As the UFL’s second season approaches, labor tensions are nearing a boiling point — if they haven’t already.
Late Wednesday night, the league was rocked by allegations from multiple UFL players who accused Daryl Johnston, the league’s executive vice president of football operations, of engaging in unfair labor practices.
Awful Announcing has contacted Johnston for comment, but as of Thursday, he has yet to respond.
However, the NFLPA has since responded — not to us at AA — by issuing a strong statement condemning Fox Sports and other UFL owners for their actions.
“We are proud to stand in solidarity with the players of the UFL as they fight for a contract ahead of the UFL season,” the statement reads. “It’s time for Fox Sports and the other UFL owners to show the players respect and give them the fair wages and healthcare coverage they deserve.”
To the players of the UFL: We’ve got your back ✊ pic.twitter.com/0i6Pa2JOwF
— NFLPA (@NFLPA) March 7, 2025
The NFLPA elected to get involved after ESPN’s Kevin Seifert reported in a bombshell article that three unnamed players claimed they were threatened with release if they participated in a boycott of the league’s media days. The players allege that the warning came from their coaches, who later confirmed Johnston himself had issued the directive.
That development follows last month’s public standoff when the UFL’s labor strife was first made public. Then, the league’s 24 quarterbacks revealed that they would be holding out of training camp to secure a new collective bargaining agreement. While the quarterbacks reported to training earlier this week and a strike appears “unlikely,” tensions between the league and its players heading into the 2025 season are clearly high.
The media days in Arlington, Texas, went on as planned, but not without threats being issued. After Day 1 of the UFL Media Days, the NFLPA entered the fray, offering support and leverage, knowing full well that the situation is far from resolved.
No substantive negotiations have yet occurred between the league and the UFLPA, and the union’s growing involvement and the NFLPA’s strong condemnation suggest that pressure is building for both sides. As the March 28 season opener nears, all eyes will be on how these labor issues unfold.
