Bears fans just got a whole new reason to tune in to UFL action on opening weekend

Chicago Bears fans are almost two months removed from watching football and might be dying to watch it again.

Well, the United Football League is about to kick off its third season this week, with eight teams playing 10 regular season games and two rounds of playoffs to determine the 2026 champion. While Chicago does not have a team in the league, there might be some former Bears players to watch for, but one might be of particular interest.

Dallas Renegades head coach Rick Neuheisel announced that his starting quarterback for their Week 1 matchup against the Houston Gamblers will be former Bears quarterback Austin Reed. Bears fans will remember Reed well as he has spent the last two seasons in training camp with Chicago, completing 69.7% of his passes for 230 yards and one touchdown with zero interceptions.

Former Bears QB Austin Reed gets his chance to play

While some might balk at the UFL, this league is a great opportunity for players like Reed who just can't crack the 53-man NFL roster to play. For those who remember from last year, it isn't because of a lack of talent from Reed.

He's got all the tools that a quarterback needs on a professional level, from height to arm strength to accuracy. Reed was great in the Bears' preseason games, protecting the football and making sure they did not turn the ball over.

This league has a chance to help Reed out with fixing the small mechanical things he needs so that when he gets his next shot in the NFL, he will be better equipped. The Bears might be watching the game themselves as they have Tyson Bagent and Case Keenum backing up Caleb Williams.

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If Bagent gets traded and Reed plays well in the UFL, there's a very good chance Bears general manager Ryan Poles calls Reed quickly to get him back in the building.