Former Wisconsin Badger falls short in UFL Championship
The first UFL Championship game took place on Sunday with the Birmingham Stallions besting the San Antonio Brahmas 25-0, winning their third straight title.
Former Wisconsin Badgers safety Scott Nelson, a member of the Brahmas, logged a tackle in the loss. Nelson was able to compile 22 total tackles over 12 games during the season with San Antonio.
The safety was a member of the Badgers from 2018-2021, recording 127 total tackles, including a sack, while intercepting four passes over 29 games. He went undrafted in the 2022 NFL Draft and has spent time with the Seahawks, Steelers, Lions and Texans.
As for the winners of Sunday’s contest, head coach Skip Holtz was able to lead Birmingham to a third championship in a row and the first-ever UFL title (the first two were pre-merger USFL titles).
Former Badgers rival quarterback Adrian Martinez (Nebraska, 2018-2021) won the game’s MVP award after posting 98 passing yards and a score through the air while also adding 52 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
A former Nebraska quarterback has been named the inaugural MVP of the United Football League. Adrian Martinez of the Birmingham Stallions was named the 2024 UFL Most Valuable Player on Monday. Martinez finished the regular season third in passing …
Martinez finished the regular season third in passing with 1,749 yards and 15 touchdowns. He led the league in rushing with 528 yards and added three rushing touchdowns.
The quarterback played four seasons at Nebraska, from 2018-21, before transferring to Kansas State to finish his career. While in college, he threw for 9,391 yards and 49 touchdowns with 30 interceptions. Martinez also ran for 2,847 yards and 44 touchdowns.
Martinez and the Stallions will face the San Antonio Brahmas in the inaugural UFL Championship Game at 4:00 p.m. CT Sunday at The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis.
The #UFL today announced Birmingham Stallions quarterback Adrian Martinez as the 2024 UFL Most Valuable Player. pic.twitter.com/Fv99Qa1sxN
— UFL Communications Department (@UFL_PR) June 10, 2024
Two days after he was benched for Matt Corral in a playoff win, Birmingham Stallions QB Adrian Martinez is named the UFL's MVP. https://t.co/P5TX1apGjr
Adrian Martinez is the frontrunner for @TheUFL MVP 🏆 & you could see him grow throughout the year. 📈
He spoke to me & @DanielDopp about how grateful he is to have a league that’s helped him continue to develop. Especially with the @NFL looking to shorten the preseason even… pic.twitter.com/038VctAPUg
Ex-Lions QB Adrian Martinez named the UFL’s Most Valuable Player in the league’s inaugural season
No Detroit Lions quarterback has ever won the NFL’s Most Valuable Player award, though Jared Goff might have something to say about that if the team’s burgeoning offensive success continues. But a recent former Lions quarterback has captured the MVP award for the first year of the United Football League.
Adrian Martinez of the Birmingham Stallions won the UFL MVP award. Martinez was with the Lions last summer as an undrafted rookie out of Kansas State, serving as Detroit’s No. 4 quarterback behind Goff, Teddy Bridgewater and Nate Sudfeld.
Martinez led the UFL in rushing (including all RBs) and also threw for 1,750 yards and 15 TDs in leading the Stallions to a league-best 9-1 record.
During the year, Martinez threw 1,749 yards and 15 touchdowns with three interceptions. He’s also run for a UFL league-leading 528 yards and three touchdowns with an average of 9.8 yards per rush.
The quarterback played four seasons at Nebraska, from 2018-21, before transferring to Kansas State to finish his career. While in college, he threw for 9,391 yards and 49 touchdowns with 30 interceptions. Martinez also ran for 2,847 yards and 44 touchdowns.
Adrian Martinez and the Birmingham Stallions will play the Michigan Panthers in the USFL Conference Championship game on Saturday. The Stallions are 2-0 on the year against the Panthers, and the first kick is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. CT on ABC.
In eight games this season, Martinez has thrown for 1,375 yards while adding a league-leading 431 yards on the ground.
Martinez played at Nebraska from 2018-21 before transferring to Kansas State for his final college football season. In his Husker career, he went 14-24 as a starter in Lincoln.
For his career, he threw for 9,391 yards and 49 touchdowns with 30 interceptions. He also ran for 2,847 yards and 44 touchdowns.
He spent training camp with the Detroit Lions but was cut before the end of the preseason. Adrian Martinez and the Birmingham Stallions will retake the field on Saturday, May 25, at 2:00 p.m. when they travel to San Antonio to take on the Brahmas.
Martinez finished the game 19-for-31 with 173 passing yards and three touchdowns. He also added six carries for 44 yards with two more scores on the night.
The California native played for Nebraska from 2018-21 before transferring to Kansas State for the 2022 season. As a starter in Lincoln, he went 14-24.
In five collegiate seasons, he threw for 9,391 yards and 49 touchdowns with 30 interceptions. Martinez also ran for 2,847 yards and 44 touchdowns.
He spent last season in camp with the Detroit Lions before being cut during the preseason. The Birmingham Stallions will next take the field on Saturday afternoon when they travel to San Antonio to face the Brahmas.
Kickoff is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. central time.
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Martinez finished 11-for-20, passing for 155 yards and one touchdown. He also ran the ball nine times for 138 yards with a long of 34 yards. The quarterback’s 138 yards on the ground are the most rushing yards in a game this season.
The quarterback played for the Cornhuskers from 2018-21 before transferring to Kansas State for the 2022 season. As a starter in Lincoln, he went 14-24.
