United Football League - The story of the XFL-USFL Merger

[BengalErnst]

XFL Week 10: Commanders Fall into Playoffs without Momentum

April 12, 2019

San Antonio, TX - The Stallions went to business to get the victory they’d been searching for a month, knocking off the San Antonio Commanders 28-9 in Saturday’s regular-season finale in San Antonio. QB Josh Woodrum, who finished with 278 passing yards, was on target early, finding receivers seemingly at will to help the Stallions pile up the points in the first half. By halftime, it was 25-0 for the visiting squad.

Stallions K Taylor Bertolet opened the scoring with a 52-yard field-goal on the first drive, putting three points on the board. On the subsequent Commanders drive, Stallions DB Ciante Evans played centerfielder for an easy interception of Commanders QB Dalton Sturm, snuffing out an early answer by the hosts. The offense then turned the pick into another field-goal, this time from 27 yards out, thanks in part to a big run by RB Joel Bouagnon and a 42-yard catch down the middle of the field by WR DeMorney Pierson-El. Before the end of the first quarter, the Stallions struck again with another impressive march, highlighted by WR Kaelin Clay’s 44-yard sparkling catch on the doorstep to set up a Bouagnon one-yard plunge up for the touchdown.

To start the second half, Sturm still didn’t really move the ball, especially in what was nearly a scoreless third quarter. In fact, the only points posted in the third quarter came when the long-snap sailed way over P Austin Rehkow’s head and into the endzone for a safety to put the Commanders on the scoreboard. In the fourth quarter, the Commanders finally found some life, marching downfield for a one-yard touchdown dive by RB David Cobb to cut the deficit to 16 points. With the Commanders marching again late, the Stallions DB Cody Brown forced a third-down fumble and jumped onto the ball himself and the visitors turned it into a 44-yard field goal to put the game completely out of reach and a bow on the victory.

-- (3-6)Stallions 28 - 9 Commanders(5-4)
(STL): QB Woodrum - 20/32 278 yards, 1 TD, RB Bouagnon - 11 carries, 91 yards, 1 TD, WR Pierson-El - 3 catches, 67 yards, WR Clay - 5 catches, 46 yards, 1 TD
(SA): QB Sturm - 16/21 140 yards, QB Vaughan - 11/17 118 yards, 2 INTs, RB Cobb - 13 carries, 42 yards, 1 TD, WR McKay - 4 catches, 62 yards, WR Ward - 4 catches, 57 yards

XFL Week 10: Manziels Throws two TD Passes, Scores one Himself as Express Defeat Alphas

April 12, 2019

Memphis, TN - The Express completed their regular season Saturday night, defeating the Atlanta Alphas 30-28 before an announced crowd of 33,381 in essentially an exhibition game. Manziel led Memphis on a seven-play, 76-yard drive on their opening possession, culminating in a 30-yard touchdown pass to WR Fabian Guerra. Manziel scored on a pair of one-yard runs. He also connected with WR Dan Williams on a 75-yard pass-and-run touchdown late in the second quarter. Although Manziel’s toss was underthrown, Williams outfought DB Ed Reynolds for the ball and then was able to run impeded into the end zone.

K Austin MacGinnis kicked a wind-assisted 43-yard field goal at 11:20 of the third quarter. However, head coach Mike Singletary didn’t allow MacGinnis to attempt a 45-yard field goal, again with the wind at his back, to conclude the opening half. Memphis had a 20-11 lead at the intermission. QB Aaron Murray passed 20 yards to WR Malachi Jones and 26 yards to WR Stephen Hill for touchdowns. RB Akrum Wadley also scored on a two-yard run. Younghoe Koo kicked 22- and 20-yard field goals. The game ended with Koo missing a potential game-winning 59-yard field goal.

-- (3-6)Alphas 28 - 30 Express(3-6)
(ATL): QB Murray - 22/37 315 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs, RB Folston - 13 carries, 98 yards, RB Wadley - 13 carries, 65 yards, 1 TD, WR Jones - 7 catches, 103 yards, 1 TD, WR Hill - 5 catches, 114 yards, 1 TD, TE Towbridge - 4 catches, 54 yards
(MEM): QB Manziel - 15/25 310 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, RB Stacy - 11 carries, 43 yards, 5 catches, 103 yards, WR Williams - 2 catches, 105 yards, 1 TD, WR Byrd- 3 catches, 62 yards

XFL Week 10: Conquerors Celebrate in San Diego

April 13, 2019

San Diego, CA - A highlight, one that’s already gaining momentum on ESPN, was OL Brant Weiss celebrating a touchdown by chugging a Miller tallboy that he grabbed from his girlfriend. After finishing the beer, Weiss crushed the can on his helmet, very Stone Cold Steve Austin-like. After marching to the San Diego three-yard line, thanks largely to a 44-yard pass connection between QB John Wolford and WR Rashad Ross, the Conquerors settled for a 10-yard field goal a bit less than three minutes into the game. Ross wound up with 101 yards in receptions on six catches. The Conquerors made it 6-0 in the second quarter on a booming 57-yard field goal from Nick Folk. The Fleet got a field goal 3:14 into the second quarter after RB JaQuan Gardner scooted 25 yards down the right sideline to the Mexico City 30. K Donny Hageman nailed the three-pointer. It was mostly Wolford and Ross on Mexico City’s next drive. Wolford found the receiver for gains of 24, eight and 23 yards, before finding Marquis Bundy for a touchdown when he got behind the Fleet defenders and was alone in the end zone. It was 14-3 for the home side. San Diego moved the ball downfield with big gains on passes to Nelson Spruce and Francis Owusu. But DB Rahim Moore ripped the ball out of the hands of WR Isaiah Burse and DB Erick Dargan pounced on it for a fumble recovery.

San Diego settled for a field goal on the opening drive of the second half after a 34-yard run by Gardner and a 32-yard catch by Spruce from recently signed QB Austin Davis, with its drive stalling on the six-yard line. It was 14-9. San Diego next got the ball deep in its zone and ended up giving up a safety to give Mexico City a seven-point lead. A 14-yard run by RB Jhurell Pressley and a pass interference penalty on San Diego set up a 32-yard field goal. DB Sterling Moore's interception pushed the Conquerors into San Diego territory. A nice 12-yard run by Pressley as he kept his legs pumping moved it to the 20. Two players later, Ross tipped the ball into the air twice before hauling in the pass and taking it to the one. On the next play, Pressley pushed into the end zone. The conversion made it 6-9. The Fleet had another fumble, picked up by LB Steven Johnson and the Conquerors took over with 1:17 left.

-- (5-4)Conquerors 26 - 9 Fleet(3-6)
(MEX): QB Wolford - 21/33 269 yards, 1 TD, RB Pressley - 14 carries, 78 yards, 1 TD, WR Ross - 6 catches, 101 yards, WR Martino - 4 catches, 53 yards, WR Bundy - 3 catches, 55 yards, 1 TD
(SD): QB Davis - 30/46 373 yards, 1 INT, RB Gardner - 6 carries, 51 yards, WR Owusu - 7 catches, 114 yards, WR Spruce - 6 catches, 77 yards, WR Ford - 6 catches, 79 yards

XFL Week 10: Iron Shrug off Meaningless Loss

April 13, 2019

Orlando, FL - It ended exactly the way many predicted it would. But it’s the next war that was on every player’s mind in the Birmingham Iron’s locker room following a 33-24 loss to the Orlando Apollos in Sunday’s regular-season finale. “I’m not worried about it at all. We’re happy this week is over, that’s for sure,” Iron RB Trent Richardson said. “We want to get after the games that mean something, so we’re just looking forward to getting after that.”

While the result won’t matter much, there were plenty of takeaways for the Iron. Perhaps the biggest moment came on the Iron's third play of the second half, when Richardson busted up the middle for a big gain to eclipse Mexico City RB Jhurell Pressley as the XFL’s leading rusher. Needing just eight yards to surpass Pressley, the running back rushed eleven times, with his last run, a 31-yard jaunt, enough to move into top spot. Richardson then ran straight to the sidelines, but only after saluting the offensive line for their efforts. “It’s a testament to the O-line, the workhorses up front and coach Lewis for having the faith and trust in the run game and having that part of our game plan. This is a passing league and we really commit to running the football. It’s great that our OC has that faith in those five guys and myself to get it done,” Richardson said. “At this point in my career, it’s a great achievement. It’s something that I definitely take a lot of pride in and I’m just enjoying it right now.”

