When Michigan Panthers quarterback Bryce Perkins was named the UFL League MVP, fans assumed it would be just a matter of time before an NFL team signed him. But instead, he's among the elite UFL quarterbacks who find NFL success elusive.
Perkins Finds Success in the UFL
A late addition to the Panthers in 2024, Perkins has become one of the UFL’s top quarterbacks. Although his 2024 season was cut short due to injury, Perkins made a strong comeback in 2025, leading his team to the championship game and earning multiple awards. Over the past two seasons, he earned a 70.9 passer rating, completing 139 of 196 passes for 1,685 yards with 11 touchdowns. Perkins added another 450 rushing yards on 67 carries with seven touchdowns.
Perkins Finds NFL Opportunities Scarce
Perkins seemed a sure bet to follow last year’s UFL MVP quarterback Adrian Martinez to the NFL. But instead, the UFL’s Offensive Player of the Year joins other elite UFL quarterbacks who have been similarly overlooked by NFL teams.
After spending almost the entire preseason waiting for an NFL team to call, Perkins was finally contacted by the Carolina Panthers. However, the call came only after veteran quarterback Andy Dalton was injured days before their final preseason game. The team needed Perkins for the finale because the Panthers’ starting quarterback, Bryce Young, wasn’t scheduled to play in the preseason.
Despite having only two days of practice with Carolina, Perkins took the field against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Splitting time with third-string quarterback Jack Plummer, he completed 10 of 11 passes for 71 yards and added 28 yards with two carries. Even though he took three sacks, Perkins still earned a 79.5 quarterback rating.
Nonetheless, with so little time to prepare, Perkins knew it was a long shot to make the team.
NFL Opportunities Prove Elusive For UFL QBs
It didn’t come as a surprise when Perkins was released during the Panthers’ final cutdowns 53-man squad. Like other elite spring football quarterbacks before him, a successful transition from the spring leagues to the NFL was proving elusive.
Elite spring football veterans, Arlington Renegades quarterback Luis Perez and D.C. Defenders quarterback Jordan Ta’amu, tried out with multiple NFL teams over the years. Unfortunately, in every instance, none of the tryouts lasted longer than a few weeks on the team's practice squad. The competition in training camp is fierce, particularly among the quarterbacks. If a quarterback doesn't practice with the team's premier receivers or get enough reps, there really isn't an opportunity to prove that he deserves a roster spot.
Luis Perez, "The Spring King”
Perez, nicknamed "The Spring King,” is a veteran of the AAF and other previous spring incarnations. Since 2019, Perez has passed for 9,313 yards with 53 touchdowns and 24 interceptions. Although he’s not known for his rushing ability, he added another 216 yards on 75 carries with two touchdowns.
Perez has the distinction of throwing the USFL league's first touchdown while playing for the New Jersey Generals. A year later, when he was drafted by the Vegas Vipers, Perez scored the XFL league’s first touchdown.
Several weeks later, after he was traded to the struggling XFL Arlington Renegades, Perez guided the team to a mid-season turnaround. That season under his leadership, the Renegades won the XFL Championship over the D.C. Defenders.
When the USFL and XFL merged, it was Perez who tossed the new leagues’ first touchdown when he connected with Isaiah Winstead for a 51-yard score in the inaugural opening game.
Regarded as one of the most prolific and successful spring football quarterbacks, Perez credits preparation and persistence as the key to his success. Always the first one to arrive and the last to leave, he inspires teammates and coaches with his unrelenting work ethic and passionate drive to improve.
Over the years, Perez had offseason workouts with four NFL teams: the L.A. Rams, the Philadelphia Eagles, the Detroit Lions, and the L.A. Chargers. Despite a second stint with the Rams, none of the opportunities lasted more than a month, and he never made the team’s 53-man roster.
Jordan Ta'amu, 2025 UFL Championship Game MVP
NFL success has similarly eluded DC Defenders' quarterback Ta’amu despite leading his team to an unprecedented 58 points in the UFL Championship game. Awarded the MVP title, Ta’amu set a UFL record of 390 passing yards and five touchdowns in a defeat of the Michigan Panthers by a score of 58-34.
Like Perez, Ta’amu is a spring football veteran, playing in both the USFL and the XFL leagues. He was recognized as the XFL Offensive Player of the Year following a standout season with the 2023 XFL D.C. Defenders. Following his successful spring seasons over the past few years, Ta’amu tried out with six different NFL teams, including two stints each with the Lions and Kansas City Chiefs. The majority of those tryouts ended after only a few days, and Ta’amu didn't make an active roster.
Why UFL Quarterbacks Are Passed Over By NFL Teams
When it comes to a 53-man roster, teams are notoriously stingy when it comes to the quarterback position, recognizing that depth at other positions is far more valuable during the season.
There is a hierarchy in the NFL with undrafted players viewed as “less desirable” than drafted players. It’s a rarity for a UDFA to be given a roster spot over a drafted rookie. The team has a vested financial interest in ensuring the rookie is given every opportunity to succeed.
Furthermore, a drafted veteran player with NFL experience ranks higher than a UDFA. Even the last player drafted each year, the “Mr. Irrelevants” of that season, stands a better chance of making the roster. This is especially true in recent years, with standout talents such as the San Francisco 49ers’ Brock Purdy and Detroit Lions LB Grant Stuard having that distinction.
Finally, another potential hurdle facing spring football quarterbacks is their college background. Although Ta’amu transferred to Ole Miss for his final two years of eligibility, Perez played for a Division II school, Texas A&M-Commerce. Despite being awarded the 2017 Harlan Hill Trophy as the best Division II player and leading his team to a National Championship, not coming from a Division I program counts against him.
Former Chicago Bears UDFA Tyson Bagent remains the only Division II quarterback to make a team's 53-man roster. Like Perez, Bagent was awarded the Harlon Hill Trophy. During the 2023 season, he appeared in five games for the Bears, starting four and earning a 2-2 record.
Where Does This Leave Perkins and Other Aspiring UFL Quarterbacks?
Unfortunately, at this point in the NFL season, the only way a UFL quarterback could be signed to an NFL team is if a rostered quarterback is injured. While no one wants to think of that happening, injuries are an all too frequent consequence of the game. The advantage of a UFL quarterback who just visited a team's training camp, is in shape and already familiar with the playbook. That's a huge advantage over an NFL veteran who may not have played recently.
Sometimes, all it takes for NFL success is the right opportunity at the right time. The MVP Super Bowl-winning quarterback of the 2000 St. Louis Rams team was Kurt Warner, the most successful UDFA of all time. While Kurt Warner-type scenarios are extremely rare, who's to say that a UFL quarterback won’t become the next Warner?