It’s a league built to provide opportunities, created for those determined to work for their dreams.
A perfect match for 2014 Spring Lake Park High School graduate Zack Johnson.
In the inaugural season of the United Football League, a merger of the previous XFL and USFL, Johnson has helped lead the Birmingham Stallions to an 8-1 record, with a final regular season game remaining June 1. Johnson will also return to the area June 27 alongside former SLP NFLer Brian Leonhardt to help run a free camp for area youth chasing their dreams as well.
Johnson’s professional journey has required persistence and adaptability, traits he developed in high school football for the Panthers, and through four FBS national championship seasons in college with North Dakota State, moving where needed along the offensive line.
After signing as an undrafted free agent in 2020 with the Green Bay Packers, practice opportunities were limited due to COVID restrictions, putting himself and fellow young players in similar situations on an even steeper hill to climb.
Johnson moved on to practice squad opportunities with Arizona, Denver and Baltimore in the two years after, then spent parts of the past two seasons with the Tennessee Titans before joining UFL’s Birmingham this spring. The new league helps provide chances for players fighting for roster spots to showcase themselves in competitive, real-game situations.
“I was in Green Bay my first season, and they didn’t have a preseason so I didn’t have tape,” Johnson said. “You need to have tape so the league can see you, because they don’t see practices every week. With Birmingham, I needed to make sure I get film. I’ve been on practice squads the past three years, and it turned into this, and now I’m trying to get some tape out there and get back onto an NFL roster.
“Obviously COVID was one thing where everyone was running through their own situation. The thing I really focused in on was just never giving up and understanding that everybody’s going through it at the same time. At the end of the day, you’ve got to fight for what you want. That’s where I wanted to make sure I stayed in the league and I was able to. It was definitely not the easiest thing to do; there’s been ups and downs — I’ve been on five teams in three years — and it’s been a good experience for me, but also it’s been a journey to get to where I am.”
In a profession based on timing, Johnson’s path converged with the inaugural season of the UFL this spring. Playing offensive line for early power Birmingham, Johnson and the Stallions have thrived under head coach Skip Holtz.
“All you can hope for is to get an opportunity, and you’ve got to make the most of the next opportunity,” Johnson said. “That’s where a lot of this comes into play. All of these other teams in the pros are in OTAs (organized team activities) right now. So during this time, those guys aren’t playing but we are, so you never know what’s going to happen. Somebody might have a hiccup with their spot during OTAs, you could fill in. There’s a lot of ways this league is moving in the right direction, where it could potentially get you into the right spot where you need to be at the right time.
“It’s been fun for sure. We’ve got a good group of guys up front. Obviously the offensive line in the trenches, the D-line too. It reminds me a lot of NDSU and playing ball and having fun with a lot of guys out there, being able to make the most of our opportunity and know that we all where we want to get back to, or people that haven’t had a shot — they’re coming through the backside of COVID, where they may not have even had a shot at the league. Everybody wants to get back to where they want to be, and that’s the league. There’s a purpose in mind for sure, but at the end of the day it’s doing your job and doing the most with your opportunity.”
Along with showcasing players for potential return or debut trips to the NFL, the UFL offers a competitive atmosphere that players and fans alike have embraced.
“I had preseason with Tennessee last year, but even during that time it’s hard to get up and go,” Johnson said. “They always say be a pro, and that’s what I try to do. Getting back into games and routines and rituals is fun, to get back to that again and enjoy a season, and be a part of the UFL and what they’re trying to promote. It helps out a lot of guys. I give a lot of credit to our coaches, David DeGuglielmo our O-line coach, he’s done nothing but the best for us trying to make sure we’re getting our good work in at practice, and making sure we’re getting good stuff in on film, because he knows that’s what matters and that’s what he wants us to do. So like I said, it’s been fun.
“It’s been good obviously with that part of things, just understanding how to balance that stuff, bring that blue-collar mentality to every week and every game. Just hope to finish out this season healthy, win every game that we can and go from there, and hopefully get back to the league, stay healthy and keep competing.”
Johnson will be running a free camp on Thursday, June 27 with 2007 Spring Lake Park graduate Brian Leonhardt, who also played in the NFL with the Raiders, San Francisco and the Vikings. Grades K-5 are from 5-6:15 p.m., and grades 6-8 are from 6:30-7:45 p.m. There will be a meet and greet in between camps.
“I’m really excited about the camp,” Johnson said. “Me and Brian came together and talked about what would be the best situation to really impact the community, along with being able to not only show kids what they’re capable of, but make sure they know a kid from this area can come out and make an impact on other people and other ways in life through hard work and versatility in whatever it is. So this camp is going to be a good thing for me and Brian to make sure these kids are going to be able to go out of their comfort zones and have fun and be around all their friends, and to realize people who have been in their shoes have come out way ahead. There’s so many jobs out there other than football that are important; just for them to see us and look up to us, I think it’s going to be really good. There’s a lot of athletes around this area that are pro athletes, it’s just crazy. I think it’s really cool to showcase to little kids that there are pro athletes that come out of these schools, if they work hard and put their nose to the grindstone, you can come out as what you want to be.”
For more information and to register for the camp, visit www.pantheryouthfootball.org/page/show/1114286-camps-and-clinics.
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