Contrary to what some may believe, now, more so than ever before, is the most profitable time to be a football player. Even if your NFL career doesn’t pan out exactly the way you had hoped, thanks to the existence of the UFL, CFL, and XFL, there remain plenty of options for extending your playing career even if you’re not deemed to be good enough for the big leagues.
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In the case of the Michigan Panthers’ quarterback, Bryce Perkins, it’s certainly paid to be an NFL reject. Despite going undrafted in 2020, the Arizona native still managed to secure himself a respectable payday with the Los Angeles Rams.
Though he would only start and compete in one single game, Perkins was able to secure more than $1.6 million in career earnings from 2020 to 2022. Unfortunately, his routine injury troubles would ultimately force him out of the league by the time his 2022 season was over.
Nowadays, Perkins spends his time competing in the UFL and rallying in support of player pay. Prior to the start of this season, Perkins, along with 24 quarterbacks from across the league, skipped out on their scheduled QB minicamps in an effort to negotiate higher salaries.
Thankfully, their efforts paid off, with the end result being a new collective bargaining agreement between the UFL and its Players’ Association. The new deal that Perkins helped to coordinate will ensure a $7,005 pay increase for those who are able to compete in all 10 regular-season contests, as well as year-round health coverage.
Ironically enough, however, Perkins’ persistent injury troubles reared their head once again, limiting the former Ram to just seven appearances this season. After advocating for higher pay for those who are able to show up on a consistent basis, he failed to meet his own requirements for a raise.
Nevertheless, his 2025 regular season campaign still proved to be one for the record books. His 1,342 passing yards were the fourth most of any passer this season, and his nine passing touchdowns and five rushing touchdowns were the second most of anyone else in the league.
While the particulars of UFL player pay remain confidential, Perkins’ 2025 performance may very well be enough to warrant some sort of new deal. Should he ever find himself capable of putting together a completely healthy season, then his bottom-line only figures grow to even larger.
After being named to the All-UFL team, Perkins has now managed to overcome the league’s defending champions. Thanks to a 44-29 victory, one that saw Perkins throw for 238 yards and one passing touchdown while also rushing for 38 yards and another touchdown, the Panthers are now scheduled to compete in the league’s championship.
He may not have been what the Rams were looking for at the time, but Perkins has steadily proven to be a viable option at quarterback for lesser teams. Should the Panthers go on to win the big one, then perhaps it’s worth wondering if there’s another backup opportunity in the NFL for him in the near future.
For now, however, Perkins and co. figure to be focused on their upcoming championship, which is scheduled for June 14th at The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis, Missouri.
