Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

Former Packers QB has surprising performance to help his team reach the UFL playoffs

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Wendell Ferreira | Last updated May 20, 2024 1:37 PM ET

Quarterback Manny Wilkins spent a year with the Green Bay Packers. After signing with them as an undrafted free agent in 2019, Wilkins didn't make the 53-man roster, but spent a season on the practice squad.

However, the quarterback never played real NFL games. He hadn't started a football game since 2018, for Arizona State. On Sunday, he finally had his new opportunity.

A backup for AJ McCarron for the UFL's St. Louis Battlehawks, Wilkins had the chance to start because of an injury to his starter.

And he helped the Battlehawks beat the DC Defenders 26-21, a win that secured St. Louis' spot in the UFL playoffs.

Performance

Wilkins wasn't used frequently as a passer, finishing the game with only nine completions in 18 attempts for 126 yards. However, he avoided mistakes and created another dimension to the offense with 12 running attempts for 79 yards — leading the team in rushing yards, not bad for a player who hadn't started a real game in basically six years.

Check out his highlights, because he had a couple of really interesting plays.

oh yeah, @MannyWilkins5 showed off in today's playoff clinching win pic.twitter.com/SAwgmvmKzz
— St. Louis Battlehawks (@XFLBattlehawks) May 19, 2024

Main target

Manny Wilkins' leading target was wide receiver Hakeem Butler, with three receptions for 39 yards.

Butler, a former NFL fourth-round pick for the Arizona Cardinals, has been a really intriguing piece in minor leagues and could have another NFL chance soon. He leads the UFL with 606 receiving yards, and nobody else is above 450 yards. He's also tied for first with five receiving touchdowns.

Hakeem Butler spent NFL time with the Cardinals, Carolina Panthers, and Philadelphia Eagles at first. Then, he had short preseason experiences with the BC Lions and Edmonton Elks in the Canadian Football League.

Last year, he signed with the St. Louis Battlehawks and made the All-XFL team, which created him an opportunity to sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers. A training camp injury compromised his chance, though, and he went back to the Battlehawks to play in the UFL — the resulting league of a merge between the XFL and the USFL.

UFL playoffs

AJ McCarron suffered an ankle injury, but the Battlehawks still expect him to be active for the playoffs. There are two weeks left in the regular season, as the team will face the Arlington Renegades and the San Antonio Brahmas, but all four playoff teams are already decided. Now, it's just a matter of seeding. Considering those circumstances, it's possible that we will see more of Manny Wilkins in the next couple of games.

After he got released by the Packers in the 2020 offseason, Wilkins didn't have other NFL opportunities — he's been with the Battlehawks since last year.

The Battlehawks will face the Brahmas in the XFL conference final, while the USFL conference final will happen between the Birmingham Stallions and the Michigan Panthers. The UFL Championship Game will be on June 16, in St. Louis.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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