There were other notable moments, too, including the stellar play of QB Chris Streveler. The 23-year-old rookie quarterback was able to show off his arm, despite attempting just 15 passes, and his quick feet. Streveler connected with WR Quan Bray for an 80-yard touchdown that helped build a 10-7 Birmingham lead after the first quarter. On what was just his sixth reception of the season, Bray leaped over an Apollos defender before scampering 45 yards to pay dirt. Streveler also led the Iron in rushing with 76 yards on 10 carries, including a 29-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter that almost sparked a comeback, cutting Orlando’s lead to 30-24. “I’ve grown a lot as a player, and being able to see things on the field has gotten better. Obviously it’s nowhere near where I want to be,” Streveler said. “But I’ve tried to improve every single week and make the most of any reps I get in the game or practice. I felt I made the most of my reps today, and made some mistakes as well that I’m going to learn from.”

“I still think we could have won this game. I’m not pleased with certain portions of the game, and we’ll watch the film and make corrections and the guys will be hard on themselves,” Iron head coach Tim Lewis said. “But as always, very quickly we’ll be moving on to prepare to see them again.”

-- (6-3)Iron 24 - 33 Apollos(8-1)
(BIRM): QB Streveler - 10/19 191 yards, 1 TD, 10 carries, 76 yards, 1 TD, RB Richardson - 11 carries, 62 yards, 1 TD, WR Washington - 3 catches, 35 yards
(ORL): QB Gilbert - 29/35 320 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, RB Johnson - 18 carries, 112 yards, 2 TDs, RB Smith - 10 carries, 49 yards, WR Marshall - 8 catches, 104 yards, WR Johnson - 8 catches, 86 yards


Kevin Gilbride Named XFL Head Coach in New York

April 16, 2019

New York, NY - The XFL announced that Kevin Gilbride, a former NFL head coach with nearly four-decades of football coaching experience, has been named the head coach of the XFL team in New York. The New York team will play at MetLife Stadium when the team kicks off in February 2020. New York Guardians: Sentries carved of stone. Watchdogs over the metropolis. A prehistoric predator. A beast evolves, turned loose in a new kind of jungle. All teeth and talons, eyes unblinking. They know fear because they feed off it. They are your first line of defense, and there is no need for a second. The New York Guardians. On duty.

"Vince McMahon and I are thrilled that Kevin Gilbride has joined us and will guide the XFL team in New York," said XFL Commissioner, Oliver Luck. "Kevin has 40 years of experience as a football coach at the college and pro levels, including ten years in New York with the Giants, so he is uniquely qualified to work in this market and knows the heartbeat of the local football fan. He's an offensive-minded coach, and understands the quicker style of play we want to be a hallmark of the XFL."

"I'm proud to be named the head coach and general manager of the XFL's New York team, and I want to thank Vince McMahon and Oliver Luck for the opportunity," said Gilbride. "I spent ten great years as a coach in New York, so I know how savvy and passionate fans here can be. I've missed the sidelines, and can't wait to hire a staff and get to work building the best team we can."


XFL Names Jonathan Hayes Head Coach in Charlotte

April 18, 2019

St. Louis, MO - The XFL announced that Jonathan Hayes, the Cincinnati Bengals tight ends coach for the last 16 seasons and a standout NFL tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs and Pittsburgh Steelers, has been named the head coach of the XFL team in Charlotte. The XFL team in Charlotte will play its home games at Bank of America Stadium when the team kicks off in February 2020. Charlotte BattleHawks: Winged warriors. Preparing for flight. Preparing to fight. They await their orders. Then attack as one. Diving, dodging, swooping, striking. Their mission: create chaos. Their mandate: win at all costs. The Charlotte BattleHawks. Cleared to engage.

"It's an honor to provide Jon an opportunity to be a head coach for the first time after 37 years as a player and assistant coach in the NFL and at the college level," said XFL Commissioner, Oliver Luck. "Jonathan comes with an offensive perspective that should help him thrive as we reimagine the game and engineer a style of play that's fast and brisk. We are excited to welcome him to the XFL family."

"It's a privilege to have the opportunity to be the head coach and general manager of the XFL's team in Charlotte," said Hayes. "We're going to work hard and put together a team that's fun and exciting to watch, and that the fans of Charlotte can rally around and support."

[BengalErnst]

XFL 2019 League Leaders Finalized

April 15, 2019

Stamford, CT - These are the regular season stat leaders for the 2019 XFL season.

Top 5 Passing Leaders:
1. Garrett Gilbert(ORL) - 2794 yards, 18 TDs, 4 INTs
2. John Wolford(MEX) - 2160 yards, 16 TDs, 7 INTs
3. Josh Woodrum(STL) - 1727 yards, 7 TDs, 8 INTs
4. Luis Perez(BIRM) - 1461 yards, 5 TDs, 6 INTs
5. Logan Woodside(SA) - 1385 yards, 7 TDs, 8 INTs

Top 8 Rushing Leaders:
1. Trent Richardson(BIRM) - 514 yards, 12 TDs
2. Jhurell Pressley(MEX) - 508 yards, 2 TDs
3. Joel Bouagnon(STL) - 498 yards, 7 TDs
4. D'Ernest Johnson(ORL) - 484 yards, 4 TDs
5. JaQuan Gardner(SD) - 455 yards, 3 TDs
6. Zac Stacy(MEM) - 440 yards, 3 TDs
7. DeVeon Smith(ORL) - 425 yards, 6 TDs
8. Kenneth Farrow(SA) - 422 yards, 4 TDs

Top 10 Receiving Leaders:
1. Charles Johnson(ORL) - 844 yards, 7 TDs
2. Rashad Ross(MEX) - 797 yards, 7 TDs
3. Malachi Jones(ATL) - 583 yards, 5 TDs
4. Dontez Ford(SD) - 569 yards, 1 TD
5. Nelson Spruce(SD) - 559 yards, 2 TDs
6. Quinton Patton(BIRM) - 498 yards, 1 TD
7. DeMornay Pierson-El(STL) - 496 yards, 1 TD
8. Reece Horn(MEM) - 481 yards, 3 TDs
9. Jalin Marshall(ORL) - 468 yards, 3 TDs
10. MeKale McKay(SA) - 437 yards, 4 TDs

Iron Rookie QB Streveler impresses Gilbert

April 18, 2019

Orlando, FL - Birmingham Iron rookie QB Chris Streveler will make his third career start against the Orlando Apollos. While Streveler has become known in Birmingham for his stellar play in relief of injured starter QB Luis Perez at the end of the regular season, his name has started to pique the interest of some of the biggest stars around the league. On Friday, it was Orlando QB Garrett Gilbert, the league’s reigning most outstanding player, who was impressed with what Streveler has done in his first season. “He’s very athletic, of course. He’s got a lot more playtime than, generally, a rookie does at the quarterback position in this league,” Reilly said. “When he’s got on the field, he’s done a nice job. He’s obviously a dual threat. He’s young. He’s got a lot to learn. I’m sure he knows that. But in the opportunity he’s got, he’s done a nice job.”

“Every single day is a learning opportunity and a chance to grow for me,” Streveler said. Streveler credits Perez for his quick progress. The two meet around 5 a.m. about three times a week to go over film and scout opponents. “At that hour, maybe you don’t want to talk too much, cause you’re pretty tired,” Streveler said. “You spend enough time with somebody like that, who really understands the game and is a great guy and willing to help, it’s really rubbed off on me, in the way I carry myself and the way I approach film and my preparation.”

Streveler took a majority of the first-team reps in practice the past week. Getting valuable reps against the Iron's starting defense has only made him more confident and he looks forward to seeing what the offense can do against Orlando. “We’ve grown a lot together throughout the course of the season. Personally, I’ve done a lot of growth, too,” he said. “Learning how to be a professional and getting to sit back and watch Luis and how he prepares every single week. Even those limited reps have helped me to continue to grow each week and take my preparation to new levels.”


XFL First Round: After huge win over San Antonio, Mexico City is headed to the Championship

April 19, 2019

Mexico City, MEXICO - There will be doubters heading into the Championship, but the Mexico City Conquerors right now may be the best team in the XFL. Led by QB John Wolford, who tossed a XFL playoff-record six touchdown passes, the Conquerors tore apart the San Antonio Commanders 46-27 in the XFL Western final. Mexico City put a big exclamation mark on how good it can be. “What’s nice about our offense is we don’t gear it toward one guy,” said head coach Rick Neuheisel. “We have a lot of selfless guys that just want the team to do well. We just stuck to the basics and believed that anything they did on defense, we’d have an answer for. John was putting the ball exactly where it needed to be.”

