Sunday Swan Song: Will UFL Season Finale Be Last Perez, Ta'amu or Stoops in Spring Football?
Sunday's regular-season finale between the 2-7 Arlington Renegades and 4-5 D.C. Defenders may not have the same stakes when the two teams clashed at the climax of last year's XFL season for a championship. However, it's fair to wonder if this game will have added meaning as a final swan song for some of spring pro football's central figures in the last few years.
Could Sunday's game between D.C. and Arlington be the end of the road for Bob Stoops, Jordan Ta'amu or Luis Perez in spring pro football?
Stoops was a massive get in 2019 for the XFL when he announced that he would be coming out of retirement to coach the then-Dallas Renegades. The Oklahoma Sooners legend lent great credibility to a revived XFL.
Earlier this week, Stoops told SI.com's Anthony Miller that he would like to return to the UFL next season, but is uncertain of the league's future structure when his contract expires at the end of June.
It's been no secret that Stoops has been the highest-paid coach in spring pro football the last few years, reportedly earning in the high six figures. The UFL's owners, RedBird Capital Partners and FOX, have jointly transitioned to seasonal employee pay rather than year-long. It's a practice already implemented by the USFL before the XFL transitioned to it last year. The new year saw all league coaches agree to the revised terms of their deals moving forward. Essentially, when the end of June arrives, all UFL coaches are off the clock.
The new league pay window for UFL coaches led to former Brahmas head coach Hines Ward walking away and Wade Phillips and his staff remaining with the league, shifting from Houston to the San Antonio Brahmas.
Coaching contract terms and the UFL's playing calendar in 2025 will determine whether Stoops, who has loved the spring football life, will return for a fourth season.
If it works and fits my life, then yes, and if it doesn't, then maybe not. We'll see.
- Bob Stoops
For spring league standouts Perez and Ta'amu. Sunday's game will mark the eighth time the two quarterbacks' teams have faced each other since the 2020 XFL season. Perez and Ta'amu have squared off in four different leagues: the XFL 2020, USFL 2022, XFL 2023 and UFL 2024. Head-to-head as starters, Ta'amu is 3-2 against Perez. (The latter came on in relief for two of the other games). Ta'amu has the upper hand in the standings, coming off a thrilling come-from-behind 29-28 victory over Perez's Renegades in Week 3. Still, the former Harlon Hill award winner has the ultimate bragging rights, winning a league championship against Ta'amu and D.C last May.
USFL ➡️ XFL ➡️ UFL
— United Football League (@TheUFL) February 22, 2024
These two have history and it's not over yet 😏https://t.co/EzXr84IYjq pic.twitter.com/j9ueqOiSUE
The two quarterbacks have become synonymous with modern-era spring pro football. However, there was significant doubt about whether they would return to play in the merged UFL. It wasn't until a month before the UFL's season began that they signed letters of intent to play. As a result, it's fair to wonder if they will run it back again in 2025.
Despite Arlington's misfortune in 2024, Perez, who will be 30 in August, is having the best overall season of his pro career. He leads all UFL starting quarterbacks in virtually every passing category. Perez has completed 67% of his passes for 2,094 yards, throwing 15 touchdowns to only two interceptions. If he were to move on to the next phase of his life, Perez would be going out on a high note, even if this season hasn't concluded with a title like it did in 2023. It's been quite the playing journey in the spring since it began for Perez in the AAF with Birmingham in 2019.
Better late than never. Love seeing this with the Spring King Luis Perez. Well deserved. pic.twitter.com/8E6HvtRyVB
— Mike Mitchell (@ByMikeMitchell) May 24, 2024
Ta'amu's 2024 season, much like his team's plight, hasn't matched up to 2023's success.
The former Ole Miss signal-caller was named the XFL's Offensive Player of the Year in 2023. Last season, Ta'amu amassed over 2,100 yards of offense with 17 scores, leading D.C. to ten wins and a title game appearance.
His overall numbers in 2024 are respectable, Ta'amu's thrown for over 1,600 yards, rushed for nearly 200 and has scored 14 touchdowns. But he's thrown nine interceptions versus only three a year ago.
Still only 26 years of age, Ta'amu is young enough to continue his playing career. It's just a matter of whether he wants to or not.
The issue with the plight of Ta'amu and Perez as professionals is that they are both at career crossroads, despite their continued growth as quarterbacks and leaders. For better or worse, a doorway back to the NFL appears to have closed for both of them.
Outside of a five-day stint with Minnesota last August, it's been three years since Ta'amu has been on an active NFL roster, coincidentally backing up his former backup in XFL 2020, Taylor Heinicke, with Washington, and then a brief stint on the Carolina Panthers practice squad.
Perez's cup of coffee treatment came two years ago with the Rams, where he spent a few weeks with Los Angeles before being let go. Since then, Perez hasn't received another NFL opportunity.
The reduced salaries for UFL head coaches moving forward are carrying over to the league's quarterbacks. In the XFL, Perez and Ta'amu were six-figure salaried players, with a weekly win bonus structure as an added incentive.
In the new UFL world, all players are paid the same $50k per season. As a result, it has limited earning potential and could lead players like Perez and Ta'amu to move on to other ventures or perhaps a stint in Canada with the CFL if the money is right.
One thing's for sure: no matter what the future holds, Ta'amu and Perez have made their mark and benefitted from playing in the spring. They were afforded an opportunity to continue their playing careers, be starters and lead teams, something that wasn't in the cards for them in the NFL.
You can find Mike Mitchell on X @ByMikeMitchell.
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