With the recent news of personnel changes in the UFL, Pro Football Newsroom has also learned that the league has parted ways with Daryl Johnston. Johnston served as the UFL’s Executive Vice President of Football Operations the last two years.
In a statement from The UFL:
The United Football League has decided not to renew Daryl Johnston’s contract. We are grateful to Daryl for his passion, leadership, and unwavering dedication over the past four years.”
While Johnston has been a key piece in curating the spring football space into what it is now – given the latest developments within the league, this news isn’t entirely surprising.
Johnston’s journey in spring football began back in 2019. He was the General Manager for the San Antonio Commanders in the Alliance of American Football, prior to the AAF shuttering its doors late in their inaugural season. From there, Daryl made his way to the XFL – serving as Bob Stoops’ Director of Player Personnel for the Dallas Renegades in 2020.
When FOX Sports decided to invest in spring football, and bring back the USFL, Daryl Johnston was one of the first to know. With his background in the scene already, combined with his employment at FOX – it was a perfect match.
Daryl entered the USFL as Executive Vice President of Football Operations, working alongside Brian Woods (formerly of The Spring League) to get the USFL off the ground. With Woods stepping down from his Presidential role at the end of 2022, Johnston became his successor. Daryl led the USFL to impressive heights, as the league saw growth from one hub city, to four hub cities, in just one year.
#USFL President Daryl Johnston on a potential NFL partnership:
"It make sense for there to be conversations about allowing key positions to come down to the USFL, but go directly back to the NFL team that holds their rights."
Something to keep an eye on this offseason. pic.twitter.com/VClYccEgHA
— James Larsen (@JamesLarsenPFN) July 10, 2023
When the USFL and XFL merged, Daryl Johnston maintained a similar role in the UFL. He has served as Executive Vice President of Football Operations the last two seasons, making plenty of important decisions related to the football product we’ve seen in the spring.
It seemed evident that Daryl was taking a backseat once Mike Repole took over business operations back in July, however. Johnston’s name hasn’t been on any of the recent press releases from the league, nor has he made any media appearances.
Now, the league has officially parted ways with Daryl Johnston, at least for the time being. Russ Brandon, the league’s CEO and President, will take over Football Operations under the new structure.
Whether Daryl makes a return to spring football or not, his impact will be felt within this space for years to come.
Are you surprised by Daryl Johnston’s departure from the UFL? What are your thoughts on what this league needs to do moving forward? Let us know down in the comments below, or join the conversation on Discord!
