Five former United Football League players, including the 2026 UFL Defensive Player of the Year Cam Gill, are set to help the NFL kickoff its 2026 preseason with Thursday night’s Pro Football Hall of Fame Game between the Carolina Panthers and the Arizona Cardinals at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio.
By the Numbers
5 former UFL players are on rosters for Thursday night’s Pro Football Hall of Fame Game taking place between the Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals
4 with the Carolina Panthers (Barrs, Cooks, Gill, Taylor)
1 with the Arizona Cardinals (Newsome)
3 defensive players
2 offensive players
1 reigning UFL Defensive Player of the Year (LB Cam GIl)
68 former UFL players and spring football alumni are on NFL training camp rosters entering preseason games
UFL Alumni in the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame Game
CAR @ ARZ | Thursday, August 6, 2026, at 8:00 PM ET | |||
# | Name | Position | UFL Team | NFL Team |
30 | Quinton Newsome | DB | Houston Gamblers | ARZ |
67 | Kyon Barrs | DT | Houston Gamblers | CAR |
80 | Elijah Cooks | WR | CAR | |
49 | Cam Gill | LB | Louisville Kings | CAR |
39 | Roc Taylor | WR | CAR | |
Arizona Cardinals
#30 DB Quinton Newsome
Houston Gamblers | Nebraska
Started all 10 regular-season games for Gamblers in 2026.
Finished third on the team with 43 tackles.
Added 2.0 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, four pass breakups, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
Spent time with the Denver Broncos after signing as an undrafted free agent in 2024.
Carolina Panthers
#67 DT Kyon Barrs
Houston Gamblers | USC
Played in all 10 games for Gamblers in 2026
Recorded 27 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks and four pass breakups
Also played in all 10 games for the Dallas Renegades in 2025, totaling 24 tackles, one sack, one tackle for loss and one pass breakup
Originally signed with the Seattle Seahawks as a free agent toward the conclusion of the team's 2024 training camp and also spent time with the Arizona Cardinals in 2025
#80 WR Elijah Cooks
Birmingham Stallions | San Jose State
Joined the Stallions midway into the 2026 UFL season, did not appear in game action
Originally signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2023, appearing in nine games and recording three receptions for 38 yards
Also spent time with the Philadelphia Eagles and New Orleans Saints
Earned First Team All-Mountain West selection at San José State in 2022, after recording 69 receptions for 1,076 yards and 10 touchdowns that season
Began his collegiate career at Nevada, where he totaled 1,478 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns over five seasons
#49 LB Cam Gill
Louisville Kings | Wagner
2026 UFL Defensive Player of the Year
Set UFL single-season record with 10.0 sacks, including three multi-sack games
Led the league with 12 tackles for loss
Added 39 tackles, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery
Previously spent time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Carolina Panthers, Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings
Member of Tampa Bay’s Super Bowl LV championship team and recorded a half-sack in the victory over the Kansas City Chiefs
#39 WR Roc Taylor
Columbus Aviators | Memphis
Played in the first two games of the Aviators inaugural season, starting the second
Recorded two receptions for 23 yards
Released by Columbus on April 7
Standout at Memphis, finishing collegiate career with more than 2,300 receiving yards
Spent the 2025 season in training camp with the Pittsburgh Steelers