Four of the five former United Football League players on the rosters for Thursday night's Pro Football Hall of Fame Game got on the field, and Arizona Cardinals cornerback Quinton Newsome produced the biggest play of the group. The Carolina Panthers beat the Cardinals 33-30 at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, on a 5-yard quarterback run by rookie Haynes King on the final snap.
The five alumni were listed on the pregame rosters by the UFL. Four played for Carolina. One played for Arizona.
By the Numbers
4 of 5 UFL alumni recorded a snap
1 forced fumble (Newsome)
4 combined tackles for Cam Gill, the most of any UFL alum in the game
3 targets, 0 receptions for Elijah Cooks
0 sacks for the group
33-30 final score, decided on the last play
Quinton Newsome Forces Fumble for Arizona
Newsome, who started all 10 regular-season games for the Houston Gamblers in 2026, punched the ball loose in the third quarter and Arizona recovered. NFL Media tagged the play a "Peanut Punch." He finished with one solo tackle and one assist.
Newsome ranked third on the Gamblers with 43 tackles this spring and added 2.0 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, four pass breakups, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. He signed with the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent out of Nebraska in 2024.
Cam Gill Leads UFL Alumni in Tackles
Gill, the 2026 UFL Defensive Player of the Year, finished with one solo tackle and three assists for Carolina. He did not register a sack or a tackle for loss. The Panthers signed him in late July after outside linebacker Nic Scourton went down with a knee injury in training camp.
Gill set the UFL single-season record with 10.0 sacks for the Louisville Kings and led the league with 12 tackles for loss. He won Super Bowl LV with Tampa Bay and recorded a half-sack in that game.
"It means everything. I'm fresh off the [UFL] season, so it's not like I have to get in shape or anything," Gill told The Charlotte Post before the game.
Panthers edge rusher Jaelan Phillips said of Gill: "He's done a good job adjusting to us. Dedicated ... high focus ... high energy."
Carolina's pass rush produced two sacks Thursday, from Jared Harrison-Hunte and Nick Hampton.
Kyon Barrs Records One Tackle
Barrs, a defensive tackle who played all 10 games for the Gamblers this spring, was credited with one assisted tackle. He posted 27 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks and four pass breakups in Houston in 2026 after playing all 10 games for the Dallas Renegades in 2025.
Elijah Cooks Targeted Three Times, No Catches
Cooks saw three targets and did not record a reception. He was the only UFL alum on either roster to draw a target and finish without a catch.
Carolina signed Cooks and wide receiver Roc Taylor on August 4, two days before the game. Cooks joined the Birmingham Stallions midway through the 2026 UFL season and did not appear in a game. He caught three passes for 38 yards in nine games with Jacksonville in 2023.
Jimmy Horn Jr. led Carolina with four catches for 44 yards. John Metchie III added three for 38.
Roc Taylor Did Not Register a Stat
Taylor did not appear in the box score. He played two games for the Columbus Aviators in the 2026 UFL season, starting the second, and caught two passes for 23 yards before his release on April 7. He spent the 2025 preseason with Pittsburgh.
UFL Alumni Results: 2026 Hall of Fame Game
Player | Pos | UFL Team | NFL Team | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Quinton Newsome | DB | Houston Gamblers | ARI | 2 tackles, 1 forced fumble |
Cam Gill | LB | Louisville Kings | CAR | 4 tackles |
Kyon Barrs | DT | Houston Gamblers | CAR | 1 tackle |
Elijah Cooks | WR | Birmingham Stallions | CAR | 3 targets, 0 receptions |
Roc Taylor | WR | Columbus Aviators | CAR | No stats |
What Comes Next
The UFL counts 68 former UFL and spring football players on NFL training camp rosters entering the preseason, up from the 56 alumni tracked at the start of camp. The rest of the league opens its preseason schedule next week. Gill, who signed with Carolina after winning Defensive Player of the Year, gets two more preseason games to make the 53-man roster.