The Conquerors defensive scheme seemed to throw off San Antonio QB Dalton Sturm. Sturm completed 28-of-41 passes for 315 yards, but he also threw three interceptions with Rahim Moore, Sterling Moore and Robert Nelson getting picks. Moore intercepted Sturm’s overthrown pass to WR Greg Ward. Mexico City took over on the 22-yard line and, on the next play, Wolford tossed the ball to WR Richard Mullaney, who galloped into the end zone. RB Jhurell Pressley ran into the end zone for the two-point convert and it was 14-3 for the home side. In the third, Moore fielded a Sturm pass for an interception and ran 59 yards to the nine. On the next play, Wolford found WR Rashad Ross for a touchdown that made it 27-6.

With 11 minutes left, the Commanders gambled on fourth-and-six near midfield and kept their flickering hopes alive. On another fourth, Sturm ran for in for a touchdown from 12 yards out. The Commanders also got the two-point conversion on a pass to make it 39-27. But Nelson, with his third interception of the season, gave Mexico City the ball back and clinched the game. “We have a good team, we’ll celebrate today and move on tomorrow,” said Nelson. “We have to move on, keep our eyes on the big prize.”

-- (5-5)Commanders 27 - 46 Conquerors(6-4)
(SA): QB Sturm - 28/41 315 yards, 1 TD, 3 INTs, RB Cobb - 12 carries, 52 yards, WR McKay - 12 catches, 129 yards, WR Ward - 5 catches, 67 yards
(MEX): QB Wolford - 29/32 367 yards, 6 TDs, RB Pressley - 21 carries, 86 yards, WR Ross - 8 catches, 114 yards, 1 TD, WR Huff - 6 catches, 71 yards, WR Mullaney - 6 catches, 41 yards, 2 TDs

XFL First Round: Apollos Eliminate Iron

April 20, 2019

Orlando, FL - There were definitely times the defense got carved by QB Garrett Gilbert and the Apollos offense, including a 15-play, 92-yard drive that drained more than eight minutes off the clock and ended with the first of three touchdowns to WR Charles Johnson. But Gilbert, who finished 17-for-31 passing for 214 yards and three scores, was held in check for much of the second half. The Iron opened the third quarter with the game’s first takeaway, as DB Christian Bryant ripped the ball from Orlando RB DeVeon Smith and DB Jamar Summers scooped it up. Gilbert had just two first downs in the third quarter and only 58 passing yards in the final 30 minutes.

On Sunday, Johnson caught all six of his targets for 61 yards and the three touchdowns. His second grab in the end zone, an eight-yard pass with 1:51 left in the second quarter, capped off a 14-0 run by Orlando, who led 14-6 at halftime. His third touchdown, which he scored by boxing out Bryant on a 10-yard grab with 3:52 left, all but sealed the game. “I remember looking up late in the fourth quarter and I don’t remember how many yards they scored since half but it wasn’t a lot,” Iron LB Beniquez Brown said. “We were a play here or a play there from possibly being a different story.”

The two plays the Iron had wide-open and just completely missed, an overthrow from QB Chris Streveler to WR Quinton Patton early in the game and another one down the stretch, when Streveler couldn’t quite dial up a homerun pass to WR Amba Etta-Tawo with the game still in the balance. “It falls on our entire team and I’m so incredibly proud of Chris and the way he led our offense to finish the year. He took a lot of **** from people outside of our building and he handled it extremely well,” said Iron head coach Tim Lewis. “I’m just extremely happy that he was my teammate and super proud to be blocking for him. As an offense, we just didn’t get the job done.”

-- (6-4)Iron 14 - 22 Apollos(9-1)
(BIRM): QB Streveler - 15/32 156 yards, RB Richardson - 13 carries, 71 yards, WR Washington - 5 catches, 64 yards
(ORL): QB Gilbert - 17/31 214 yards, 3 TDs, RB Johnson - 14 carries, 83 yards, WR Johnson - 6 catches, 61 yards, 3 TDs

Arthur Blank Purchases XFL Atlanta Franchise

April 26, 2019

Atlanta, GA - The XFL voted to approve Arthur M. Blank and Blank Sports & Entertainment LLC as the newest owner of their Atlanta club. Blank, who is owner & CEO of the Atlanta Falcons, has been a resident of Atlanta for 41 years. He moved to the area in 1978, when he co-founded Atlanta-based Home Depot. Since that time, he has committed significant time and financial resources to supporting and enhancing the region through his business and civic involvements. The purchase of the Atlanta Alphas is part of his ongoing commitment to the area. The Alphas play at the Georgia State Stadium. "Arthur is not only an NFL owner but is a businessman who has redefined the meaning of customer service," said XFL Commissioner Oliver Luck. "He is the perfect owner for the Alphas."

"We intend to put the same passion into the Alphas as we continue to put into the Atlanta Falcons," said Blank. "We have the same objectives with the Alphas as we do with the Falcons: putting a winning team on the field; creating a great game day experience; and being a winning team off the field in the community. Our goal is to build a team the fans will embrace for years to come, and all of Georgia will be proud to call its own."


XFL Championship: Huge Mistakes Lead to Heartbreak for Conquerors in Championship Loss

April 27, 2019

Frisco, TX - The big-game losses, they say, stick with you forever. They eat at you, consume you. For the Mexico City Conquerors, there will always be what-ifs. The hurt for the Conquerors will include some huge mistakes in Sunday’s 27-16 Championship loss to the Orlando Apollos. A decision to keep the ball in bounds on a punt near the end of the first half, a fumble on a punt return early in the fourth quarter and a dropped pass deep in Orlando territory on a fourth-and-one gamble are among the moments that contributed to the loss, which will sting for a long, long time. Coming off a terrific offensive performance in a 46-27 win over the San Antonio Commanders in the Western Division championship a week ago, trailed 21-11 at halftime. They struggled at times with traction. QB John Wolford struggled at times finding receivers, he threw three interceptions. And the receivers struggled at times with catching the ball. The Conquerors had just 17 passing yards in the first quarter, but Wolford had 132 by halftime.

K Elliott Fry opening kickoff trickled out of bounds and Mexico City started on its 45-yard line. But, after a two-and-out, a Ben Turk punt and a late hit by DB Bryce Canady, the Apollos had the ball on their 44. A 38-yard pass into the middle to WR Chris Thompson put Orlando in great position to score. But two plays later, Conquerors DB Sterling Moore intercepted a QB Garrett Gilbert pass and had the ball on their own five. Three plays later, with Mexico City on a Cover Zero blitz, Gilbert lobbed a pass that WR Jalin Marshall caught and went untouched into the end zone from 21 yards out with a bit more than four minutes left in the first quarter. Mexico City started its next drive on the 49. It was the Wolford connection on the next play, with WR Rashad Ross catching Wolford’s 22-yard pass along the left sideline. K Nick Folk nailed a 30-yard field goal to make it 7-3 2:28 into the second quarter. Orlando answered with a touchdown. Catches by WRs Charles Johnson and Donteea Dye set up a 17-yard touchdown pass to RB Akeem Hunt to make it 14-3. RB Justin Stockton fought his way through Apollos defenders and scored a 55-yard touchdown inside of three minutes. TE Thomas Duarte caught the two-point convert pass and it was 14-11. The Conquerors made a huge mistake with 20 seconds left in the half. Instead of punting toward the sideline or even out of bounds into Orlando territory, P Jeff Locke left it near the middle of the field. Marshall stumbled but kept his footing and raced 97 yards for a touchdown with just one second left in the first half. It was the longest punt return in XFL history.

Mexico City booted a 41-yard field goal on their first drive of the second half, but the Apollos got that back with a 34-yard field goal. Early in the fourth quarter, RB Tim Cook coughed up the ball with one guy to beat to get to the outside and it was recovered by Orlando LB Terence Garvin. Fry booted a 29-yard field goal and it was 27-14. A DB Marquez White interception at the Orlando 20 with 2:27 stopped another Mexico City drive. Then DB Keith Reaser got an interception with 1:22 left and the Apollos conceded two points, a safety, with time winding down.

-- (7-4)Conquerors 16 - 27 Apollos(10-1)
(MEX): QB Wolford - 20/38 288 yards, 1 TD, 3 INTs, RB Pressley - 16 carries, 94 yards, WR Huff - 4 catches, 58 yards, WR Ross - 4 catches, 66 yards, WR Martino - 4 catches, 61 yards
(ORL): QB Gilbert - 24/36 253 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs, RB Johnson - 15 carries, 75 yards, WR Johnson - 6 catches, 64 yards, WR Marshall - 4 catches, 59 yards, 1 TD

San Antonio Commanders Relieve Mike Riley of Head Coaching Duties

April 29, 2019

San Antonio, TX - The San Antonio Commanders announced that Mike Riley has been relieved of his duties as the team's head coach. The Commanders will begin the search process for the team's next head coach immediately under the direction of General Manager Daryl Johnston.

