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UFL vs NFL: How They Compare on and off the Field
The United Football League isn’t positioning itself as a rival to the National Football League. That doesn’t mean that players in the UFL aren’t hoping that a successful run in that league might turn into an opportunity to earn an NFL contract.
At the start of the 2024 season, more than 20 former UFL players were on NFL rosters. That number pales compared to the UFL players who signed with NFL teams since the end of the 2024 season, as the UFL vs NFL connections continue to grow. Players coming from the UFL could impact the NFL public betting odds.
Nobody suggests that the quality of play in the UFL matches what happens during the NFL season. However, the model being used could have some staying power.
Birmingham is joined by the Michigan Panthers, the DC Defenders, and the St. Louis Battlehawks, the four teams in the 2025 UFL playoffs. Check out the BetUS sportsbook for UFL odds.
The two conference championships will be played on June 8, with the winners meeting on June 14 in the UFL Championship Game. ABC will televise the 8 p.m. ET title game. Don’t be shy about claiming the sign-up bonus.
A Look At The UFL and NFL Breakdown
A History Lesson
What is the UFL?
The UFL was founded on the last day of 2023 with the plan of playing professional football in the spring. A Former Buffalo Bills executive was named the CEO of the UFL, and professional wrestling legend Dwayne Johnson was one of the key figures in a league that became a reality following the merger between Vince McMahon’s XFL and the reboot of the United States Football League.
The first game was on Mar. 30, 2024, when the 2023 XFL champion Arlington met the 2023 USFL champion Birmingham. Two and a half months later, Birmingham won the UFL title game.
Big Names Join the UFL
Former Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops led the list of UFL head coaches. Mike Nolan, the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers from 2005-08, Skip Holtz, and former NFL tight end Anthony Becht are other big-name UFL head coaches.
The most important move by the league might have been acquiring the television rights held by Fox Sports and ESPN. That gave the league exposure during a quiet time in the NFL. There are definitely differences between the UFL and the NFL.
The league created different rules from those of the NFL to improve the on-field product. The kickoff rule is similar to the ones the NFL instituted after seeing how things progressed.
Another difference in the rule book is that pass interference calls in the UFL have a maximum of a 15-yard enforcement compared to defensive pass interference being marked down to the point of the infraction if it is longer than 15 yards. Not all the UFL rules vs NFL rules will make it into NFL games.
Check out the UFL betting rules before making UFL picks.
Plenty of Familiar Names
Those who follow college football will recognize many of the players in the UFL.
Kalen Ballage, who played for four NFL teams, is among the top running backs in the UFL. Bryce Perkins, Matt Corral, Kellen Mond, and Max Duggan are some of the high-profile quarterbacks.
Jake Bates, a kicker for the Detroit Lions, leads the list of players who went from the UFL to the NFL.
UFL vs NFL FAQs
Are UFL rules the same as NFL rules?
The UFL hired former NFL officials to help devise tweaks that distinguish it from the NFL. The biggest differences are the kickoff and pass interference rules.
Is UFL affiliated with the NFL?
UFL teams employ some people who used to work in the NFL. However, the two leagues are separate entities.
Can UFL players go to the NFL?
UFL players have signed with NFL teams and will continue to do so.
What's the point of the UFL?
The UFL is another attempt to prove that professional football can thrive in the spring.
