After setbacks, detours, and a breakout spring, Ian Wheeler is getting another NFL shot.
The Buffalo Bills are signing the former Howard University running back to a one-year deal, the team announced on Thursday.
Wheeler arrives in Buffalo fresh off a championship run in the United Football League, where he emerged as one of the league’s most electric playmakers.
Suiting up for the Louisville Kings, he racked up 541 rushing yards on just 85 carries across 11 games, showcasing both efficiency and explosiveness.
He saved his biggest impact for the most important game of the season. In the UFL championship game, Wheeler delivered the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter, earning United Bowl MVP honors and cementing his comeback story.
IAN WHEELER FOR THE LEAD TO START THE 4TH QUARTER!!!
📺: ABC pic.twitter.com/pchK3iWRIe
— Louisville Kings (@UFLKings) June 13, 2026
Wheeler gets another NFL chance
But Wheeler’s path to this moment has been anything but smooth.
After a standout collegiate career at Howard, where he was an All- MEAC performer, Wheeler entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Chicago Bears in 2024. He quickly turned heads during training camp, rushing for 100 yards and two touchdowns in just two preseason games.
Just as momentum was building, adversity struck. Wheeler tore his ACL in the third preseason game, abruptly halting his rise. The Bears released him with an injury settlement before the regular season began, forcing him into a long and uncertain recovery.
In 2025, Wheeler briefly landed on the New Orleans Saints’ practice squad, but his path back to the field ultimately led him to the UFL—a move that proved transformative.
Now, with a championship, an MVP performance, and renewed confidence, Wheeler returns to the NFL with something to prove.
