As we near the UFL playoffs, there's one central reason for intrigue among NFL fans. Many former NFL players are attempting to prolong their careers in the spring league, and there are numerous former members of the Los Angeles Chargers involved.
You'd have to be a truly engaged fan to remember many of these players. There's Tre McKitty, who caught 16 total passes for the Chargers between 2021 and 2023 before being released in unceremonious fashion. Laviska Shenault, who played just one game with Los Angeles in 2024 to cap off a longer NFL career, is also playing in the league. But one former quarterback, Luis Perez, may be the most exciting former Charger active in the UFL at the moment.
Perez spent the 2024 preseason with the Chargers before being released. With Justin Herbert at the helm and the depth mostly set behind him, Perez stood a slim chance to make the roster in the first place. But he performed impressively in his appearances for Los Angeles, and he's now getting the chance to save his football career with the St. Louis Battlehawks in the UFL.
Luis Perez never stood a chance with the Chargers, but he's got a chance to make a reestablish himself in the UFL
Granted, Perez's Chargers career wasn't very memorable. He played two preseason games in 2024, amassing 18 completions for 139 yards and zero touchdowns. Los Angeles was his last stop on a brief NFL career that gave him stints with the Los Angeles Rams and Detroit Lions.
Before and after his release from the Chargers, Perez posted back-to-back solid seasons with the Dallas Renegades of the UFL. He led the Renegades to a UFL championship in his first season with the team, but was benched prior to the start of the 2026 season in favor of Austin Reed, formerly of Western Kentucky.
Getting benched at the UFL level can essentially be a death sentence for a quarterback's career. But mid-way through the season, Perez successfully worked himself into a trade to the St. Louis Battlehawks, and he appears poised to lead them to success. In three games with the Battlehawks, Perez has posted a 2-1 record, amassing 68 completions for 751 passing yards and three touchdowns.
According to ESPN's recent UFL power rankings, St. Louis is now the second-best team in the league behind the 7-2 Orlando Storm. If Perez can lead the team to playoff glory, there's a good chance he saves his football career by the skin of his teeth.
His time with the Chargers was brief, but hardcore fans will certainly be rooting for him as he attempts to finalize his resurgence in the UFL.
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