Since leaving the Nebraska football program, Austin Allen hasn't exactly been blazing trails in the pros. The tight end is hoping that could be changing this spring as he's signed a new contract to play professional football.
Instead of trying to hook on with an NFL franchise, Allen is going to be playing the newly reformed Ultimate Football Leauge, or UFL. The league is a coming together of the XFL and the USFL in an attempt to forge a real competitor for the NFL.
At the very least, the UFL is hoping that it can become an actual alternate offering to the National Football League just as that season and Super Bowl end. In turn, Allen is hoping that while he's not getting any playing time in the NFL, he could show those teams that he can indeed play at the next level.
Allen officially signed with the Arlington Renegades earlier this week. It's possible that when the UFL season kicks off, he could be one of the more talented offensive tight ends in that league. He certainly showed the ability to be a difference maker at times in Lincoln.
Allen played for the Nebraska footbal program from 2017 to 2021 and over that time, amassed 65 receptions for 975 yards while finding the end zone three times.
Allen's best season with the Nebraska Cornhuskers was his last. In 2021 he caught 38 passes for 602 yards and two touchdowns. Those numbers made him one of the best offensive tight ends in the Big Ten that season.
Ex-Nebraska football tight end finds second pro football life
After leaving the Huskers, Austin Allen signed with the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent. However, he was eventually released by the Giants and caught on with the Green Bay Packers where he was a member of their practice squad for part of the 2023 season.
Now the ex-Cornhusker will be trying his hand in the UFL under former Oklahoma Sooners coach Bob Stoops.