On December 30, 2025, the UFL introduced Kentucky native Chris Redman as the head coach of the Louisville Kings.
A Local Hero Returns To Lead the Louisville Kings
One of the ways UFL co-owner Mike Repole plans to increase league-wide attendance and TV ratings is through cultivating a much stronger fan base within local communities. In addition to granting teams priority signing rights for players who graduate from local universities, Repole is hiring personnel with a pre-existing connection to the city or team. Redman certainly meets that criteria as a returning hometown hero who reached the pinnacle of NFL success with the Baltimore Ravens’ 2001 Super Bowl-winning team.
Redman acknowledges the importance of the community connection, “I am incredibly grateful and excited for the opportunity to represent the new Louisville Kings,” said Redman. “Louisville is home. I’ve been fortunate to have so many people support me throughout my career, and I know they’ll be behind the Kings and me as we work to bring a championship to this city. I am ready to get started building a team and coaching staff with championship-level experience. We’re going to make Louisville proud.”
Although he lacks head coaching experience, Redman brings a wealth of knowledge and experience from years spent as an NFL quarterback.
Redman, A Hometown Hero
A veteran of four NFL teams, Redman is best known for his successful tenure with the Atlanta Falcons (2007-2011). But he was already well known locally as a highly sought Louisville high school recruit. Choosing to sign with the Louisville Cardinals only enhanced his reputation and endeared him to the community. It wasn’t long before Redman established himself as a collegiate player who was destined for the NFL.
In his senior year in college, Redman completed 317 of 489 passes for 3,647 yards with 29 touchdowns. He was named the C-USA Offensive Player of the Year and earned the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award as the nation’s top senior quarterback. In 2014, he was inducted into Louisville’s prestigious Ring of Honor.
Redman Offers A Wealth of NFL Player Experience
Selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the third round of the 2000 NFL Draft with the 75th overall pick, Redman spent his rookie year serving as backup to Tony Banks and Trent Dilfer. Although he only contributed 19 passing yards that season, he earned a ring as a member of the Ravens’ Super Bowl XXXV team.
Following the 2003 season, after injuring his back and recovering from shoulder surgery, Redman’s tenure with the Ravens ended. After briefly spending time on the New England Patriots and Tennessee Titans practice squads, he signed with the Falcons in March of 2007.
It was in Atlanta where Redman really came into his own as an NFL quarterback. He took over as the starting quarterback for the final four games of the season in December of 2007. On December 30th, playing against the Seattle Seahawks, Redman completed 17 of 27 passes for 251 yards with four touchdowns to give the Falcons a 44–41 victory. He was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week.
After several successful years in Atlanta, Redman was released by the Falcons in August of 2012. His most recent experience was as an assistant quarterbacks coach at Arlington/Midlothian High School in Texas from 2023 to 2024.
Ability to Inspire and Connect With Players
A good coach can combine innate football knowledge and wisdom with a strong leadership ability and high emotional intelligence or EQ. He motivates and inspires players to bring out their very best athletic skills and strengthen their mental acuity.
Redman has first-hand knowledge of the highs and lows of an NFL career after spending almost a decade in the league. He’s experienced it all, from the thrill of being drafted and winning a Super Bowl to the devastation of season-ending injuries, lengthy rehabs, and the pain of being cut from a team. Redman is someone that the players can look up to, learn from, and emulate.
Having been through the NFL draft, Redman understands the hunger of UDFA’s who are desperate for a chance to prove themselves. He can mentor and motivate frustrated NFL veterans who’ve been cut by teams or have only spent time on the practice squad.
In addition to his hometown connection, Redman offers the credibility of someone who has found the success the players dream of attaining. Under his leadership, Repole and the UFL have the Louisville Kings well-positioned for a strong inaugural season.
1 Comment
by Gary Winter
I’m glad to see all of these gentlemen get a chance to coach in the UFL and I hope they all have some success. I don’t see where anything that has been changed or decided on has moved the needle on the league though. Inexperienced, cheaper coaches (Even though apparently all well liked in their represented cities.) aren’t going to get anyone excited about the UFL. Moving players around as if it doesn’t matter where they play certainly isn’t going to help much. (Fans get attached.) I kind of feel that the fans have been forgotten about and creating new fans has been nearly eliminated as well in the established cities. Granted, It’s a new league. New teams, some new rivalries but what’s the draw? Simply that these athletes are playing football? Yes, that’s why we go to the games but will a bunch of players nobody has heard of draw fans? Having players who the fans are attached to, helps to bring fans back, knowing their value to their teams is a draw. New fans hear about players, read about them and new fans are created. If 3/4’s of a teams roster, going into an established city is players that nobody knows, what’s the draw?
I worry that fanbases are being taken for granted a bit. I don’t recall too many letters on this site or the others where UFL fans are excited about many of these changes. I do hope I’m wrong but I fear that here in St. Louis, since there hasn’t been any marketing towards new Season Ticket holders, the attendance numbers will continue to go down. This constant change in rosters, team locations and simply lack of league and fan involvement may do damage to attendance at the older venues. They seem to be trying to fix the parts of the league that weren’t broke.