The UFL — the spring football league born from the merger between the XFL and USFL — kicked off this past weekend.
But while there were multiple memorable moments, ESPN also used one of the biggest plays of the weekend to remind viewers of a not-so-memorable game.
During the second quarter of the San Antonio Brahams’ matchup against the D.C. Defenders on Sunday, Brahams punter Brad Wing threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to offensive lineman Alex Mollette. The trick play pushed San Antonio’s lead to 20-9, in what was ultimately a 27-12 upset victory for the Brahams.
Following the play, Wing joined ESPN’s Cole Cubelic for a sideline interview — an in-game feature that is unique to UFL broadcasts. During the conversation, ESPN listed some of the punter’s career accomplishments, including that he punted the ball nine times for 411 yards in LSU’s 21-0 loss to Alabama in the 2012 BCS National Championship Game.
That nine punts in the 2012 National Championship bit on the post-game graphic really seemed unnecessary 😂 https://t.co/XKwCOVz81i pic.twitter.com/xgk4bGB8Zw
— Preston Guy (@PGuy77) April 1, 2024
While a punter attempting nine kicks in a single game is certainly notable, the 2012 BCS title game is the exact type of football the UFL should be distancing itself from.
Point out that Wing once rushed for 44 yards on a single play while at LSU. Or that he played five seasons in the NFL — including two games with the Pittsburgh Steelers just last year. But whatever you do, don’t let your viewers know that this was one of the participants in one of the worst national championship games ever played and that he was also on the losing team.
All things considered, the UFL’s opening weekend largely had entertaining games, but also faced stiff competition between the NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, the NBA regular season and the Easter holiday. It will be interesting to see how the league performs from a ratings standpoint, as this appears to be the best — if not, one of the last — chances a spring football league has at succeeding.
