Former Packers quarterback wins 1st start in UFL

St. Louis Battlehawks quarterback A.J. McCarron, the former national championship winner for the Alabama Crimson Tide, was unable to suit up for Sunday’s action after he sustained an ankle injury in Week 7 of the UFL season. His replacement’s name might ring a bell for Green Bay Packers fans: Manny Wilkins.

After starting three seasons for the Arizona State Sun Devils, Wilkins signed as an undrafted free agent with the Packers back in 2019. While he was unable to make the roster that carried Aaron Rodgers and Tim Boyle, Wilkins was signed to the team’s practice squad for his rookie season. After 2019, Wilkins was given a reserve/futures contract, which kept him on the team in 2020 until Jordan Love was drafted — leading to Wilkins’ April 27th release.

Since that date in 2020, it appears that Wilkins hasn’t drawn NFL interest, as he had not signed with another football team until he resurfaced in the XFL in February of 2023. When it was announced that McCarron, one of the handful of players who are in the UFL Most Valuable Player Award race, would not play, many pointed to Wilkins as a major question mark in this week’s matchup versus the DC Defenders— as Wilkins hadn’t started a single football game at any level since his 2018 senior season at Arizona State.

To add more drama to the mix, the 5-2 Battlehawks were tied with the San Antonio Brahamas in the XFL Division of the UFL going into this week’s action.

Ultimately, the Battlehawks beat the Defenders by a score of 26-21, which included this near-touchdown by Wilkins on a hurdle attempt at the goal line:

Not only did Wilkins throw for 126 yards, but he rushed for 82, including on key downs in the red zone.

It’s unclear how long McCarron will be out of the lineup. He was injured in Week 7 action, which he was able to push through — despite being held out of play this weekend. Wilkins’ run as a starter might be short, as McCarron probably will be ready to return to the field by the postseason, which starts in just three weeks. Hey, at least Wilkins has some new film to show pro teams, though.