champs crashed in the second half of the season and barely made the playoffs, losing their final four games after starting the season 5-1-0. But last year, the Defenders made the postseason by one game, then dominated both playoff games to capture the league title.
They feature former Cardinals’ kicker Matt McCrane, who converted several 60-yard field goals for the new four-point field goal rule and finished #2 in field goal conversions.
St. Louis Battlehawks (6-4-0)
Average home attendance: 23,239 (#1)
WR Hakeem Butler
DE Pita Taumoepenu
C Sincere Haynesworth
CB Luq Barcoo (on IR)
CB Michael Ojemudia
Head coach Ricky Proehl
The City of St. Louis is well aware that when the NFL goes through another round of expansion, it will be listed at the top. Very good showing for the locals. The best crowd was in Week 1 with 31,191 strong.
Former Cardinals WR Hakeem Butler was a player the franchise assumed would become at least a dependable receiver when he was listed on Arizona’s roster, and after every UFL season, he ends up on somebody’s roster only to be released. He led the UFL in receiving yards with 641 and was second in YAC with 233 yards with zero drops.
Butler was named to this year’s All-UFL team. In 2024, he made the All-UFL as well and was voted the “UFL Offensive Player of the Year.” Butler was also selected to the 2023 All-XFL squad.
Louisville Kings (6-4-0)
Average home attendance: 11,195 (#2)
C Dohnovan West
Louisville was one of three new cities for the UFL, and the fans showed up. They played their home games at Lynn Family Stadium, a soccer-specific venue that is home to Louisville City FC of the USLC, and the women’s team Racing Louisville FC of the NWSL.
This club was the remnants of the Memphis Showboats, who finished 2-8-0 in the UFL last year. Before their season began, they had former Cardinals WR JaVonta Payton and C Doug Kramer on their roster, but Payton was traded to Houston while Kramer was released.
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