He threw for 9,391 yards and 49 touchdowns with 30 interceptions while in college. Martinez also ran for 2,847 yards and 44 touchdowns.
He spent last offseason in camp with the Detroit Lions but was cut during the preseason. The Stallions improved to 5-0 and next take the field on Saturday at 11 a.m., when they face the Memphis Showboats in Tennessee.
Martinez went 2-for-6 passing for 26 yards and an interception while adding 52 rushing yards on three attempts in relief of quarterback Matt Corral. He would exit the game late in the second quarter after suffering a foot injury.
The quarterback played at Nebraska from 2018-21 before transferring to Kansas State for the 2022 season. For his career, he threw for 9,391 yards and 49 touchdowns with 30 interceptions. He also ran for 2,847 yards and 44 touchdowns.
He was not selected in the 2023 NFL draft but spent time with the Detroit Lions in training camp before being cut. Martinez and the Birmingham Stallions have won the last two USFL championships.
The former Husker quarterback took the field in the opening game for the new league.
A former Nebraska quarterback made his debut in the United Football League on Saturday afternoon. Adrian Martinez and the Birmingham Stallions defeated the Arlington Renegades 27-14 in the opening game of the professional spring football season.
Martinez was 2-for-6 passing for 26 yards with an interception in relief of starter Matt Corral. He would also have three rushing attempts for 52 yards before having to exit late in the first half after suffering a foot injury.
The quarterback played for the Cornhuskers from 2018-21 before transferring to Kansas State for the 2022 season. As a starter in Lincoln, he went 14-24.
He would throw for 9,391 yards and 49 touchdowns with 30 interceptions while in college. He also ran for 2,847 yards and 44 touchdowns.
He would spend last offseason in camp with the Detroit Lions but was cut during the preseason.
Former Lions to watch in Birmingham Stallions vs. Arlington Renegades on the UFL’s opening weekend
The United Football League, a combination of former spring leagues XFL and USFL, is kicking off for their inaugural season this weekend, giving plenty of non-NFL players a new chance to take the field.
For many players, this is an opportunity to once again play professional football while also opening a door to get back into the NFL.
The first matchup of the weekend is the Birmingham Stallions against the Arlington Renegades. In this game, Lions fans may see some familiar names and faces on their screens.
Adrian Martinez – Quarterback, Birmingham Stallions
DETROIT, MICHIGAN – AUGUST 11: Adrian Martinez #18 of the Detroit Lions runs up the fieldin the fourth quarter of a preseason game against the New York Giants at Ford Field on August 11, 2023 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images)
Martinez signed with the Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2023. While with the team, he appeared in two preseason games. He completed nine pass attempts for 76 yards while picking up 24 yards and a score on the ground.
Martinez was waived by the Lions before the regular season began and did not return to the team. He is now the backup for the Stallions behind Matt Corral.
Jordan Thomas – Tight End, Birmingham Stallions
Indianapolis Colts tight end Jordan Thomas (47) at Grand Park in Westfield on Monday, August 2, 2021, on the second week of workouts of this summer’s Colts training camp. Head Coach Frank Reich reappeared at practice after being away for ten days after a COVID-19 positive test.
Colts Get Their Coach Back On Week Two Of Colts Camp
Thomas’s time as a Lion was not very memorable. He signed with the Lions on a reserve/futures deal at the start of 2022 and did not even make it to training camp. He was released in March of that same year.
Thomas bounced around the league and also saw time on two XFL squads. Interestingly enough, he split his time between tight end and outside linebacker in those years following his short stint with Detroit. He is now slated to be a third-string tight end for Birmingham.
Mark Gilbert – Cornerback, Birmingham Stallions
Jan 9, 2022; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Lions cornerback Mark Gilbert (40) walks off the field just after the second quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Gilbert may have spent a short time with the Lions as well, but he did shine in one particular game for the Lions back in 2021.
As an undrafted rookie, Gilbert was poached off of Pittsburgh’s practice squad to bolster the depth at cornerback. In his second game as a Lion, against his former team, he stepped up in a big way and logged a pass deflection as well as a forced fumble. His late-game heroics helped break a losing streak for Detroit, albeit with a 16-16 tie.
Luis Perez – Quarterback, Arlington Renegades
Jul 28, 2018; Irvine, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Luis Perez (9) throws a pass during training camp at UC Irvine. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
After facing a slew of injuries at the quarterback position in 2019, the Lions brought in Luis Perez near the end of the preseason. His tenure as a Detroit Lion lasted all of four days. He appeared in one preseason game where he completed one pass for five yards.
Perez is now the starting quarterback for the Renegades.
Will Clarke – Defensive End, Arlington Renegades
Oct 22, 2017; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end Will Clarke (94) against the Buffalo Bills at New Era Field. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports
Clarke is another former Lion who is easy to forget ever being with the organization. As an outside linebacker at the time, Clarke signed with Detroit in August of 2020 and was waived two weeks later before the season began.
Jamar Summers – Cornerback, Arlington Renegades
CLEVELAND, OH – AUGUST 29: Jamar Summers #21 of the Detroit Lions celebrates with Mike Ford #38 after intercepting a pass during the third quarter of the preseason game against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium on August 29, 2019 in Cleveland, Ohio. Cleveland defeated Detroit 20-16. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images)
Summers signed with Detroit in August 2019 after a short standout career in the AAF.
Despite all of the hype around his signing, he had a very quiet preseason as a Lion. He appeared in three preseason games for Detroit and recorded no tackles. He did, however, come away with an interception against the Cleveland Browns.