“I just felt there was a misalignment on some things within the team that I wanted to make sure I gave general manager Daryl Johnston my support to go out and fix it,” Vic Gregovits, Commanders Team President said. “I felt a change had to be made and I needed to make a decision on who I wanted moving this football operation going forward and I decided Daryl was the right guy to do that. I just felt the way the season ended. Game after game, especially toward the end of the season, I just felt the team was not playing for Mike. The team lost its way.”

[BengalErnst]

Year One Financial Report Released

May 1, 2019

Stamford, CT - The XFL expected to end year 1 in the red for the financial report but the league is encouraged with their attendance and television numbers. The report states that the league is owned by 34.7% Alpha Entertainment LLC(McMahon), 29.9% Legendary Field Exhibitions LLC(Ebersol), 16.7% Dundon Capital Partners LLC, 6.25% FedEx Express Sports LLC(Smith), 6.25% Park Lane Sports and Entertainment LLC(Kline), 6.25% Maloof Sports LLC(Maloof).

Expenditures totaled $88.3M for the 2019 season. Costs consisted of $16M from player contracts, $5.3M for Player Bonuses, $16M in front office/coaching contracts, $8M on league staff contracts, $8.5M in stadium leases, $9M in housing, $8.5M in traveling expenses, $12M on insurance, $3M on equipment, and $2M on marketing.

The league did receive $11.8M from FedEx Express Sports LLC(Smith), Park Lane Sports and Entertainment LLC(Kline) and Maloof Sports LLC(Maloof), $27.9M in ticket sales, $1M in sponsorships and $8M in merchandise for a total of $72.3M.

The league lost $16M in 2019 with it's overall capital footing now resting at $434M.

"Completing a remarkably successful inaugural season and preparing for a second season shows the XFL is a stable and professional league run by people with football experience," XFL Commissioner Oliver Luck concluded. "In year one, we accomplished every goal we set, high-quality, exciting, and competitive football, establishing a fan-friendly affordable and fun stadium experience, being a catalyst for the evolution of football through innovative rules, and achieving ratings success that gave viewers unprecedented access and the best football production on television. We showed our fans, our players and coaches, our communities, and our public and corporate partners that the XFL is here to stay."

Television Wants More Offense

May 3, 2019

Stamford, CT - There are a few rule changes coming to the XFL starting with the 2020 season, rules that should benefit the offenses in the league. CBS officials told the league that they wanted to see more points, more big plays and more excitement, so that brings along a few rule changes. The first change made was that teams we're no longer allowed to bump and run further than five yards down the field which should open up the passing games. Other rule changes include:

-- Intentional grounding – A quarterback was allowed to intentionally ground the ball to avoid a sack, provided he gets the throw back to the line of scrimmage. He does not have to be outside the pocket to do so.
-- Fumbling out of the end zones – If the ball is fumbled forward into and out of the end zone, it is placed back at the spot of the fumble, whereas in the NFL this play is ruled a touchback and possession goes over to the defending team.
-- Telecasts featured no television timeouts and 60 percent fewer "full-screen commercials," with the league aiming for an approximate real-time game length of 150 minutes, down from just over 180 in the NFL.
-- Defenses were forbidden from rushing more than five players on or across the line of scrimmage, and no defensive player could cross the line of scrimmage from more than two yards outside the offensive tackles. The "illegal defense" penalty for violating these rules was a 15-yard penalty and a first down. This rule was meant to both protect the quarterback and encourage more scoring.
-- The play clock ran only 30 seconds, timed from the spotting of the football, ten seconds shorter than in the NFL.

"We're going to have a fast-paced, action game, but it won't be basketball on grass," said XFL Commissioner Oliver Luck. "If we can get a 34-28 game and get you in and out in under three hours, without the stalls and the replays and timeouts that can kind of dishearten you about the game, that's the kind of game that we want. It has to be real football, but it has to be something that people are enjoying watching and are entertained by. My sense of our opportunity is that it comes from two buckets. One is people who love football. The second will be people in places like Dallas who can take their family to a three-hour event for $100. That's where we have our chance. I hope people will want to see good football played during an up-tempo, fast-paced game that's done in three hours or less. That's what we think will work."

Cuban is Newest League Owner in XFL

May 8, 2019

Dallas, TX - The XFL announced last week from its annual meetings in Stamford, Connecticut, that Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, along with 2929 Sports & Entertainment LLC, is the newest league majority owner, joining Vince McMahon, Charlie Ebersol and Tom Dundon. Cuban is investing $150M in the league rather than owning an individual team. "I didn't want to take on the responsibility of a franchise," he said. Cuban had interest in joining the XFL ownership group in the early planning stages but initially chose to focus his attention on his NBA Dallas Mavericks, along with his television network, AXS TV. Which now as an established network will help give the XFL some leverage in broadcast negotiations in the future. AXS TV will broadcast any unaired XFL games.

"It's good football," Cuban said. "There are guys, obviously, that have NFL experience, guys who have been all-stars in the NFL, guys who've gone from the XFL to the NFL. It was kind of still in beta the last few years and I think the next few years is when it really starts to kick in. I want to help get this league to that next level. In order to do that, we have to get the salary cap up to $12M-20M, and we can eventually do that. It's a valid league and it's about to be made more interesting."

"AXS TV is committed to providing AXS TV viewers with a wide variety of sports, news and entertainment programming, and the hard-hitting action of the XFL is a great addition to our broadcast schedule," added Cuban.

XFL Selects Elevate Sports Ventures to Guide and Support Ticket Sales for League's Sixteen Teams

May 14, 2019

Stamford, CT - The XFL has selected Elevate Sports Ventures to guide and support ticket sales for the league's sixteen teams on a two-year agreement. Elevate, a joint venture of the San Francisco 49ers, Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment, Ticketmaster, Live Nation and the Oakview Group, will design, implement and manage database marketing and ticket sales strategies for the XFL's teams. The goal of the partnership is to bring the XFL to market efficiently and through the use of data-driven sales and digital marketing strategies and applications. Elevate will manage the day-to-day ticket sales effort in each of the XFL's sixteen markets, working closely with each XFL team president and supplementing the skills of the team business operations group at the XFL league office in Stamford.

"We're proud to welcome Elevate to the XFL family," said Jeffrey Pollack, XFL COO. "With Al Guido, the rest of the Elevate team, and all of their partners equally committed to our cause and with important seats at our table, we're even more confident in our ability to launch effectively."

"Everyone at Elevate Sports Ventures, and each of our partners, is honored to receive this appointment from the XFL," said Al Guido, CEO of Elevate Sports Ventures. "We are eager to use our well-honed experience in analytics-based sales and data-driven marketing on the league's behalf, and for the benefit of what will be the XFL's new and growing fanbase. We see incredible potential in this venture and are inspired to be working with Vince McMahon, Oliver Luck, Jeffrey Pollack, and the entire XFL team."


XFL Completes Global Media Rights Agreement with Disney, ESPN & FOX Sports

May 20, 2019

Stamford, CT - The XFL announced multi-year agreements with ESPN and FOX Sports to televise XFL games starting with it's 2020 season. XFL games will air weekly on broadcast TV (ABC and FOX) complemented by games on cable (ESPN, ESPN2, FS1 and FS2) in addition to the previous agreement with CBS Sports and the NFL Network. The XFL TV schedule allows for consistent appointment viewing each week with four games starting Saturday afternoons as well as four additional games on Sunday afternoons.

"We look forward to showcasing the XFL on ESPN and ABC, including the kickoff game and championship during the league's 2020 season," said Burke Magnus, ESPN Executive Vice President, Programming and Scheduling. "Vince McMahon and Oliver Luck are two of the sports industry's most creative and experienced leaders, and they have exciting plans for this league. We believe in their vision for the XFL, which will be a great addition to our year-round commitment to football."

"We welcome the XFL to the FOX Sports Family and are pleased to expand our relationship with Vince McMahon," said Eric Shanks, FOX Sports CEO & Executive Producer. "Football is in FOX Sports' DNA and a key component of our programming strategy. Alongside Oliver Luck and his incredible team, we're excited for the debut of the XFL on FOX Sports."

"We are thrilled to partner with ESPN and FOX Sports, two innovative media companies with extensive experience in world-class football production that will undoubtedly help us reimagine football," said Vince McMahon, XFL co-founder. "The XFL broadcast schedule provides us with incredible reach and makes it easy for fans to watch our games consistently every weekend."

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XFL Names Winston Moss Los Angeles Head Coach

May 16, 2019

Los Angeles, CA - The XFL announced that Winston Moss, most recently the associate head coach for the Green Bay Packers, and former NFL linebacker for the Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, has been named head coach and general manager of the XFL team in Los Angeles.

