Years after suiting up together in green and white, former Michigan State University standouts Kenny Willekes and Rocky Lombardi have reunited — this time as teammates in the United Football League with the Michigan Panthers.
What began as a bond forged through Big Ten battles has now grown into a new chapter of camaraderie and competition, as the two carry their Spartan legacy onto the professional stage.
Lombardi arrived in East Lansing as a three-star recruit in 2017, just as Willekes was cementing his place as a defensive standout. By then, Willekes had earned All-Big Ten honors and would go on to be named the 2018 Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year.
The Spartans were fresh off a 10-3 season and a Holiday Bowl win, but the program soon entered a stretch of inconsistency during the final years of head coach Mark Dantonio’s tenure.
Though they played on opposite sides of the ball, a shared mentality and competitive fire brought them together early on.
"We kind of hit it off right off the bat," Lombardi said. "He was a former walk-on so he kind of had that chip on his shoulder, and you could feel that energy, and I just kind of gravitated towards him."
Willekes, too, saw spirit in the young quarterback — someone who embraced the grind and fit seamlessly into the program’s no-nonsense culture, he said.
The two recently reflected on their time at MSU, sharing stories that showcased the early foundation of their friendship — one rooted in intensity, mutual respect and a shared love for competition.
One memory stood out to Willekes: Lombardi running the scout team offense during his redshirt freshman year.
"After we would touch him down, he would never stop," Willekes said. "He would always still launch the ball downfield and complete passes, and we were getting yelled at for letting up passes."
Scout team quarterbacks — players who mimic opponents’ offenses in practice — typically wear red jerseys, signaling they’re off-limits for contact.
Despite that non-contact rule, Willekes said Lombardi brought the same intensity as if it were game day.
"We just started tackling him," Willekes said. "It would’ve been a big problem if we tackled any other quarterback."
Lombardi thrived on that kind of competition. In one practice, Willekes drove him into the turf. Instead of backing down, Lombardi popped up and got in his face — more fired up than frustrated. Willekes didn’t take it personally. If anything, it earned his respect.
Years later, that bond has come full circle. Willekes and Lombardi are teammates once again — this time in the United Football League, suiting up for the Michigan Panthers.
The Panthers are one of eight teams in the newly formed UFL — a spring football league created in 2024 through a merger between the XFL and USFL. Based in Detroit and playing home games at Ford Field, the Panthers compete in the USFL Conference alongside teams like the Birmingham Stallions and Memphis Showboats. Originally founded in the 1980s, the franchise was revived in 2022 and has quickly become a centerpiece of the UFL’s effort to deliver high-level football beyond the NFL season.
"We (Willekes and Lombardi) talk all the time and joke around at practice and compete," Lombardi said. "But there’s also seven or eight other Spartans that I play with in the league."
While Willekes and Lombardi have kept their bond strong, they’ve also reunited with other familiar Spartan faces.
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
Lombardi lives with former MSU kicker Matt Coghlin, while Willekes shares a place with former defensive lineman Mike Panasiuk — a teammate during his East Lansing days.
Surrounded by familiar faces and a shared Spartan past, Willekes and Lombardi have found new motivation in old bonds. Together again, they’re bringing their Spartan-built chemistry to a new league — still feeding off each other’s energy, still competing and still chasing the game they love.
