On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
Over the past week since the UFL season ended with a 25-0 Birmingham Stallions win over the San Antonio Brahmas in the title game, we've seen a number of players from around the league work out for NFL teams and ink new deals. The Arlington Renegades’ season may have disappointed, but their special teams unit has gained attention from the NFL.
AtoZSports.com reported that returner Juwan Manigo has been in contact with the New York Giants and the Tennessee Titans.
Manigo finished second in the UFL in kickoff return yards with 954, including a 45-yard return that was the sixth-longest of the season. He also had 32 yards receiving on six catches in 10 games.
Giants and Titans reportedly have been in contact with UFL KR Juwan "Sonic" Manigo. https://t.co/1bisMACVHZ
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) June 23, 2024
Before the UFL, Manigo succeeded in the LFA league in Mexico playing for the Caudillos. He was the 2022 MVP after racking up 2,174 all-purpose yards and 20 total touchdowns. Last season, he had 1,015 yards and nine touchdowns.
Arlington has had one other player signed to the NFL already, with defensive lineman Jalen Redmond joining the Minnesota Vikings. So far,11 UFL players have signed with the NFL during the offseason. Training camp in the NFL starts next month.
More must-reads:
- Commanders flaw exposed in blowout preseason loss to Ravens
- Browns GM makes wild statement on team's quarterback situation
- The '2024-25 NFL rushing touchdown leaders' quiz
Breaking News
Trending News
TODAY'S BEST
Green Bay Packers: Matt LaFleur Makes ‘Bittersweet Admission After NFL Preseason Win Against Seahawks
Angry Mike Vrabel vows to find 'rats' within Patriots organization who leaked major news
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel wasn't mad about how the backups performed in the team's 42-10 preseason loss to the New York Giants. He was angry that someone had leaked the news that wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk would need season-ending shoulder surgery. When asked if he had anything to add to the reports that Polk would miss the season, Vrabel didn't give the media anything aside from his unvarnished feelings. "I'd like to find out where some of these [reports] come from. Some of these rats around here. So, we'll figure that out," he added in a news conference on Thursday. Coaches and reporters are hardly the best of friends on a good day. Often, a coach will deflect if they don't want to add fuel to a report the team hasn't made official, but usually they won't deflect and promise to get the "rats" providing this information. NFL insider Jordan Schultz broke the news ahead of the Patriots' preseason finale against the Giants. According to Schultz, the decision for Polk to undergo surgery was made to ensure the 2024 second-round pick would be healthy for the 2026 season. Polk dealt with health issues throughout the offseason. It was during the second quarter of New England's preseason opener against the Washington Commanders that he took a nasty hit on a one-yard run, leading to the shoulder injury that will sideline him for 2025. Last season, Polk had a tough rookie debut, catching just 12 receptions for 87 yards and recording two touchdowns. The hope for 2025 was that he could redeem himself and become a reliable enough target for second-year quarterback Drake Maye. Expectations for Maye are much higher now with the return of Tom Brady's old offensive coordinator, Josh McDaniels. Without Polk to run routes, though, the already-thin wide receiver room is nearly devoid of talent behind veteran receiver Stefon Diggs. The Patriots signed Diggs to a three-year, $69 million contract in the offseason. However, Diggs has brought some unwanted attention to the team through his offseason antics and is recovering from a torn ACL that ended his time with the Houston Texans. While Patriot fans should feel some hope in the direction of the team under Vrabel — a former defensive star for New England during the dynasty years — this roster is still in the midst of a rebuild. And with such a troubled roster, losses may pile up, and the team's relationship with the media could worsen if another season feels like a waste. So, Vrabel being upset by Polk's injury is fair, but what doesn't feel fair is to single out Patriots staff and players who are potentially talking to reporters as hostile to the organization. It's perhaps not surprising that Vrabel is willing to voice his frustrations, as he's shown no fear when breaking up practice scrums. Still, it's the job of any journalist to build relationships with staff and team members to gain reliable sources who can help them accurately report the news. While the "rats" moniker for those in the building talking to NFL insiders and the New England sports media will be swallowed up by all the other headlines as Week 1 nears, it's notable that Vrabel's time as head coach in New England is already off to a contentious start.