"We're excited to welcome to our ranks a professional like Winston Moss, who has over 30 years of experience as an NFL player and coach," said XFL Commissioner, Oliver Luck. "As a young athlete, Winston won a national championship with the University of Miami and, as an assistant coach, he helped the Green Bay Packers win Super Bowl XLV. These are two remarkable accomplishments, and we look forward to seeing what he has in store for the fans of Los Angeles."

"Winston has an impressive resume as a player and coach in the NFL and is the perfect choice to lead our Los Angeles team on the field," said Heather Brooks Karatz, the recently named president of the XFL team in Los Angeles. "His passion for football and commitment to providing unique access to our fans makes him the ideal partner for what we're looking to accomplish. We're going to work together to give the people of Los Angeles a great football team and exceptional fan experience."


XFL Names June Jones Head Coach in Houston

May 20, 2019

Houston, TX - The XFL announced that June Jones, a former coach for the NFL's Houston Oilers and USFL's Houston Gamblers, and a former head coach in the NFL, CFL and at the major college level, has been named head coach and general manager of the XFL team in Houston. The Houston team will play at TDECU Stadium when the league kicks off in February 2020. Brian Michael Cooper, who previously served as Senior Associate A.D. at Rice University and President of the NBA G-League Rio Grande Valley Vipers, was named President of the XFL football team in Houston last week. Houston Roughnecks: Resolute. Rippling with heat. Railing against fatigue. Unceasing and often unseen, they labor deep in the trenches. Mercenaries in the muck. Brawlers in blackened dirt. Not just for three hours. Not just when the lights are bright. These are the scratching, grinding, never-bending few. The Houston Roughnecks. Going to work for you.

"We're extremely proud to add Coach Jones, a man with four decades in football, as an XFL head coach," said XFL Commissioner, Oliver Luck. "June has coached the game in three different pro leagues, including the NFL, as well as major college and high school football. The experience he's gained at every stop along the way will no doubt serve him well as he helps us reimagine the game and build our Houston team into something special."

"I've spent a few years coaching in Houston, and having a chance to return to be a head coach in the XFL is an opportunity I couldn't pass up," said Jones. "I had a really great time coaching in the CFL, but this new fresh opportunity to build a team from the ground up is extremely rare in this game, and I'm looking forward to working with Brian Cooper and our coaches to give football fans in Houston a team that's truly exciting to watch and worthy of their support."

CFL's Montreal Franchise in Trouble

May 31, 2019

Montreal, CANADA - Robert C. Wetenhall, owner of the CFL's Montreal Alouettes, surrendered ownership of the franchise to the league, after attempting to pursue a sale of the team since the 2018 season. The Canadian Football League announced that they would be controlling and operating the team on it's behalf while searching for a new ownership group. Wetenhall announced with him facing old age, and worsening conditions on field (the team has missed the playoffs for four straight seasons) and off field with worsening attendance team and league wide while facing exponentially growing financial losses, it was time for him to move on. There was also a report that the Alouettes lost $12M in 2018 and a total of $25M since 2016.

Kenny Robinson Becomes Possible Trail Blazer for XFL

June 1, 2019

Stamford, CT - After initially entering the NCAA transfer portal last week, West Virginia University First Team All-Big 12 sophomore safety announced that he would be forgoing the rest of his collegiate eligibility and entering the XFL Draft in November to help provide financially for his family's needs. Robinson was expelled from WVU after a student code of conduct violation involving academic fraud following his impressive sophomore season.

Robinson plans to enter the 2020 NFL Draft, after completing his rookie season with the XFL. He announced that he chose the XFL to help his mother who was diagnosed with cancer, and because the league would pay for his online college courses so he could finish his degree.

XFL Returns to The Spring League

June 12, 2019

Stamford, CT - The XFL announced that it will again partner with The Spring League, an elite professional football development league, to scout talent, test potential rule adjustments, and experiment with potential in-game technologies it as prepares for kick-off it's second season in February 2020.

The Spring League (TSL) will take the field with the XFL this summer to conduct two four-day scouting events in Southern California, the first of which will take place June 17-20 at Mission Viejo High School. The second will run July 28-31 at a location to be announced soon.

These events provide players with opportunities to display their ability in front of XFL head coaches and their staffs, and other professional football scouts. At the same time, TSL coaches will work closely with the XFL football operations team to test on-field and rules adjustments the league has developed and may adopt. "We're in an important phase of our development and The Spring League gives us the perfect platform to continue our effort to reimagine the game," said Oliver Luck, XFL Commissioner. "We had a great experience and learned so much at The Spring League last year, and feel confident that after these next two sessions we'll have identified a few XFL-caliber players and be closer to finalizing our rules and gameplay."

"We are excited to be working with the XFL again and further demonstrate our value as both a platform for player development and incubator for rules testing," said Brian Woods, CEO of The Spring League. "Our summer events will provide additional opportunities for players to be scouted by XFL coaches and scouts in advance of their 2020 season."

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Dennis Erickson Steps Down as Coach of Stallions

June 20, 2019

St. Louis, MO - The St. Louis Stallions announced that head coach Dennis Erickson has stepped down following the league's first season. No reason was given for the decision to move on at this point. Defensive coordinator Donnie Henderson will take over as the team’s interim head coach.

“I appreciate this opportunity that the XFL has given me to work with our 50 players as head coach and prepare them for the upcoming season,” Henderson said. “I have learned a lot from Dennis and I am thankful for his support in this journey. I look forward to putting together a team that St. Louis can be proud to support and bring the city a championship.”

"Coach Erickson has stepped away from his role as head coach of the St. Louis Stallions," Bill Polian, XFL Head of football said. "We are grateful for his leadership, contribution to the XFL, and wish him well in his next endeavor.

Ex-Bengals Head Coach Marvin Lewis Hired by San Antonio Commanders

July 3, 2019

San Antonio, TX – San Antonio Commanders hired former Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis as their second head coach. XFL Head of Football, Bill Polian, discussed Lewis' arrival, "Marvin Lewis is one of the most respected minds in our game. Whether as the winningest coach in the franchise history of the Cincinnati Bengals, or the architect of one the greatest defenses in NFL history, the 2000 Baltimore Ravens, Marvin has succeeded everywhere he has been and he has done it the right way. His passion for teaching will be an incredible benefit not only for our players, but our entire league."

Joining Lewis on staff of the Commanders will be former NFL players; Kevin Mawae, offensive line coach, Antonio Pierce, linebackers coach, Derek Hagan, wide receivers coach. Shawn Slocum will be taking over as special teams coordinator.

Commissioner's Invitations Start XFL Player Recruitment Process

July 7, 2019

Stamford, CT – XFL Commissioner Oliver Luck this week will start to invite an exclusive list of top free-agent players to be part of the league's first draft pool. The XFL will conduct its first player draft in October and include current and former professional football players. Each of the league's eight teams will draft 70 players.

"Extending invitations to our draft process marks the next step on an extraordinary football journey," said Luck. "Many of the outstanding athletes who receive a Commissioner's Invitation will be among the first players selected, proudly representing their fans and their communities. I am delighted to offer them this exciting opportunity."

XFL will consider taking players before eligible for the NFL Draft

August 21, 2019

Stamford, CT - Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence can’t play in the NFL until at least 2021. But he’d potentially have an option to become a pro a year earlier if he wanted. XFL commissioner Oliver Luck has openly suggested the upstart league, could become a safe haven for players who don’t want to spend three years in college for whatever reason. Lawrence, a true freshman, has to stay in school another two years (or at least not join the NFL) because of the collectively bargained deal between the NFL and NFLPA which creates a de facto free farm system, and provides colleges with a pool of cheap labor. Players have to be three years out of high school to be eligible for the NFL Draft.

During an August podcast interview with with Brian Berger of the Sports Business Radio Road Show, Luck said flatly: “We’re not subject to that. Theoretically we could take a player right out of high school. I doubt we’ll do that,” Luck said, noting the difference in physical development between an 18-year-old and the 24-to-25-year-old fringe NFLers they plan to build their base from. “But I wouldn’t rule it out. Nor would I rule out taking a player who played a year of college football and let’s say isn’t eligible academically, which happens. Or a player who is two years out of college, and is transferring, and would have to sit out a year. A lot of guys don’t want to. We are in that position to be able to take players who wouldn’t be eligible to play in the NFL. But that’s an option that we have and we’re going to look at it long and hard. There are a lot off very good college players after a year or two who may not want to play that third year of college football, may need to earn a little money, support the family. That’s not uncommon as well.”

Luck has said the league will pay salaries in the $250,000-$300,000 range for top players (i.e. quarterbacks) for what could be a five-month commitment. That’s an alternative for a player who doesn’t want to develop his skills for room and board and the opportunity to take classes which fit into his football schedule. College players can also take out “loss of value” insurance policies to protect themselves against an injury which would affect their draft stock. There’s no indication that Lawrence is anything but happy with his Clemson experience and wants to stay. But if he decides he’d rather get paid while developing, it sounds like there’s a league that would be happy to let him.

