Inside the UFL
by Fran Stuchbury
Published on January 7, 2026 under United Football League (UFL)
The United Football League finalized its coaching lineup for the 2026 season last week, and only one head coach will be back on the same team as last year.
Head Coach Shannon Harris returns to the DC Defenders after leading his team to a championship while serving in an interim capacity in 2025.
Columbus Aviators - Tedd Ginn Jr.
Ginn Jr., born in Cleveland, played college football at Ohio State where he was a three-time First Team All American. He led the NCAA in punt return average at 25.6 in 2004. He was selected in the first round, ninth overall, in the 2007 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins. He went on to have a 14-year NFL career with six different teams. His father, Ted Ginn Sr., is a high school football coach at Glenville in Cleveland.
Louisville Kings - Chris Redman
Redman played at Louisville from 1995 until 1999, passing for 12,541 yards, 84 touchdowns and 51 interceptions. In 1999 he was named Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year before being selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the third round of the 2000 NFL Draft, collecting a Super Bowl XXXV ring with the team that season.
Redman was an assistant/quarterback coach at Arlington/Midlothian High School in Texas from 2023 to 2024.
Anthony Becht - Orlando Storm
Becht is a familiar name in league circles, serving as head coach for the St. Louis Battlehawks in the XFL in 2023 then the UFL in 2024 and 2025. His record was 22-8 those three seasons, and 0-2 in the postseason, losing to San Antonio Brahmas and DC. Defenders in the XFL Conference Championship games. Becht resides in Florida.
St. Louis Battlehawks - Ricky Proehl
With Becht coaching in Orlando, Ricky Proehl will lead the Battlehawks.
Proehl, who played 17 seasons in the NFL, was with the St. Louis Rams from 1998 until 2002 and was a member of "The Greatest Show on Turf" team in 1999, catching passes from future Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner. They went on to win Super Bowl XXXIV, defeating the Tennessee Titans, 23-16.
After his playing career concluded Proehl served as an offensive assistant with the Carolina Panthers from 2011 until 2012, then as the team's wide receivers coach from 2013 until 2016.
He was the wide receivers coach for the Battlehawks in the XFL in 2023 where he menotred his son Austin who played wide receiver that season.
AJ McCarron - Birmingham Stallions
AJ McCarron competed at Alabama and won three National Championships under legendary coach Nick Saban. In two of those championships he was named the Most Valuable Player. He was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL Draft and had a 10-year career in the league before playing for the St. Louis Battlehawks in 2023 and 2024. McCarron led the XFL with 24 passing touchdowns in 2023.
McCarron has big shoes to fill, taking over for championship-winning coach Skip Holtz who decided to step down.
Rick Neuheisel - Dallas Renegades
Neuheisel was a quarterback for the United States Football League's San Antonio Gunslingers in 1984 and 1985, spending some time in the NFL as well.
He's no stranger to coaching, either. In college he coached at Colorado from 1995-1998, Washington from 1999-2002, and UCLA from 2008 until 2011 with an 87-59 record. In 2019 Neuheisel served as head coach of the Alliance of American Football's Arizona Hotshots, leading them to 5-3 record before league folded.
He replaces Bob Stoops who decided to retire.
Kevin Sumlin - Houston Gamblers
Sumlin was a head coach in college for Houston from 2008-2011, Texas A&M from 2012-2017, and Arizona from 2018-2020. His record was 95-63.
Sumlin is no stranger to spring football after coaching the United States Football League's Houston Gamblers which played their entire 2022 season in Birmingham that year going 3-7. He takes over Curtis Johnson who was fired on November 29, 2025.
United Football League Stories from January 7, 2026
- Inside the UFL - OSC Original by Fran Stuchbury
- Inside the UFL - OSC Original by Fran Stuchbury
- Inside the UFL - OSC Original by Fran Stuchbury
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