Inside the UFL

by Fran Stuchbury
Published on April 16, 2026 under United Football League (UFL)

The United Football League featured a lesson in resilience in week three. After St. Louis Battlehawks Head Coach Ricky Proehl benched quarterback Brandon Silvers late in the first half, in came Harrison Frost to face the Birmingham Stallions. For 15 minutes, it appeared Proehl had made a huge error.

With St. Louis nursing a three-point lead in the third quarter, Birmingham cornerback Mario Goodrich intercepted Frost's first pass of the ballgame and returned it 40 yards for six points.

Frost's fortunes clouded further when his next throw found the hands of Stallions safety Lukas Denis, making the quarterback two-for-two in throwing to the opposition. Birmingham scored another touchdown off the turnover to take a 10-point lead. An incomplete pass and a sack ended St. Louis' next drive.

With a dreadful third quarter behind him, Frost rallied the Battlehawks in the fourth. First, he capped a 55-yard drive with a two-yard scoring toss to Steven McBride. The next time he had the ball, Frost answered a long Birmingham TD with one of his own, a 64-yard strike to wide receiver Hakeem Butler. He capped the comeback effort with a game-winning, 11-yard touchdown pass to tight end Tyler Neville with two minutes left in the game.

Frost ended his day connecting on nine of 15 passes for 148 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.

"Couldn't be prouder of a group of men," said a relieved Proehl. "We started out great and then we kind of went into a lull, but like I said couldn't be more proud to come back, to battle back from several points down. It was disheartening at a point in the game, in the third quarter. And obviously we decided to go with Harrison. That didn't look good early on, but just like I said just a a great win. They could have quit and they didn't."

"It was incredible," Frost said. "After that second pick I just like started praying, 'God please help me.' I knew it couldn't get any worse than pick six. The boys started making plays and just fortunate for it to end up going our way."

Frost's first pro experience came with the XFL's Seattle Sea Dragons during the 2023 season before playing for the Canadian Football League's Hamilton Tiger-Cats for the 2024 and 2025 seasons.

"In two years there, I didn't get reps, not even scout team," Frost recalled of his time in Hamilton. "I was just sitting there learning. The coaches in Hamilton taught me a lot about football. Obviously, it's a different game. My time there was very valuable for sure."

"When we decided to go with Harrison, I was going to ride it out," added Proehl. "I was committed at that point. I was going to ride him even through the two interceptions that followed. He's a confident kid. He's shown that in practice. He showed that later on, how he extends the play and made some things happen as the game went on."

Frost has made Proeh's choice easier.

"I think Harrison will be our starter moving forward," Proehl confirmed. "Brandon's a a great asset to our football team. He's a veteran leader. I spoke to him after the game, and we just need him. It's a tough situation. Brandon's a competitor he's had a lot of success in this league, and but now he's got to be a leader. He's got to be a mentor to Harrison and just be there for him. It's like I told him, 'We may need you down the road. You got to stay in it and be positive and keep coming to work every day and work on your game.' For whatever reason, Brandon just hasn't been Brandon in the first couple weeks. I've watched him in 2020 when he was in Seattle when Austin (Proehl) and him played together. He's a gunslinger, and I'm just not seeing that same Brandon, and that's why we decided to make a change today."

Week 4 Games

Thursday, April 16th

Louisville Kings at Houston Gamblers - 8 pm est. NFL Network

Friday, April 17th

Dallas Renegades at Columbus Aviators - 8 pm est. FOX

Saturday, April 18th

St. Louis Battlehawks at DC Defenders - 12:30 pm est. ABC

Orlando Storm at Birmingham Stallions - 4 pm est. FOX

EXTRA POINTS

1. Attendance at Friday's Orlando at Louisville game was 11,082. Saturday's Houston at DC contest drew 12,167. Sunday's Columbus at Dallas game attracted 5,133 and the Birmingham at St. Louis weekend finale saw 20,209 spectators.

2. Louisville Kings quarterback Jason Bean, Dallas Renegades cornerback Shaun Wade and St. Louis Battlehawks tight end Tyler Neville were named the OurSports Central United Football League Offensive Player, Defensive Player and Unsung Hero of the Week, respectively, for week three of UFL season.

3. The Orlando Storm defeated the Louisville Kings 29-27 in overtime. Louisville committed two defensive penalties during Orlando conversion attempts. The second penalty resulted in an automatic score, ending the game. UFL VP of Officiating Dean Blandino explained that the rule is in place to discourage teams from committing penalty after penalty in the overtime period and to end the game in a timely fashion.

4. The DC Defenders defeated the Houston Gamblers 45-7 in the largest margin of victory in UFL history. The Defenders were up 28-0 at halftime which was also the largest halftime lead in UFL history.

5. Defenders kicker Matt McCrane made his second 60-yard field goal of the season, resulting in 4 points.

6. Columbus Aviators Head Coach Ted Ginn, Jr. is back as head coach after missing their game last week against the Dallas Renegades due to being arrested for a DUI. Offensive Coordinator Todd Haley filled in during their 28-23 loss.

7. Former XFL and UFL player Chris Payton-Jones has died at age 30. He played for the Seattle Sea Dragons (XFL, 2023) and the St. Louis Battlehawks (UFL, 2024-25).

8. The Birmingham Stallions released kicker Jon Garibay and signed Anders Carlson as his replacement.

9. My UFL Best Bet Lock of the Week is the DC Defenders -4.5 against the St. Louis Battlehawks. The Defenders have scored 89 points the past two weeks in convincing victories. Battlehawks quarterback Harrison Frost will face a solid Defenders defense as well as a passionate crowd. St. Louis rallied last week despite several turnovers. They can't afford to get down against the surging Defenders.

United Football League Stories from April 16, 2026

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• Inside the UFL - OSC Original by Fran Stuchbury
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