Auburn’s King of Spring returns to the United Football League

St. Louis Battlehawks quarterback Luis Perez literally wrote the book on spring football with his memoir, The Spring King. Now, he is officially adding a high-caliber target to his roster. Former Auburn standout Sal Cannella has officially signed with the St. Louis Battlehawks, the United Football League team announced Wednesday night.

A Familiar Connection

This reunion pairs Cannella with his former teammate Perez, who piloted the offense during their time together with the Arlington Renegades in 2025. Cannella is coming off a stint in the NFL, having been released by the Cleveland Browns on May 11 to make room for defensive back Michael Coats.

Cannella made his NFL debut during the 2025 season after signing with Cleveland. He provided depth for the Browns, appearing in the final two games of the season as a practice-squad elevation, where he hauled in two passes for 11 yards. Before landing in Cleveland, Cannella spent time in various NFL training camps, including the Dolphins (2021), Packers (2022), Seahawks (2023), and Buccaneers (2024).

Spring Football Success

Since wrapping up his collegiate career at Auburn with a memorable 37-yard touchdown reception from Bo Nix in the 2020 Outback Bowl, Cannella has established himself as a dominant force in professional spring leagues. Across his time in the USFL, XFL, and UFL, he has racked up an impressive stat line of 173 receptions for 1,764 yards and 19 touchdowns.

His resume includes All-USFL honors with the New Orleans Breakers in 2022 and All-UFL recognition with the Arlington Renegades in 2025. The Battlehawks will be looking for that same productivity as they push through the final stretch of their season.

Up Next

The Battlehawks have three games remaining on their regular-season schedule. Fans can catch Cannella and the team in action this Sunday at 6 p.m. CDT as they take on the Houston Gamblers at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston. The game will be televised on ESPN2.