Yankees' late implosion against Red Sox reveals bigger issues
If the New York Yankees are going to stay in contention for a postseason berth, the issues that surfaced in the ninth inning of Saturday's 12-1 loss to the Boston Red Sox must be resolved. Trailing 5-1 heading into the final frame at Yankee Stadium, the Red Sox jumped on reliever Paul Blackburn for seven runs to turn the game into a laugher and put Boston in position for a sweep of the four-game series on Sunday. While the immediate reaction would be to point to Blackburn as the cause of New York's late struggles, a deeper look into the game reveals that the 31-year-old right-hander's teammates did little to help him escape from what became a 71-pitch outing. Playing right field, Giancarlo Stanton became an easy target for the aggressive Red Sox, taking extra bases when possible against the lumbering slugger. Playing just his ninth game in the outfield this season, Stanton showed that, at this stage of his career, his legs aren't going to get him to base hits quickly. Knowing Stanton would be slow to get to any kind of hit, Boston runners took advantage, including Trevor Story's ninth-inning single to right with Jarren Duran already on first base. With Stanton having to come up to field the ball, Duran didn't hesitate, going from first to third and beating Stanton's throw to the bag. What the Yankees saw from Stanton on Saturday should be an immediate reminder and warning sign that his days of doing anything productive outside of hitting are likely past him. Another problem in the ninth was a wild overthrow from Anthony Volpe on David Hamilton's grounder. While Volpe's throw went way over the head of first baseman Ben Rice, a closer look at the replay showed that Volpe hesitated and might have had a play at second base had Jazz Chisholm Jr. been covering the base. The loss was the third consecutive win by the Red Sox in the Bronx, a problem in and of itself for a Yankees team that is battling with Boston in the American League wild-card race. But the bigger problems are the optics of that ninth inning as well. With Yankees fans already frustrated with manager Aaron Boone, watching their arch-rival play fundamentally sound baseball while the Yankees botch the small things that become big innings will only make the temperature rise in the Bronx. While Yankees batters may have hit an MLB-leading 210 home runs this season entering Saturday's action, it's not just about the long ball. As Saturday showed, if New York can't do the little things right, not even the big hits may be able to keep the Yankees alive in the postseason hunt.
Ryan Blaney wins wild Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona in photo finish
In a race that saw lead change after lead change in the closing laps, Ryan Blaney edged ahead of the pack and scored the win in Saturday's Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona. A push on the exit of Turn 4 on the final lap was enough to lead Blaney to victory over a host of drivers who needed a win to make the Cup Series playoffs. The win is Blaney's second at Daytona and his second of the 2025 season. Daniel Suarez finished runner-up, with Justin Haley, Cole Custer and Erik Jones rounding out the top five. Chris Buescher, Kyle Larson, Ty Gibbs, Josh Berry and Chase Elliott completed the top-10. An aggressive block from Haley on Custer on the final lap allowed Blaney to get the necessary momentum to make a run at the win. Suarez, Haley and Custer were three-wide for second at the checkered flag. Other notable finishers include Christopher Bell in 13th, Brad Keselowski in 18th, two-time Daytona 500 champion William Byron in 19th, Denny Hamlin in 25th and Kyle Busch in 33rd. Tyler Reddick clinched a playoff spot on points after Alex Bowman crashed early, but Bowman also earned a playoff bid by virtue of Blaney's victory. The Cup Series playoff field is now set, with the playoffs set to begin on Aug. 31 with the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.
Green Bay Packers: Luke Musgrave’s Wife’s Stunned Reaction to Jordan Love’s Wife’s Personal Post
Pat McAfee has strong reaction to Hall of Fame honor
Phillies get terrible injury news on ace starting pitcher
The Philadelphia Phillies received the update they did not want to hear on Saturday. Starting pitcher Zack Wheeler is going to miss the remainder of the 2025 season due to thoracic outlet syndrome, the team announced. He will have surgery to correct the issue with a recovery time of six to eight months. There is no way to sugarcoat this for the Phillies — this is brutal news and a potentially crushing blow to their World Series chances in the National League. While they still have a strong rotation and two excellent front-line starters in Cristopher Sanchez and Ranger Suarez, Wheeler is their unquestioned ace and has been one of the best overall pitchers in the National League since he joined the Phillies prior to the 2020 season. The Phillies are still pretty much a playoff lock at this point and entered the weekend with a six-game lead over the New York Mets in the National League East standings. But taking a front-line starter away from them this late in the season is going to be impossible to replace. With Wheeler, Sanchez and Suarez, they would have had a fierce trio to throw at teams in a short series (or a best-of-seven series) that could have stacked up with anybody. Sanchez and Suarez are still going to give them a great chance, but it's definitely not what they wanted. Prior to Saturday's announcement, Wheeler had a 2.71 ERA and was leading the league in both strikeouts (195) and strikeouts per nine innings (11.7) pitched. He also has the lowest WHIP (walks/hits per innings pitched) in the league (.935).
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
