USFL Suggests a Potential Partnership With the NFL

It’s no secret that the NFL is the biggest football organization in the world. There are many leagues across the globe with the biggest being the CFL, but they still don’t stack up to the NFL. For rookies or undrafted free agents who want to get an opportunity to strengthen their game, their only shot would be to impress a coaching staff during pre-season. Some players have made a name for themselves in the CFL and later signed to an NFL team. There is a possibility we could see a scenario where the NFL could potentially have a minor league set up like they do in baseball.

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The USFL is a professional football organization that was around in the 80s and lasted for three seasons before dismantling, but the league re-established itself in 2022. The league season takes place in the spring and normally finishes around June. The NFL has taken advantage of this feeder league along with the XFL by signing some top prospects to free-agent deals. What if there was a way for the NFL to take advantage of the USFL beyond just signing promising young players they may have missed out on in the draft? Well, that is exactly would USFL President,  Daryl Johnston is suggesting.

Johnston would love to propose a partnership with the NFL that would establish a true minor league system as we see in the MLB.  Johnston plans to have players eligible to come play in the USFL but go directly back to the NFL team that holds their rights. This would mean that the USFL teams would act as extensions for the NFL teams.

Promising young rookies who maybe didn’t get a chance to play a lot in their first year could to the USFL for crucial reps and practice. Players who are working their way back from injury get game time speed and repetition to ease them back into the speed of the NFL. Like the MLB, this also means a team could pull a guy up from the USFL if they needed to.

Now of course you run the risk of injuries and wear and tear with this idea, but I think it can be extremely beneficial to both squads. The USFL has more eyes on their games if promising young rookies and veterans working their way back from injuries were playing in the league. The NFL teams could have their own personal minor leagues to pull promising young talent from. The USFL could also benefit from having a little financial stability with the NFL. This is what fans had to say about the idea.

What are your thoughts on a potential partnership between the USFL and the NFL?