The history of the United Football League belongs to a man who knew how to go viral.
Isaiah Winstead caught 88 passes for 1,085 yards and six touchdowns in his final season at East Carolina in 2022, but went undrafted.
So Winstead chose the social media route, posting highlight reels to garner attention. That earned him a contract with the San Francisco 49ers.
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East Carolina Pirates wide receiver Isaiah Winstead (11) during the first half of a game against the Houston Cougars at Dowdy-Fichlen Stadium. (James Guillory/USA Today Sports)
Winstead was on the team’s practice squad until he was waived in December. However, after the USFL and XFL merged to form a new league, he was given a second chance as a professional with the UFL’s Arlington Renegades.
On Saturday against the Birmingham Stallions, Winstead caught a bomb for his first touchdown in the league.
On a third-and-9 play, quarterback Luis Perez, who played in the XFL and USFL, found Winstead wide open downfield for a 51-yard touchdown.
East Carolina Pirates wide receiver Isaiah Winstead catches a pass during the TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl vs. the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers at Protective Stadium on December 27, 2022 in Birmingham, Alabama. Let out. (Chris McDill/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
There are no kicks to earn extra points in the UFL. Instead, a 2-yard conversion is 1 point, 5 yards is 2 points, and 10 yards is 3 points. Arlington opted for a two-point play, and the team brought in Lindsey Scott at quarterback. He completed the pass to Winstead, giving the Renegades an 11-3 lead.
Winstead was surprised not to be drafted last year.
“This is how 6’4 210 works. No minicamp invites, no UDFA contracts. All I can do is behind the scenes. I had 88 catches for 1,100 yards last season…God makes no mistakes. But thanks in advance,” Winstead wrote. Twitter at the time.
The highlights were impressive, crisp route running, great ability to evade tackles, and of course some great catches.
Niners GM John Lynch said it wasn’t the video itself that convinced him to sign Winstead, saying the team’s scouts had been watching him “for some time.” But it was after the video was released that Winstead started “getting a lot of phone calls.”
East Carolina Pirates wide receiver Isaiah Winstead carries the ball during a game against the Cincinnati Bearcats at Nippert Stadium on November 11, 2022 in Cincinnati. (Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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Winstead played two years each at Norfolk State and Toledo before committing to ECU last season. He earned honorable mention on the All-American Athletic Conference team. 45 of his 88 receptions gained at least 10 yards, and his 6.77 receptions per game were eighth-most in the FBS.
Saturday’s game was Winstead’s first since the Birmingham Bowl on Dec. 27, 2022.
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