Oakland Panthers Join XFL with Owner Marshawn Lynch

September 10, 2019

Oakland, CA - The Oakland Panthers will join the XFL and play eight home games at the Oakland Coliseum in the Spring of 2021. The team is founded by NFL legend and Oakland-native Marshawn Lynch, along with Roy Choi, an entertainment and gaming entrepreneur and West Coast Sports & Entertainment LLC. The Panthers have also named longtime sports executive Scott McKibben as its President and general manager.

Team co-owner Marshawn Lynch said, "I believe the power of football has the ability to transform a community and the families who live there. I've seen it and lived it. I'm excited that Da' Town will get another team to call its own. I attended some XFL games last year and had a good ass time. The games have lots of fluidity and tickets are priced so that the entire family can check it out. I was blessed with my time and journey making it to the league but there are more ways of getting there than the route I took, so its hella important to me, to keep finding opportunities for players to pursue their dreams of getting to that next level and I know the Panthers and this league can help with that."

Naming the team as the Oakland Panthers is no accident. The Oakland community has a long history with the name. It references the Bay Area indigenous cougar and the recent blockbuster superhero film (directed by Oakland native Ryan Coogler). It also pays tribute to Oakland's history of activism with the groundbreaking social action of the Black Panther movement of the '60s.

Co-founder Roy Choi, already the owner of two IFL franchises, adds, "Oakland and the Bay Area embody activism, work ethic, passion, and loyalty. Those qualities are represented by the Panther name and by my co-founder Marshawn Lynch. While I am obviously impressed by his on-field performance, it is his community work that is the most inspiring. There is no one better than Marshawn to lead such a community-oriented sports franchise like the Oakland Panthers. Additionally, we're also exploring ways the community can also have ownership in our team."

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Commanders and Express to Select from Field of 48

October 20, 2001

Memphis, TN - San Antonio and Memphis may choose a player from any current team who is designated as being "unprotected." Each team protected 32 players whose rights they control. All other players whose rights they control are deemed "unprotected" and hence eligible to be selected. XFL Free Agents are also draft eligible.

The draft, which is conducted via telephone conference, begins at 1:00 p.m. on October 22 and consists of 20 rounds. A maximum of five minutes per selection is allowed in each round. If the time limit expires, the pick is forfeited. Trades between the expansion team and other clubs are not allowed.

"We're really looking forward to the expansion draft," said Commanders' Head Coach Mike Riley. "This is where we get to build our team. Our entire coaching staff will continue to work very hard on evaluating players who will be available."

"It is difficult to pick only 32 players when we had such a strong regular season last year," said Rage head coach Galen Hall. "In a team sport the fact that you have to narrow things down and not keep some players who have all contributed is very difficult. We did it by position and focused on the positions that are hard to fill and our top performers. They were tough decisions but somebody had to make them."

"We have taken those key players from last year's squad that we felt were confident in their abilities, their love for the game and willingness to make the XFL a success," said Outlaws head coach Jim Criner. "Some are former NFL players who still have dreams of returning to the NFL and see this as an opportunity to continue playing football at a competitive level while showcasing their talents."

"Only protecting 32 players from the championship-winning roster that we assembled last season was a difficult decision," said Stars head coach Al Luginbill. "Many more of those players deserved to be back on this team, but football is a competitive business and we made our decision and have protected a group we feel is balanced and talented."

Commanders and Express Pick First Players in Expansion Draft

October 22, 2001

Memphis, TN - The San Antonio Commanders and Memphis Express each selected eight players in the XFL Expansion draft. The Commanders selected RB Ketric Sanford, WR Calvin Shexnayder, OL Derek West and Octavious Bishop, DL Jomo Cousins, LB Joe Cummings and DBs Terrell Sutton and Sedrick Curry. The Express selected QB Jim Arellanes, TE Marlon Chambers, OL O'Lester Pope and Oliver Ross, DL D.J. Cooper, Jon Kirksey and Abdul-Salam Noah and P Ignacio Brache.

"The expansion draft is the first of several avenues which we will use to field a competitive team in 2002," said Express head coach Bart Andrus. "These guys will add depth to our roster. Now that this is completed, we will look forward to the start of the Supplemental Draft next, which will give us a great opportunity to build our team."

The XFL Holds Expansion Protect Or Pick QB Draft

November 28, 2019

Las Vegas, NV – The XFL held it's Expansion "Protect or Pick" QB Draft live on CBS Sports Network. Hosted by Head of Player Development Hines Ward, alongside former Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis, the Dallas Renegades protected QB Landry Jones as the first overall selection.

The New York Guardians followed and protected hometown QB Matt McGloin (Penn State). The Washington Defenders, Houston Roughnecks, Charlotte Battlehawks, Tampa Bay Vipers, Seattle Dragons and Los Angeles Legends opted to pick, selecting Cardale Jones, Phillip Walker, Jordan Ta'amu, JT Barrett, Justin Holman and Jalan McClendon to complete the first round.

"Our head coaches are excited about this first wave of quarterback assignments and the talent level in our draft pool," said Oliver Luck, XFL Commissioner. "We will continue to identify and sign the best players available and we are confident this is a strong start to the next two days. We're excited to welcome Landry to the XFL," said XFL Commissioner, Oliver Luck. "He's an accomplished athlete with outstanding college credentials and pro experience, and his heart and desire to play football epitomizes the type of individual we want in the XFL."

"I'm looking forward to joining the XFL and playing the game I love," said Jones. "I can't wait to suit-up."

Landry Jones is the First Pick in the XFL Supplemental Draft

October 2, 2019

New York, NY - The career of former Steelers backup quarterback Landry Jones isn’t over yet. The XFL announced that Jones was the first overall selection in the Supplemental Draft by the Oklahoma City Roughnecks. “We’re excited to welcome Landry to the Roughnecks,” Bob Stoops, Roughnecks head coach, said. “He’s an accomplished athlete with outstanding college credentials and pro experience, and his heart and desire to play football epitomizes the type of individual we want. He can still sling the ball, and just is in good shape, maybe not prime like he had been, but he’ll work himself back into shape. But he can still throw the football as well as anybody and has worked in our offense before, so I think Landry will have a really good future with us.”

“I’m looking forward to joining the XFL and playing the game I love,” Jones said. “I can’t wait to suit up.”

XFL Expansion Draft

October 16, 2019

Stamford, CT –

QB Luis Perez(Iron), RB Tim Cook(Conquerors), WR MeKale McKay(Commanders), DL TJ Barnes(Alphas) and Joey Mbu(Commanders), DB Jamar Summers to Guardians
QB Philip Nelson(Fleet), DB Derron Smith(Commanders), DL Winston Craig(Commanders) to Renegades
QBs BJ Daniels(Stallions) and Brandon Silvers(Express), RBs Ja'Quan Gardner(Fleet) and Kenneth Farrow(Commanders), DBs Channing Stribling(Express) and Tyson Graham(Alphas) to Dragons
QB Aaron Murray(Alphas), RB DeVeon Smith(Apollos), WR Dan Williams(Express), TE Nick Truesdell(Stallions), LB Reggie Northrup(Apollos) to Vipers
RB Jhurell Pressley(Conquerors), WR Rashad Ross(Conquerors), OL Logan Tuley-Tillman(Express) to Defenders
WRs LDamian Washington(Iron), DeMornay Pierson-El(Stallions), DL Andrew Ankrah(Apollos) to BattleHawks
QB Josh Johnson(Fleet), WR Nelson Spruce(Fleet), DL Corey Vereen(Express), LB Quentin Gause(Express) and DB Jack Tocho(Iron) to Legends
LBs DeMarquis Gates(Express) and Beniquez Brown(Iron), DBs Cody Brown(Stallions) to Roughnecks

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XFL Draft Date and Process Revealed

October 7, 2019

Stamford, CT – The XFL player draft will take place on October 15-16. Player selections will be announced on FOX Sports. Over the two-day draft, each XFL team will populate a 70-man roster by selecting players from a set of positional groupings. Quarterbacks will be picked or protected by each expansion team prior to a five-phased draft, phased as follows: 1. Skill Players (RB, WR, TE), 2. Offensive Line (OT, OG, OC), 3. Defensive Front Seven (DL, LB), 4. Defensive Backfield (CB, NB, SS, FS), 5. Open Draft (all remaining players after positional drafts, in addition to P/K/LS).

