April 15, 2026
By Adam Ruffner

Two foes remain undefeated in sports: injury and age. But these comeback players haven’t let either of those factors get the better of them yet, with a few primed for big seasons on championship competitors. 

Players listed alphabetically by last name.

Alex Davis, New York Empire

As a pro champion, 50-goal scorer, and athletic icon most famously known as the “Fastest Man In Frisbee” for a few years, Davis has been a noticeable absence from the field over the past three seasons as he’s battled back from injury and rehab. And in 2026 not only is Davis hoping to regain his playmaking powers, the pedigreed Carolina product will also be in a new environment for the first time in his playing career.

“Joining a new team always comes with some growing pains,” said Davis about joining the Empire. “I have played within the same North Carolina systems for pretty much my entire frisbee career. That being said, I’m super excited to join New York.”

“Coming back from injury, I’ll still be getting back up to full speed. But I’m hopeful 2026 will look a lot like previous seasons for me where I continue to use my strengths—particularly athleticism and speed—to make a large impact on the field wherever I’m slotted into.”

“Full speed” is a loaded phrase if there ever was one, as few players have ever showcased the top gear Davis routinely employed at his peak. The Flyers found success with Davis as a rookie in 2021 utilizing his explosiveness on defense, most notably to shut down then Empire star Ryan Osgar in the championship game. By 2022, Carolina refitted Davis into a receiving option that helped the team back to the semifinals; even in a lineup as historically loaded as the 2022 Flyers receiving core (Davis, Jacob Fairfax, Terrence Mitchell, Henry Fisher, Anders Juengst), Davis became the top option. 

“Alex came in saying that he wasn't at full speed,” said New York General Manager and Assistant Coach Matt Stevens. “Which was not apparent during his first practice when he tracked down an overthrown huck that he eventually slowed down to catch.”

“He may be one of our most recent roster additions, but he's fit in everywhere he's played. The fact there is still some ‘rust to shake off’ is pretty awesome.”

With a starting offensive rotation as airtight as New York’s, especially following their recent acquisitions of Daan De Marrée and Alex Atkins, it remains to be seen if Davis will reprise his role as receiver in the short term. But with the Empire’s lackluster takeaway numbers from 2025, Davis’s ballhawking abilities could find a home on defense.

Sterling Knoche, Madison Radicals

With nearly two years since Kevin Pettit-Scantling’s last Radicals game, and following local legend Andrew Meshnick’s jersey retirement ceremony last summer, the Madison starting defense that won the franchise its first and only title in 2018 is (unsurprisingly) all but retired and gone. That is with the exception of the immortal Joshua Wilson and Knoche, the latter of which returns after being sidelined for the entirety of 2025 with an MCL tear. 

It’s been quite a few years since, but “Knoche Island” was one of the worst destinations for offensive players. During his first three seasons as a pro from 2017 through 2019, Knoche racked up 73 blocks in his first 36 games, including 10 takeaways over three playoff starts during that fateful 2018 run. Injuries have hampered Knoche’s production since 2021, but don’t confuse that with him losing impact, as evidenced by his heroics in the Radicals double overtime win in the 2024 playoffs.

“It’s been amazing having Sterling back, even through last year he continued to be a very vocal and steadying presence for us,” said Madison Defensive Coordinator Ben Gagne-Maynard. “Having him on the field again has been amazing—he’s a really unique player in that he can both outsmart you and out-athlete you. He provides a lot of veteran leadership and allows our defense to function as a team because he effectively covers so much space.” 

The Radicals finished as just one of four teams to average more than 12 blocks per game in 2025, and have recovered their former defensive edge after a few years in the middle of the pack. Knoche will be a much needed addition in coverage and on the counterattack^ as Madison prepares to battle for one of the three playoff spots in a crowded Central Division race for the playoffs. 

^ Knoche is one of just 14 players in UFA history to register 130 goals while playing a minimum of 1,000 points on defense

Brandon Matis, Minnesota Wind Chill

After his 10th pro season in 2024, Matis could’ve wrapped up a storybook career arc that witnessed the Winona State alum go from last on the bench during the Wind Chill’s inaugural season in 2013 to a Second Team All Defense selection on a title-winning team. Not satisfied with one championship, and seeing the brilliant future prospects for a loaded Minnesota squad, Matis entered the offseason ahead of 2025 with determination, but ended up with a patellar fracture in his knee that canceled all of his repeat plans and nearly his career.

“It's energizing and motivating to return to the field after a long hiatus with such an influx of talent and versatility,” said Matis, who has doggedly continued his rehab and workout routine over the winter months. 

