Former Ole Miss QB Matt Corral signs with UFL's Birmingham Stallions
Former Ole Miss standout Matt Corral is continuing his circuitous journey through football. He now has signed with the UFL’s Birmingham Stallions.
The UFL is a new pro football league, but played in the spring. But it should feel familiar. The XFL, which is owned by a group led by Dwayne Johnson, and the USFL merged since last season. Last year, the two leagues staggered the kick off of their spring seasons. But there’s no need to do that after the merger.
The UFL features eight teams. Corral probably is the biggest name of all the quarterbacks. As of this week, eight quarterbacks on UFL rosters played at Power Five schools.
Corral last played at Ole Miss in 2021. He led the Rebels to a 10-2 regular season record. He declared for the NFL Draft, but still played in the Sugar Bowl. He suffered a leg injury in the first quarter and did not return to the game. Nearly four months later, the Carolina Panthers selected Corral in the third round of the NFL Draft. He didn’t play that season because of a foot injury. Carolina then traded up to draft Alabama star Bryce Young with the first pick of the 2023 draft. Corral really didn’t have a future as a starter with the Panthers after the Young choice.
In Corral, UFL getting a QB with NFL experience
Carolina cut Corral near the end of training camp. That’s when Bill Belichick and the Patriots signed him. Belichick also made an odd decision during roster cuts to 53. He waived both Bailey Zappe and Malik Cunningham, the only two quarterbacks on the roster besides Mac Jones. Rather than sign an experienced QB, he added Corral. Zappe and Cunningham cleared waivers and were signed to the practice squad.
Then just before the season started, Corral abruptly left the team. Belichick gave him another chance. Corral never spoke as to why he left. But in the past, he said he was dealing with depression that impacted his career at Ole Miss.
In a 2022 interview with Yahoo, Corral said “I was still training, and it just felt like I was just going through the motions. It just felt like I was being stagnant. There was no purpose as to what I was doing.”
Maybe in the UFL, Matt Corral can be as good as he was in his final two seasons at Ole Miss. He threw for 6,686 yards and 49 touchdowns and ran for 1,120 yards and 15 TDs.
Corral and the Stallions kick off the UFL season March 30 against Arlington. The Stallions won the final USFL title, while Arlington claimed the XFL championship.