With most of the sports world focused on opening week of Major League Baseball or the final few rounds of March Madness basketball, the UFL is also in the midst of its opening weekend. It’s been an eventful couple of days for the UFL with Jarveon Howard breaking the record for the UFL’s longest run in the regular season. Not even a full 24 hours later, former Pittsburgh Steelers RB Kalen Ballage one-upped Howard.
Ballage made one cut and burst up the middle of the defense before shedding some tackles and breaking away from the pack for a 77-yard touchdown. Here’s a video of the record-breaking play below via The UFL on X.
Ballage was initially a fourth-round pick out of Arizona State in the 2018 NFL Draft to the Miami Dolphins. He was with them for two seasons before being traded to the New York Jets. He failed a physical which voided the trade, but the Jets ended up briefly signing him anyways for the first couple weeks of the 2020 season. He landed with the Los Angeles Chargers on their practice squad and eventually made his way onto their active roster before being allowed to hit free agency in 2021.
The Steelers picked him up in 2021 and he suited up for all 17 games that season. With the Steelers, he had 12 carries for 36 yards and another two receptions for eight yards. He only played 65 total snaps on offense that season, but also played 98 as a special teamer.
He wasn’t with any team during the 2022 season, but landed with the San Antonio Brahmas in 2023 for a year. Now, he is giving the UFL another go, this time with the Arlington Renegades.
At 6014, 228 pounds with a 4.46-second 40-yard dash, Ballage has the height, weight and speed to be an intriguing running back in the NFL, but he was never quite able to catch on. Maybe a strong year in the UFL could be a catalyst to get another chance in the NFL somewhere.
