The XFL and USFL merged in 2024 to form the United Football League, a rebranded spring football league that gives players opportunities to compete and potentially make a jump to the NFL each spring.
Unlike the old XFL, which had its championship game on May 13 in the 2023 season, the UFL has its 2024 championship game on June 16, and the 2025 title game is scheduled for June 14.
So the UFL season will not conclude until about a month after NFL teams have completed rookie minicamps (and clubs often invite tryout players to rookie camp). So playing in the UFL could cost players an opportunity to try out for NFL teams in May and participate in organized team activities.
Ben DiNucci played quarterback for the Seattle Sea Dragons during the 2023 spring season and then tried out at Denver Broncos rookie minicamp before being offered a contract. He went on to spend the entire season with the Broncos on the team's practice squad.
The quarterback took to Twitter/X earlier this week to criticize the UFL's schedule.
"Timing of the season makes no sense," DiNucci tweeted. "Zero chance for guys to be in NFL locker room for OTAs. Isn’t that what UFL wants?"
Fortunately for UFL players, it's still possible to make a jump to the NFL in June even after missing rookie minicamp in May. Last year, the Broncos signed pass rusher Dondrea Tillman after the UFL's championship game and he went on to record five sacks in his first season in the NFL.
Perhaps the UFL will look at moving the championship game back in future seasons, but so long as players are still getting looks from the NFL, a June title game might remain the standard.
16 ex-Broncos playing in the UFL this spring
This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: UFL: Ex-NFL QB criticizes schedule timing of spring league's season
