Former Giants WR Cody Latimer - Roger Steinman/AP
The 2024 UFL season is underway and just one former Indiana player is participating. The UFL kicked off just this past weekend. It is the new spring league in its first season, following the merger of the USFL and the XFL. Here is a look at the former Indiana players participating in the 2024 UFL season.
Just One Former Indiana Player
There is just one former Hoosier participating in the UFL this year. The player is a tight end, Cody Latimer, on the San Antonio Brahmas. Latimer played with the Hoosiers from 2011 until 2013. According to Indiana Athletics, he was named second-team All-Big Ten by the media and an honorable mention by the coaches. While at Indiana, Latimer was a wide receiver, not a tight end. In his time, he had 135 receptions for 2,042 yards and 17 touchdowns, according to Sports Reference. Following the 2013 season, Latimer declared for the 2014 NFL Draft.
Latimer’s Time in the NFL
In the draft, Latimer was selected by the Denver Broncos with the 56th overall pick in the second round. Latimer was with the Broncos until joining the New York Giants in 2018. The wide receiver’s season was shortened in New York, as he was placed on the injured reserve with a hamstring injury in October, returning in December. He only played in six games in 2018, but did play in 15 games the next year.
In 2020, Latimer did sign with Washington, but was placed on the commissioner’s exempt list due to an arrest in May. In May 2020, Latimer was arrested for an incident involving a poker game argument. Latimer pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge, receiving two years’ probation. This was the last NFL team to sign the receiver.
While in the NFL, Latimer had 70 receptions for 935 yards and six touchdowns, according to Pro Football Reference. Latimer only played in the league for six years due to never actually playing with Washington. He spent four years with Denver then two with New York. He was never the top receiver, only starting in 66 games, but he was able to make plays. By his final season with the Giants, Latimer started ten out of the 15 games he was a part of.
Spring Football for Latimer
Following his time in the NFL, Latimer joined the XFL in 2023. He was drafted by the Orlando Guardians, and that is when he switched from wide receiver to tight end. While with the Guardians, Latimer had 50 receptions for 593 yards and four touchdowns, according to XFL News Hub. This is actually listed as third in receiving yards that year. Unfortunately, the Guardians won just one game that season. The win came against the D.C. Defeners in April.
As known, the XFL and USFL have merged together to form the UFL. The league took four teams from each of the former leagues. The merger means that the Orlando Guardians are no more. Latimer now plays for the San Antonio Brahmas, another former XFL team. The Brahmas are 1-0, and the top team in the XFL conference. In week one, Latimer had just one reception for seven yards, according to Fox Sports. Latimer is only 31 and is getting the chance to keep playing the game he loves at a professional level despite it not working out in the NFL.
To watch this former Indiana player in the UFL, the San Antonio Brahmas will next face the Memphis Showboats on Saturday, April 6th. The Showboats are also a 1-0 team. Currently, the Brahmas are the only team representing the XFL with a win. Watch for Latimer to try to help his team move to 2-0.
