Kalen Ballage, former Arizona State running back and fourth round pick of the Miami Dolphins in the 2018 NFL Draft, made his debut in the UFL this Saturday. Ballage, who is now a member of the UFL’s Arlington Renegades, showed traces of his Dolphin days in his first game in the league.
“Ballage showed he’s still got a little gas in the tank,” wrote Adam Sites of Dolphins Wire. “In his first ever game with the Arlington Renegades, the running back broke a UFL record by ripping off a 77-yard touchdown run.”
Ballage would go on to post 110 yards on just nine carries in his first game, including that record setter. He is no stranger to records, however, as he tied the NCAA single game rushing touchdown record with eight in a 68-55 win over a Patrick Mahomes led Texas Tech team.
Though the talented running back never quite took hold in the NFL, he showed flashes in his various stops around the league.
“Next Gen Stats clocked him at 21.87 mph during a 75-yard touchdown run against the Minnesota Vikings toward the end of his rookie season in 2018,” wrote SI’s Jake Mendel. “Despite the home-run potential, Ballage struggled with consistency in the NFL, averaging just 1.8 yards per carry on 74 attempts in his second season.”
Ballage’s Journey To Arlington Renegades
The Miami draftee’s stops around the league included a brief stint with division rival New York Jets that lasted just three games in 2020. Ballage would finish out that season as a member of the Los Angeles Chargers, scoring three touchdowns in 11 games.
In 2021, the running back became a steady contributor for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ special teams units, but ultimately was out of the league by 2022.
In 2023, he was drafted by the San Antonio Brahmas of the now disbanded XFL. He spent most of that season on the injury list and was once again out of football the following year.
Now the 29-year-old journeyman has found a home in Arlington playing in front of 10,000 fans on opening day.
“It’s a very crowded sports weekend, to say the least,” wrote Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio in defense of the UFL’s opening weekend ratings. “While the NFL would surely dominate if it were in season, it’s as difficult a three days as any spring football league will experience.”
Former Dolphins Scattered Around Professional Leagues
Lynn Bowden Jr., a wide receiver who spent most of his rookie year with the Phins, finds himself in the Canadian Football League just a month after signing a contract for the UFL’s D.C. Defenders.
“Bowden played only one season for the Dolphins,” Mendel says, “But he was impressive enough that rookie year that him winding up in the UFL at any point seemed unlikely at the time.”
SI’s Alain Poupart provided an in depth log on other former Dolphins who spent some time with the team in any capacity.
“Among other players who spent time with the Dolphins on UFL rosters,” Poupart illustrated. “CB Damon Arnette and RB Za’Quandre White with Houston, LB Zeke Vandenburgh with Memphis and Kirk Merritt, who was a wide receiver with the Dolphins but is listed as a running back with the Roughnecks.”
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