With the UFL regular season set to begin in less than 50 days UFL rosters saw a bit of a shake up with some surprising retirements prior to the 2025 season. Since our last article several more players have decided to hang up their cleats who have been a part of the spring football community since 2022, with some not even attempting to give their football careers one more go.
Nydair Rouse D.C. Defenders
Rouse has been a solid reserve Defensive Back for the Defenders, who joins the growing list of the retired during Reggie Barlow’s era. Rouse has been with the D.C. for the past two seasons after stints with the Packers, and BC Lions before coming to the XFL. The D-II product has totaled 11 for D.C. in 15 games, becoming the 4th member of the Defenders secondary to retire this offseason.
Matt White Memphis Showboats
Coming from FCS Monmouth, White has spent the last Three seasons with the Breakers/Showboats before retiring. White had been a consistent figure in the USFL/UFL, not only performing in the top of the league as punter, but contributing as a kickoff specialist. The retirement of White has allowed for fan favorite Matt Mengal to return to spring football with the Memphis Showboats as White’s replacement.
Lee Morris Memphis Showboats
Morris’s retirement doesn’t take him too far from the league, as the former Oklahoma WR hangs up the cleats and picks up a whistle for Memphis as a quality control coach. Morris, like White spent Two seasons with the New Orleans Breakers and 2024 with Memphis before transitioning to coaching. He totaled 27 receptions for 320 yds, and 2 TDs in his career.
Davius Richard Houston Roughnecks
A surprising retirement, Richard was a 2024 UDFA brought in early by the new look Houston Roughnecks. After a storied career at North Carolina Central, Richard was seen recently working out with Jordan Palmer at the UFL “hub” in the past month. Richard finished his career at North Carolina Central throwing for 8,968 yards and 73 touchdowns with just 29 interceptions, while also rushing for 2,575 yards and 44 touchdowns, among numerous accolades at the FCS level.
Trenton Cannon D.C. Defenders
Cannon may be another surprising retirement, as the off-season signing was coached by Reggie Barlow at Virginia State. Cannon has been out of football since 2022 due to an injury, and was recently placed on the UFL’s retirement list earlier this week. Cannon had appeared in 48 NFL games totalling 1085 All-Purpose yds and a TD in his career.
With UFL Training camp creeping up, players continue to weigh the options of what the next step in life entails moving forward. With salaries always a topic of conversation many mainstays of the league will continue to transition to hire paying opportunities in an effort to provide for themselves and families. Last season between the USFL-XFL merger and a lack of improvements in salaries many players found themselves looking for the next objective, making the hard choice to hang up the helmet. With training camp rapidly approaching more retirements are likely to be announced.