Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner called on the NFL to support the UFL as a player development league in a post on X. The message went viral overnight and had UFL fans talking through the weekend.
Warner posted his thoughts while watching 2026 UFL games. He pointed straight to NFL Europe as the model the league should follow.
What Kurt Warner Said
Warner's first post laid out the pitch:
"Gotta say I have really enjoyed watching @TheUFL this season, some good football with some good football players… the NFL needs to get behind this and use to grow players like they used to with #NFLEurope (I know the incredible value it would have)!"
He followed up with a second post that pushed back on the idea this is about TV ratings or attendance:
"And the bigger point is those leagues should be really for NFL teams to develop players so they can have ppl ready… not even about filling the stands from an NFL perspective IMO."
Why the Post Is Trending
Warner is not just a Hall of Fame name weighing in. He played one season in NFL Europe with the Amsterdam Admirals before signing with the St. Louis Rams in 1998. He won two MVPs and a Super Bowl. The path he is asking the NFL to recreate is the path he walked himself.
UFL fans picked up on that connection right away. Replies and quote tweets pointed to current UFL players already signed to NFL practice squads as proof the pipeline works. Many fans framed Warner's post as the loudest call yet for the NFL to formalize the relationship.
Warner's Family Tie to the UFL
Warner has a personal stake in the league. His son, Kade Warner, played for the San Antonio Brahmas in 2024 after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers cut him. Kurt has attended UFL games and backed the league in interviews going back two years.
He told Fox News Digital ahead of Super Bowl LVIII in February 2024:
"I've got a son that was cut by an NFL team, and now he's going to go play in the UFL, and it's going to give him an opportunity to showcase what he's doing. I think it's great from a developmental standpoint. I played in NFL Europe, too. It was great for helping me develop."
Warner's Own Story Mirrors the UFL Pitch
Warner went undrafted out of Northern Iowa in 1994. He played in the Arena Football League with the Iowa Barnstormers, then NFL Europe with the Amsterdam Admirals, then signed with the Rams. Five years later he was a Super Bowl champion.
In an April 2024 X post, Warner connected his story to the UFL directly:
"As I'm watching some UFL football this comes across my feed & to think no one thought I could play before 1999… so glad there were other leagues then & now to allow guys to stay around long enough to maybe get their shot like I did!"
What Warner Wants the NFL to Do
Warner wants the NFL to treat the UFL the way it once treated NFL Europe. NFL Europe ran from 1991 to 2007 and served as a development pipeline. Warner is one of multiple Super Bowl quarterbacks who came through that system.
The UFL operates as an independent spring league. Players can sign with NFL teams after the season ends, and many do every year, but there is no formal partnership between the two leagues at least that we know if. There have been rumblings that certain NFL teams have connections to certain UFL teams behind the scenes. But that has just been a rumor over the years.
Bottom Line
Warner's post puts a Hall of Fame voice behind a conversation UFL fans have been having since the 2024 merger. The NFL has not commented on the suggestion. For now, the message is on the record and trending — and it came from a player who lived the second-chance path he wants the UFL to keep providing.