“The Wind Chill makeup is entirely different from anything we've seen before—certainly on our team, and maybe across the entire league's history. Adding guys like [Lukas] Ambrose, [Noah] Coolman, and [Nate] De Morgan to an already incredible core lets us throw a ton of personnel and style combinations at teams all year, and breaks should come in droves.”

Matis was assigned to Jacob Fairfax in the 2024 UFA Championship Game during his last active start, and used his strength and positioning to limit the Flyers receiving legend; Fairfax posted just two goals and 264 receiving yards in the title bout a night after a six-goal, 417-yard eruption in the semis. 

“I am excited to see Brandon working his way back into form and even more excited that there have been no setbacks since returning to play this winter,” said Minnesota Head Coach Ben Feldman. “Historically, he has been the kind of player and defender that continues to become more and more impactful as the season progresses. I am looking forward to what that will look like come this August. 

“He has been working his tail off, and despite his lengthy tenure with our team, I know he still has more in the tank.”

Entering his 11th pro season in 2026, Matis turns 34 on April 17. 

“I can't wait to add even more spark to the block party,” he said.

Joe Merrill, Salt Lake Shred

A career that started with 91 goals over his first two seasons with DC and Salt Lake, Merrill has seen considerably less time on the field with just 19 starts since 2023, including a totally vacated 2025 campaign. 

Yet even without his production on the field, Merrill has remained an integral part of a Salt Lake franchise that has won more regular season games than any team since their inception. The workout fanatic re-employed himself as a strength and conditioning coach last season for the Shred, and is primed for a big return due to his discipline.

“Don’t really know or care what position or what line we end up putting Joe on,” said Salt Lake Head Coach Bryce Merrill. “It’s just been nice to have his motor back on the field and his willingness and ability to play both sides of the ball. He’s looked great in practice and has found a way to win with whichever line of guys we’ve assigned him to.”

When active, Merrill has simply been one of the most impactful players in the West Division. He’s one of just three Shred players alongside Jordan Kerr and Will Selfridge to average at least four scores per start, and that’s in spite of Merrill spending nearly half of his time on defense. During his last full season of play in 2024, Merrill registered six starts with at least one goal and one block in 11 games.

The loss of Selfridge over the offseason creates a clear hole on the offense, and Merrill’s receiving skills have long been a centerpiece of his skillset. But with so many young and returning pieces on defense, Merrill’s leadership could be most useful to a Shred D-line that will have to figure out how to stop Oakland’s attack. 

Other veterans to watch:

• Ryan Drost, Austin Sol - The 37-year-old all-time league leader in blocks is back in action, and playing for a non-Empire defense for the first time in his 12-year professional career. Blocks are the obvious headline for his accomplishments, but Drost has also been a hallmark of consistency and reliability, starting 10+ games in 10 of his playing seasons. Austin is stocked with speed and developing talent, and Drost’s linebacking instincts for the middle of the field could be a difference maker for the Sol D-line.

• Pat Earles, Atlanta Hustle - With two 50+ assist seasons in his prior three years of pro experience, and the holder of the UFA’s highest per game assists mark, Earles returns to the association nine years after his last start with some heavy aura on an already highly loaded Atlanta offense. The lefty launcher has the throwing power and huck-happy system around him where he could easily be seen atop the throwing yardage charts if he gets ample playing time in the first few weeks.

• Spencer Lofink, Seattle Cascades - After spending his first three seasons with the ‘Scades trying to find a spot anywhere in the lineup, Lofink found purchase as a very reliable reset handler and backfield mover for the 2024 Seattle team that won the division. An injury sidelined Lofink for all but 10 points last year, and the Cascades struggled to find a replacement as their offensive efficiency cratered. The 27-year-old finished his last full season top two on the team in total scores, yardage, and completions.

• Billy O'Bryan, DC Breeze - A utility defender for Atlanta two years ago, the 30-year-old Florida alum could be a valuable contributor in transition on the Hustle counterattack, potentially filling the void left by Michael Fairley’s retirement. O’Bryan averaged nearly 25 assists and 300+ completions over a four-season stint earlier in his career, and he’s not afraid to stick his nose in to make the timely play. 

• Brandon Severson, San Diego Growlers - Another veteran salvaged from the Aviators, Severson last played pro ball in 2018, helping LA to their first and only division title. SD coaches Kaela Helton and Kevin Stuart have been excellent at finding roles for experienced players, and Severson could be their next instrumental piece towards getting the Growlers back to Championship Weekend for the first time since 2021.