The draft pool will include approximately 1,000 professional football players, all of whom accepted a Commissioner's Invitation and passed a standard background check. In Phases 1-4, each team will choose ten players for a total of 40 players. In Phase 5, each team will choose from the pool of remaining players to complete its initial roster.

Using a "snake" format, the selection order within each phase reverses after every round: the team selecting first in the first round will pick eighth in the second round, first in the third round, eighth in the fourth round and so on. The order of selection was determined by lottery under the supervision of Commissioner Oliver Luck.

XFL Announces Details for Supplemental Player Draft

November 19, 2002

Stamford, CT - The XFL will conduct it's 10-round Supplemental Player Draft tonight where the XFL franchises will add up to 120 players to it's rosters and the league will provide real-time coverage on NBC. "Just as we did in September for the initial phase of the XFL drafts, we’ll use a unique analytic modified snake system that’s equitable for our twelve teams,” said XFL Commissioner Oliver Luck. “The main difference between the territorial draft and tomorrow night’s Supplemental Draft is that rather than being able to protect selected players, teams can select any player that helps complete their 40-man roster.”

XFL teams are drafting from a pool of players who have already signed contracts to play in the league. Teams will have two minutes between selections during the Supplemental Draft. Should a team let its time expire in any round without selecting, it can still choose a player, but it risks letting the team on the clock take the player it was considering. There will be a five-minute break at the conclusion of each round, and trades between teams are not permitted.

"Being able to bring in individuals with the talent to play at the NFL level, can only help us and this league grow," explained Sea Devils head coach Rick Neuheisel. "These are the caliber of players that we will need to be competitive now and in the future. If these players can adjust to our game quickly, it will be an asset to the depth of our team."

Six Quarterbacks Go in First Round of XFL Supplemental Draft

November 10, 2001

Greenwich, CT - The XFL held their Supplemental Draft with the San Antonio Commanders selecting QB Michael Bishop with the first overall pick. Bishop was one of six QBs selected in the first round of the draft. The Memphis Express selected WR Tony Simmons with the second pick, while the Las Vegas Outlaws traded with the Birmingham Steel to acquire the No. 3 pick to select WR Marcus Nash. Birmingham selected QB Spergon Wynn at No. 4, while the Minneapolis Wild rounded out the top five by taking WR Sean Morey with the fifth pick. DL DeAngelo Lloyd, QB Jarious Jackson, WR Randy Gatewood, WR Dante Hall, QB Joe Hamilton, QB Clint Stoerner and QB Todd Husak. The draft enabled the league's ten teams to grow their roster throughout the ten rounds.

"Michael Bishop was my top target of all the quarterbacks that I worked out. I think that he is the prototypical quarterback. Using his combination of size, fast feet, quick release, accuracy and intelligence, my expectations and standards for him are very high at this point. I think that he has a very good chance of excelling in this game given the opportunity. Dante Hall is a tremendous addition to our team," stated Riley. "He is a world class sprinter with outstanding size and excellent hands. He is a great NFL talent, who is still raw regarding the intricacies of the game. I would see no reason for him not to excel."


XFL Teams Assemble Initial Roster Through Two-Day XFL Supplemental Draft

October 16, 2019

Stamford, CT – The eight returning teams and eight expansion teams have selected the initial rosters through the 2019 XFL Draft. The coaches and scouts for each XFL team gathered in their local markets to draft their initial rosters. Teams were given 90 seconds to make a selection and declare their picks through a video conference at the XFL home office. Using a "snake" format, the selection order within each phase reversed after every round and was determined by lottery under the supervision of Commissioner Oliver Luck.

QBs Luke Falk(Stallions), Brad Kaaya(Apollos), Connor Cook(Roughnecks)
RBs Kapri Bibbs(Fleet), Jeremy Hill(Commanders), Thomas Rawls(Conquerors), Cameron Artis-Payne(Renegades), Christine Michael(BattleHawks), Andre Williams(Roughnecks) and Tre Mason(Stallions)
TEs Rico Gathers(Iron), Austin Seferian-Jenkins(Conquerors) and Orson Charles(Alphas)
WRs Donte Moncrief(Apollos), Antonio Callaway(Vipers), Rashad Greene(Alphas), Kelvin Benjamin(Iron), Sammie Coates(Roughnecks), Steven Dunbar(Renegades), Brice Butler(Express), Josh Doctson(Commanders), TJ Jones(Stallions) and Charone Peake(Alphas)
OL Martez Ivey(Vipers), Storm Norton(Legends), Josh Garnett(Conquerors), Ulrick John(Alphas) and Seantrel Henderson(Fleet)
DL Kony Ealy(Roughnecks), Vincent Valentine(Express), Darius Philon(Iron), Adolphus Washington(Commanders), Terry Beckner(Apollos), Datone Jones(Fleet)
LBs Shane Ray(Commanders), Dadi Nicholas(Conquerors), Stephone Anthony(Stallions), Mason Foster(Commanders), Marquis Flowers(Conquerors)
DBs David Amerson(Apollos), Sua Cravens(Fleet) and Kenny Robinson(BattleHawks)

XFL Reveals 2020 Schedule

October 22, 2019

Stamford, CT – The XFL announced it's 2020 schedule, a 79-day sprint from kick-off to the championship game. The 10-week regular season starts Saturday, February 8 with the Washington Valor hosting the Seattle Dragons on ABC, followed by the Los Angeles Legends traveling to Houston for a game against the Roughnecks on FOX.

The sixteen-team league is divided into two eight-team divisions, Alliance and Mega. The XFL Mega features the DC Defenders, New York Guardians, St. Louis BattleHawks, and Tampa Bay Vipers. The Dallas Renegades, Houston Roughnecks, Los Angeles Legends, and Seattle Dragons comprise the XFL Alliance.

Each XFL team will host five home games and will play a schedule that features one game against division rivals and one game against three teams in the other division. Every XFL game will air live on national television, including 25 games broadcast on ABC and FOX. In the regular season, eight games are scheduled each week, typically with three back-to-back games on both Saturdays and Sundays. The XFL schedule also features two weekly primetime night games throughout the regular season.

Following the regular season, the top four teams in each division will square off for the right to play for the league championship on May 2 on ESPN. The first-place team in each division will host its respective division final.

Arena Football League Files for Bankruptcy and Ceases Operations

October 29, 2019

Stamford, CT – The Arena Football League (AFL) announced it has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and is fully ceasing operations. AFL Commissioner Randall Boe said, "We're all disappointed that we couldn't find a way forward and we wanted to thank our fans, our players, coaches, everyone who loved the Arena Football League. We all love the game and tried very hard to make it successful, but we simply weren't able to raise the capital necessary to grow the League, resolve the substantial legacy liabilities and make it financially viable."

The AFL suspended local business operations in September and had been evaluating potential strategic operations before making the decision to suspend operations. Refunds are being processed and should be completed in a few weeks. "We are thankful for the fans, athletes, coaches, personnel, partners and sponsors over the years who poured immense passion into the AFL," added Boe.

XFL Rounds up All 16 Teams for Training Camp in Houston

November 19, 2019

Houston, TX – Today, at a news conference led by Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and Janis Burke, CEO of the Harris County - Houston Sports Authority, XFL Commissioner Oliver Luck announced that Houston will host the league's centralized preseason training camp for all eight of its teams.

XFL teams will practice and continue to get ready for the 2020 season at locations across Harris County from January 4-22. Nearly 1,000 players, coaches, staff, game officials and production teams from FOX Sports and ESPN, will descend on the city for nearly three weeks of training and operations.

The XFL has committed to more than 10,000 room nights for players and staff who plan to consume more than 60,000 meals during their time in Houston. According to the Harris County - Houston Sports Authority, the XFL training camps are expected to generate in excess of $7,000,000 of revenue for Harris County.

"Houston is a sports town," said Houston Mayor Turner. "We have great fans and we support our teams. The XFL made the right call when it chose the city as the home of the Roughnecks, and now, I am even more excited that all eight XFL teams and nearly 1,000 representatives will come to the Houston area for their training camps in January 2020. I'm confident this will generate a great deal of fan excitement and interest in the new football league."

"We've been involved since the initial proposal to the XFL and for me and my team to see it through and get to this point is incredible,'' Burke said. "We're thrilled to have all eight teams starting off here in Houston and equally as thrilled that the fans will get to share in the launch of this new league. They're bringing a new exciting brand of football to a city that loves the game, and we're proud that we were able to play a part in it.''

"Everyone at the XFL is grateful to each of the area college and high school athletic directors who have helped make this a reality," said Commissioner Luck. "We are excited to welcome our teams to Houston and benefit from these world-class facilities as we prepare for kick-off on February 8, 2020."

