Denzel Mims headlines list of former NY Jets on 2025 UFL rosters

The merged USFL-XFL is back for year two of the United Football League. The UFL kicks off its second season this coming Friday night on FOX, with several recognizable names from the New York Jets' past.

From the coaching to the player side, the 2025 version of the UFL has over two dozen former Jets on its eight teams — coaches and players who have varying experience with the green and white over the years.

Players range from a list of mildly remembered ex-Jets like wide receiver Deontay Burnett (Arlington Renegades), cornerback Rachad Wildgoose (Birmingham Stallions), or defensive tackle Freedom Akinmoladun (St. Louis Battlehawks) to the likes of, for better or worse, the unforgettable such as defensive coordinator Gregg Williams (DC Defenders).

However, some former Jets participating in the UFL this coming season stand out prominently from the crowd.

Former NY Jets players in the UFL

Firstly, there's former Jets tight end Anthony Becht. The 2000 first-round pick out of West Virginia is entering his third season as the head coach for the wildly popular St. Louis Battlehawks. Becht heads into year three with a 14-6 coaching record.

Perhaps not surprisingly, Becht's Battlehawks have seven other former Jets on his team. On the coaching side, former Jet cornerback Donnie Abraham is St. Louis's defensive coordinator.

Another long-time NFL player, La'Roi Glover, coaches the Battlehawks' defensive line. The six-time Pro Bowl defensive end coached the Jets' defensive line for two years in 2017 and 2018. St. Louis has five former Jets on the playing side. However, the most notable ex-Jet is 2020 second-round wide receiver Denzel Mims.

Coming out of Baylor, standing at 6-foot-3 with 4.30 timed speed, Mims was regarded as a tantalizing prospect with high upside. After showing glimpses of promise as a rookie, the former first-team All-Big 12 pass catcher struggled to maintain a grip on a roster spot and was traded away by the Jets after three seasons.

Mims finished his time in New York, starting 15 games, registering 42 receptions for 676 yards, and averaging a respectable 16.1 yards per reception.

However, in a unique and demoralizing anomaly, Mims scored zero touchdowns with the Jets — a stat line that furthers the fan base's belief in an ongoing team curse for wide receivers selected in Round 2 and beyond.

Now 27 years old, Mims has been with three different NFL teams since his time in New York: Detroit, Pittsburgh, and most recently, Jacksonville. All three stints ended with Mims experiencing the same dilemma he had in his final days donning a Jets uniform.

He's had an inability to gain the favor of a staff and climb back into a featured role on offense. Mims hasn't caught a regular-season pass since his final year with the Jets in 2022.

Mims washing out of the NFL in quick order is common for young wide receivers who can't carve out featured roles in a passing game and don't have a special-teams background coming out of college.

Many of the UFL's top pass catchers share the same DNA Mims has. Mims now shares the same path as his UFL brethren, seeking playing time to revitalize a career.

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