This is the third part of an eight-part look at each UFL team’s 2026 season.
What went right
It took a half a season and a trade, but Birmingham may have found their quarterback in Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Thompson-Robinson was sitting behind presumptive MVP Jack Plummer until the Stallions bailed on their starter, Matt Corral, who led them to a 1-3 start. Thompson-Robinson went 3-3 the rest of the way and showed some special traits in doing so. Because of a strong receiver corps that included Deon Cain, Justyn Ross and Jaydon Mickens, Thompson-Robinson had strong tools to work with. Despite injuries along the offensive line, Birmingham surrendered the fewest sacks in the league, owed at least in part to Thompson-Robinson's escapability. In his fifth year with Birmingham, punter Colby Wadman continued to be one of the top in the league at his position. Their signature victory came in Week Six, the start of a three-game win streak, against the UFL's best team, the Orlando Storm.
What went wrong
Skip Holtz, the Stallions coach since the franchise was reincarnated in 2022, departed the league with many other veteran leaders, and he apparently took the dynasty the Stallions had built with him. For the first time in modern spring football, Birmingham finished under .500 and failed to make the playoffs. Under new Head Coach and former University of Alabama legend A.J. McCarron, Birmingham's offense finished last in yards per game and seventh in points per game. None of the team's three running backs managed to average more than four yards per carry. Injuries ravaged the offensive line late in the year to the point where multiple players signed off the street were inserted into the starting lineup. Defensively, they surrendered the most yards per game in the UFL and most rushing yards per game. Their kick return average was eighth out of eight teams as well. With two must-win games at the end of the season to have a chance at the playoffs, the Stallions lost to bottom-dwellers Houston and Columbus. Aside from drawing 18,000 for the first home game, Birmingham once again underwhelmed at the gate, putting their future in the city in question.
Stat to note
Last year, teammates finished number one and tied for number two in total tackles in the UFL when San Antonio Brahmas linebacker Tavante Beckett paced the league with 89 stops and fellow linebacker Jordan Williams tied Steele Chambers with 80. But what are the odds linebacker teammates would finish first and tied for second in the league again the very next season? Well, about that. First place in tackles this year was Stallions linebacker Tae Crowder. Second place was his LB-mate Kyhava Tezino with 77 - tied with Columbus Aviators linebacker Tony Fields.
Offensive MVP
Stuck behind other talented receivers in D.C. last year, NFL veteran WR Jaydon Mickens moved to Birmingham in the UFL Draft this winter. He became a favorite target of both Corral and Thompson-Robinson, and more than doubled his reception and yardage total from 2025. He very nearly doubled the reception total of the next Stallion in that department this year. He added a little flavor - sometimes too much so, to the detriment of his own team - to the game as well, making it entertaining for those watching at home.
Defensive MVP
The UFL's leading tackler, LB Tae Crowder, wasn't just a tackle machine. He stuffed the stat sheet with two tackles for loss, four pass break-ups, a fumble recovery, and two interceptions, which led the team. Not a lot went right on the defensive side of the ball for the Stallions this year, though the second level of the defense, featuring Crowder and Tezino, seemed to be the strongest and most consistent.
Special Teams MVP
Not only did LB Kyahva Tezino play 70% of the defensive snaps on the season for the Stallions, he also logged the fifth-most snaps on special teams units as well. He led the squad with nine special teams tackles on coverage units, and his nine solo tackles placed him third in the league in that category. Pro Football Focus had Tezino as the second-highest graded player on special teams for Birmingham.
Most like to succeed (in getting NFL opportunities)
This could be a much shorter list than we're used to seeing out of the Stallions. On the offensive side, WR Justyn Ross stands out as a player that might interest NFL teams. A couple of offensive linemen may have got noticed but it really depends on their injury status. I'm thinking C Andrew Raym and OT Armani Taylor-Prioleau specifically. Safeties Hudson Clark and Alex Cook are young enough to cycle back into the NFL at some point. Same with CB Ryan Cooper Jr. and DE Isaac Ukwu. Crowder and Tezino probably deserve a look, but they've been out of the league since 2023 and 2024 respectively, and when you've been out that long, it's that much harder to get back in.
QB concern level for 2027 (1-5)
If next year's starting QB is on the roster right now, it's Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Michael Hiers and Donovan Smith, the other quarterbacks rostered, appear strictly to be backup-level players. Thompson-Robinson was inconsistent, showing flashes of brilliance in his game. At least some of that inconsistency can be blamed on being thrown into a new playbook and asked to play immediately after being traded from Orlando. With a full off-season and training camp taking first-team reps, Thompson-Robinson should iron out those kinks in his game. Head Coach A.J. McCarron spoke highly of Thompson-Robinson so if he returns, it should be his job. Because there were some growing pains, and there are questions about the viability of the backups behind him, I'll give this a 2.5.
Head coach return scale (1-5)
A.J. McCarron must have been saying to himself at points this season, "I dropped out of the Alabama Lieutenant Governor's race for THIS?!" McCarron has been a winner his entire career, and you could tell the losing wasn't sitting well with him. He seemed to try to channel his old college coach, Nick Saban, in his demeanor, especially with the media. McCarron was not afraid to let his frustrations with the league known in those availabilities, whether it was the frequent rule tweaks he dealt with during the pre-season or the injured reserve rules during the season. Does all of that conspire to make this a proposition not worth McCarron continuing? Only he knows the answer to that. Based solely on my own observations, I think it's more likely he walks than any other coach. With "5" as most likely to return, I'll put this as a 2.5 as well.
Offseason needs for 2027
Like all teams this off-season, Birmingham was able to protect some players from the 2025 roster heading into 2026. A lot of those players underwhelmed. It may be time for a complete house-cleaning of the roster because some of those players didn't seem to fit what McCarron and his assistants wanted to do on offense and defense. Their defensive line may need a complete rehaul to get stouter against the run. They worked through several defensive linemen during the year but never seemed to find the right combination. There's a good base in the defensive backfield, though they could stand to add another corner and safety for depth purposes. Their offensive line is fine when healthy, so they just need to get those guys back to 100%. It's unlikely they'll be so ravaged in that way again next year, though they may have found out how important depth is along the O-Line. The receivers and tight ends are fine, they just need someone to be able to deliver the ball consistently. On special teams, Birmingham needs more dynamic returners and maybe a kicker, as neither Jonathan Garibay nor Anders Carlson impressed.