12 former Chicago Bears players are getting another shot at pro football in the UFL this spring

Spring football is returning once again in 2024, but this time under the combined forces of the USFL and XFL, which have merged to form a new league in the UFL. 

The UFL’s spring season slated to kick off on Saturday, March 30 with the Birmingham Stallions facing the Arlington Renegades and the St. Louis Battlehawks taking on the Michigan Panthers.

Here's how the league will be structured this year. The league features eight teams are broken down into two conferences and will include a 10-week season with no bye weeks. Conference winners will host semifinals in the postseason against two wild-card teams to determine who will play in the UFL Championship Game.

The league is comprised of former NFL and college football players including several former Chicago Bears players looking to have a second chance at professional football. From the Bears, a total of 12 former players have been identified who were on the Bears' roster in some capacity during their NFL career. Here's which familiar names/faces you could be seeing in action this spring.

Arlington Renegades:

• DE Bunmi Rotimi

Bunmi Rotimi signed with the Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2018 but never appeared in a regular season with Chicago. In fact, he never made it to the preseason with the Bears after being released in July. However, he eventually caught on a played nine games with the Washington Commanders during the 2021 season. He also played for the Renegades in 2023 and will be returning with the team.

Birmingham Stallions:

• DE Taco Charlton
• LB DeMarquis Gates
• DB A.J. Thomas
• K Chris Blewitt

The Stallions will feature two players who were on the Bears' roster in some capacity during the last two seasons in DeMarquis Gates and A.J. Thomas. Gates played eight combined games for the Bears, including five in 2023. Thomas appeared in six games during his time in Chicago. Also on the Stallions is former Cowboys' first round pick Taco Charlton, who played five games for the Bears in 2022.

DC Defenders:

• CB Michael Joseph

Michael Joseph went undrafted in the 2018 NFL Draft but signed with his hometown team in Chicago. However, he was later released and re-signed to the practice squad in September. He played in one game in 2021 but was finally released by the team in 2022. Last season with the Defenders, Joseph was named to the 2023 All-XFL Team.

Memphis Showboats:

• OG Jordan McCray

Jordan McCray was signed by the Packers in 2014 as a undrafted free agent but didn’t join the Bears until he was signed in 2019 after spending time in the AFL and AAF. McCray was then cut in August and has since played in the XFL, indoor football league, and USFL leading up to this season with the Showboats.

Michigan Panthers:

• LB Noah Dawkins
  
• DB Javin White

Noah Dawkins was signed by the Bengals as an undrafted free agent in 2019 and joined the Bears in February of 2022 before being released in August. Javin White was signed by the Raiders as an undrafted free agent in 2020 and joined the Bears in 2022 before being waived and placed on the injured reserve.

San Antonio Brahmas:

• DT Rashaad Coward
• LB Joel Iyiegbuniwe
• CB Teez Tabor

Rashaad Coward played the first three years of his career with the Bears making 15 starts from 2017-2020. Joel Iyiegbuniwe played 58 games for the Bears from 2018-2021 after being drafted in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL Draft by former general manager Ryan Pace. Teez Tabor, a former Lions' second round pick, played six games for the Bears during the 2021 season.