While the Washington Commanders are gearing up to try and make a Super Bowl run this season, other former members of the organization are busy trying to reach their goals as well.
Some are still in the NFL, of course, but some former Commanders have pivoted and are currently taking advantage of the opportunity the United Football League (UFL) is providing for otherwise fringe members of pro rosters.
Take, for example, cornerback Rachad Wildgoose, who spent the 2022 NFL season with Washington, appearing in 15 games, eventually landing with the UFL's defending champion Birmingham Stallions. He, the other former Commanders in the league, like offensive linemen Alex Akingbulu (Arlington Renegades) and Mason Brooks (DC Defenders), and all of the other UFL players are going to benefit from a historic collective bargaining agreement (CBA) passed by the players on Friday.
"The United Football League (UFL) players ratified a two-year collective bargaining agreement (CBA) for the 2025 and 2026 seasons," the UFL Players' Association (UFPA) stated in a press release announcing the news. "The CBA raises the annual salary for active players from $55,000 to $62,005 in 2025, with a further increase to $64,000 in 2026. In addition, players will now be eligible for year-round healthcare in the form of seven months of active coverage and a five-month COBRA subsidy. Players were previously on their own for healthcare outside the four-month season. The CBA will be effective retroactively from the start of the 2025 training camp."
This is great news for players who aren't making as much as their NFL counterparts but are putting the same amount of physical risk on the line in hopes of reaching their own football glory, and perhaps doing enough to make it to or back to the highest level.
Of course, it is also a big step for the UFL itself who certainly has aspirations of becoming a league that can confidently house the full career of top talents in the football world, not that this alone will get it there.
"UFL players are not millionaires. Like many Americans, they are simply hard workers looking for fair pay and healthcare from an employer who can afford it," Harry Marino, President of Sports Solidarity and the lead negotiator for the CBA said in the release. "Our team at Sports Solidarity was honored to fight for and alongside these Players throughout this negotiation. We are gratified to have ultimately reached a fair agreement that will benefit all parties.”
The release included all of the 2025/2026 UFL season improvements, listed here:
- Health Insurance: Year-round healthcare (four months of in-season coverage plus three months of offseason coverage plus five months of subsidized COBRA for eligible Players and dependents)
- Salary Increase: Weekly salary increase from $5,500 to $6,205 in 2025 and $6,400 in 2026 (includes reallocation of $400/wk housing stipend)
- Bonuses: Actual payment of Player bonuses ($500 for Players of the Week; $5,000 for Players of the Year; $7,500 for League MVP; and $5,000 for all players on UFL Championship Team)
- Roster Size: Increase in Active Roster from 42 to 43; Increase from 58 to 64 Training Camp invitees
- Discipline and Grievances: Players given notice and an opportunity to cure before being disciplined, written notice and an explanation for all discipline, and a longer time to file grievances
- Practices: Maximum of two padded practices per week instead of three; guaranteed warmup of at least 30 minutes instead of 20 minutes; shortening of maximum workday from 12 hours to 10 hours
- Meals: Three meals instead of one on game days; one meal in addition to per diem on travel days
- Access to Medical Records: Players guaranteed access to their medical records
- Agents: Teams cannot go around agents to negotiate directly with Players without a Player’s consent
- Uniforms: Players can now wear preferred cleats
- Player’s Council: New labor-management committee that will meet 3x per year to discuss day to day issues
