Hakeem Butler Named 2026 UFL Offensive Player of the Year
The United Football League has announced that St. Louis Battlehawks wide receiver Hakeem Butler has been named the 2026 UFL Offensive Player of the Year presented by Progressive.
With the honor, Butler becomes the first player in league history to win the award multiple times after previously earning Offensive Player of the Year recognition during the 2024 season.
The award was selected by a panel of media members, broadcast partners, coaches, and football personnel from all eight UFL teams and was based on player performances throughout the recently completed regular season.
Butler was recently named to the 2026 All-UFL Team following another dominant campaign as one of the league’s most dangerous offensive weapons.
In nine games, the St. Louis standout led the UFL with 641 receiving yards on 29 receptions while also topping the league in receiving yards per game (71.2) and yards per reception (22.1).
One of the premier deep threats in spring football, Butler recorded nine receptions of 30 yards or longer and added three touchdown catches, including a spectacular 75-yard scoring reception against the DC Defenders in Week 4.
Despite missing one game, Butler finished just 11 yards shy of the UFL and Battlehawks single-season receiving record of 652 yards, which he established during his award-winning 2024 campaign.
His biggest performance of the season came in Week 3 against the Birmingham Stallions when he hauled in four receptions for 146 yards, including a game-changing 64-yard touchdown catch. The performance earned Butler UFL Offensive Player of the Week honors and helped propel the Battlehawks to a 34-30 victory.
During the 2026 season, Butler also etched his name into spring football history by becoming the all-time leader in career receiving yards. He surpassed the previous mark of 1,801 yards held by Jonathan Adams and now owns 2,192 career receiving yards.
Since joining the Battlehawks, Butler has established himself as one of the most productive and explosive receivers in modern spring football. His unique combination of size, athleticism, and big-play ability has consistently created matchup problems for opposing defenses and helped fuel one of the UFL’s most potent offenses.
The former Iowa State standout has become a cornerstone of the Battlehawks franchise and one of the league’s most recognizable stars, helping St. Louis remain among the UFL’s top contenders over the past three seasons.
Butler will be honored during the UFL Awards presented by Dynasty Financial Partners on June 12 as part of United Bowl week festivities.
The 2026 United Bowl will be played on Saturday, June 13, at Audi Field in Washington, D.C., with kickoff scheduled for 3:00 p.m. ET and national television coverage on ABC.
Limited tickets for the United Bowl remain available through Ticketmaster.
Source: UFL
Photo: Wikipedia Commons
