Former Cowboys Taco Charlton and Peyton Hendershot chase gridiron glory again with the Dallas Renegades, aiming for a comeback on the UFL stage.
Football players have that itch that needs to be scratched. They miss the roar of the crowd, the locker room banter and the brotherhood of their teammates. One cannot play forever, but they prolong the gridiron euphoria as long as they can.
The UFL season is about to crank up for those players (and fans) who need their football fix outside the NFL. Eight teams will suit up for the season that kicks off in March and ends in June. Former NFL players will dot the rosters of teams located in cities like Dallas, Birmingham, Columbus, Houston, Louisville, Orlando, St. Louis and Washington D.C.
For the Dallas Renegades, the UFL franchise hired a new coach for 2026. Former UCLA quarterback and college coach Rick Nueheisel takes over the reins for Bob Stoops, who announced his retirement. Among his many coaching stops, Neuheisel was the head coach at Colorado, Washington and UCLA, and served as the offensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens in 2007.
The UFL is a proving ground for players to show they still have what it takes to perform at a high level on a football field. In a story on heavy.com by Sean Deveney, a comeback by a former Dallas Cowboys first-round pick is being called “a long shot.”
Taco Charlton, a 31-year-old defensive end out of Michigan, is getting a second chance at a football life courtesy of Neuheisel, who selected him with their pick in the UFL draft.
Charlton will reunite with his former teammate with the Cowboys, tight end Peyton Hendershot. Hendershot played 17 games with the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent (UFA) in 2022.
Charlton was a first-team All-Big Ten performer in 2016 for a Wolverines defense that ranked in the top five that season. Michigan allowed just 14 points per game as Charlton racked up 42 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and 10 sacks.
In the Ohio State game, on the road, Charlton recorded nine tackles, three tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks in a three-point loss to the Buckeyes.
Charlton was a first-round pick (No. 28 overall) by the Cowboys in 2017. But his NFL career was hampered by injuries and a lack of motivation. After two seasons in Dallas, Charlton became the league’s nomad as he wandered from team to team, looking for a roster spot. After stints with Miami, Kansas City, Pittsburgh and Chicago, Charlton was gone from the league.
Charlton’s 60-game career in the NFL was forgettable: 95 total tackles, 11.5 sacks and 12 tackles for loss, according to Pro Football Reference. But a true football player like Charlton knows what he can accomplish when given the opportunity. Age is just a number, like a number on a jersey. You can bet Charlton is going to give it his all when Neuheisel calls his number in March.