Arena League Folds Bringing Big Money to the XFL

December 16, 2019

Washington, DC – For the first time since the team announcements were made, XFL Co-Founder Vince McMahon made a league announcement appearance, and he had two interesting faces by his side; Ted Leonsis, and Ron Jaworski.

"On November 7, 2019 the Arena Football League filed for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy and fully ceased operations citing a lack of capital," McMahon announced, "and We(Alpha Entertainment LLC) took full advantage of the opportunity and purchased all equipment and trademarks owned by the league."

However, the league did not own the rights to five of the six teams from the 2019 season. Here, is where Leonsis and Jaworski enter the picture.

Ted Leonsis and Monumental Sports and Entertainment LLC, the current owner of the NBA's Washington Wizards and the NHL's Washington Capitols, along with the Arena League's Washington Valor and Baltimore Brigade announced that he would be joining the XFL with the purchase of the league's Washington DC Defenders' franchise for $10M. This investment was made with the understanding that he would also be bringing a 2021 XFL expansion franchise to Baltimore, making it a $41M two year investment into the league.

Jaworski, George Randolph Hearst and Trifecta Sports and Entertainment LLC, the owner of the Arena League's Philadelphia Soul, Atlantic City Blackjacks and Albany Empire, then announced that he also would be joining the XFL with the $10M purchase of the New York Guardians' franchise.

When asked if he would also be purchasing an expansion team like his friend, Leonsis, Hearst responded with a smile and said, "That discussion will be taking place during this upcoming season, but I think Philadelpha would love an XFL team."

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CFL Coach Jim Barker Calls XFL Quarterbacks ‘Hamburgers’, Says Maddox Better

January 3, 2020

Toronto, ONTARIO, CANADA - Long time CFL coach Jim Barker thinks the XFL’s QB’s are below par. “Who wants to go watch some of the hamburgers they have playing quarterback?” Barker said. “Johnny Manziel is fun to watch, he's an interesting guy, but I don’t know if you’ll ever see him in the NFL again. Barker knows a little bit about the XFL. He was the offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Stars in 2001. XFL legend Tommy Maddox won XFL Player of the Year and the XFL Championship that year with Barker.

“The only XFL quarterback I can think of who made any kind of impact was Tommy Maddox, who played for us. When you don’t have identifiable players that people say, ‘You know what? I want to go see that,’ it’s tough,” Barker said. “It’s like minor league baseball. They move their franchises around because people lose interest because it’s not stars. “People aren’t going to continue to pay money to go watch the players they have playing.” If XFL quarterbacks were burgers, it doesn’t sound like Barker would go back for seconds.

XFL Training Camps Open

January 6, 2020

Dallas, TX - The time for talk, analysis and anticipation is over. It is time for the teams of the XFL to take the field. "There is a lot of anticipation for our second season to start and once teams get underway at training camp, there really is that excitement of the kickoff only being a short time away," said XFL Commissioner Oliver Luck. "This year our fans can follow their teams' progress and as part of our promise to bring the fans closer to the action, elements of all training camps are open to the public."

"We're really looking forward to it," said Conquerors head coach Rick Neuheisel. "Everything we do every day contributes to our success. We all got into coaching to develop players on the field and develop a team. Now, the season is upon us, and it's exciting."

"The first few days of practice will be an awakening for the the players joining together and beginning practice as a cohesive unit," said Luck. "Our coaches have told us that this group of players has equal talent to that of any other players they have coached and fans will be impressed when the teams take the field in about a month. The players understand that most of them are being given a second opportunity to play professional football and are eager to train hard and show their talents."

Landry Jones Injures Knee

January 7, 2020

Houston, TX – The Dallas Renegades have announced quarterback Landry Jones sustained a left knee injury during yesterday's practice at the team's training camp in Houston. Jones will continue to be evaluated by the Renegades' medical staff.

"We are sorry to see Landry sidelined for the next 4-6 weeks and are hopeful he will heal quickly and be back on the field at our opener, if not just shortly after," Renegades Head Coach Bob Stoops said. "Landry is the leader of our team and will continue to play that key role."

CFL coaches, GMs acknowledge XFL is impacting off-season

January 8, 2020

Blue Mountain, ONT, CN – All anyone in the CFL can really do about the XFL is wait and see how it plays out. Rival leagues have come and gone over the years in the U.S., and nobody in the Canadian game is worried about the XFL taking all the best non-NFL players and somehow destabilizing the CFL. Salaries are higher in Canada and it will be a long time before the XFL can convince everyone that they have the stability the CFL does. But at the ground level, the XFL’s looming kickoff is having an impact this off-season. “I think you’re seeing less players available,” said Saskatchewan Roughriders head coach Craig Dickenson. “There’d be more guys out there we’d be looking to bring in if it weren’t for the XFL, but all of that has kind of already happened. If a guy is going to the XFL, he’s already there so we’re not competing for that guy. But yes, if there was no XFL there’d be a lot more players you’d be looking at to bring into rookie camp and workout this off-season. We’ll see how it goes. They’re playing games here pretty soon and I wish those guys the best. The more football there is, the better.”

With former CFL head coaches Marc Trestman and June Jones now both coaching in the XFL, there are certainly connections between the two leagues. XFL commissioner Oliver Luck openly acknowledged his league had taken a look at the Canadian game when it was coming up with its rulebook, too. But as of right now, there doesn’t seem to be much real concern that CFL veterans are going to pack up and head south to play in the unproven spring league. The XFL is, however, affecting the availability of young players who are coming right out of college.

There appears to be one position, in particular, where the presence of the XFL is making it harder to find available players, and that’s at quarterback. At the best of times, there are only so many quarterbacks in the world who are able to play their position at the professional level, and teams looking for young guys to come in and spend a couple years developing are in for more of a challenge now. “It’s harder to find quarterbacks right now because of the XFL,” said Calgary Stampeders head coach Dave Dickenson. “There were some players on our neg list who we thought would be ready to come up right now, but they’re just not. We’ve dropped a few guys because of that and we’re trying to find other players.”

Birmingham Iron Land Their Quarterback

January 27, 2020

Birmingham, AL - The National Champion winning Clemson Tiger QB Trevor Lawrence has decided to forego his junior season at the college level to play professionally for the Birmingham Iron in the XFL. Lawrence is projected to be the #1 overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft, which he intends to enter after completing his two-year $4M contract with the Iron.

Lawrence won the starting job for the Tigers midway through his freshman season, leading them to an undefeated season that ended with a victory in the 2019 National Championship Game. As a sophomore, he led Clemson to another undefeated regular season before being defeated by LSU in the 2020 National Championship Game.

FanDuel Group and XFL Announce Partnership

February 2, 2020

New York, NY – FanDuel Group and the XFL announced a fantasy partnership designating FanDuel an "Official Fantasy Sports Partner" of the XFL. The partnership gives FanDuel access to official XFL data, along with league and team marks and logos to create official daily fantasy football contests on FanDuel during the XFL's 2020 regular season and post-season. FanDuel and the XFL will collaborate on custom content and special promotions for FanDuel's fantasy customers, including social giveaways with unique XFL prizing.

"The XFL and FanDuel share the goal of creating compelling digital fan experiences and finding new ways to engage fans both at home and attending live sporting events," said Kip Levin, President, FanDuel Group. "By teaming up directly with the XFL, we can work together to give our fantasy customers more ways to play, and XFL fans a new way to engage with the games."

"Fantasy sports is an essential part of the football fan experience and we're thrilled to be partnering with FanDuel, a leader in this space, to provide XFL fans additional ways to connect to our games," said Jeffrey Pollack, COO of the XFL. "We're looking forward to showcasing our new league and exciting brand of football to FanDuel's customers."

The Atlantic Blackjacks Join Austin Generals

February 3, 2020

Atlantic City, NJ - Ron Jaworski and Trifecta Sports and Entertainment LLC announced to the crowd that the Austin Generals would no longer be the league's only league wide practice squad as the Atlantic City Blackjacks would be joining the fray. With the 16 XFL teams having finished their rosters a few days ago, the rosters of the Blackjacks and the Generals is now also complete. The Blackjacks will serve as the practice squad for the Eastern Division teams and the Generals will do the same for the Western Division.

The Generals roster includes QBs Shane Carden, Vincent Testaverde and Wilton Speight, RBs Karan Higdon, Mack Brown, WRs Daniel Braverman, KD Cannon, Joe Horn, Reece Horn, Trey Griffey, Max McCaffery, Darius Jennings and Bryce Treggs and TEs Xavier Grimble and Tyrone Swoopes.

Marty Schottenheimer returns as Head Coach, and Jerry Glanvilles, Kurt Schottenheimer, Turk Schonert, Bart Andrus and Terry Shea also return for the Generals.

The Blackjacks roster includes QBs Anthony Gordon, Tyler Bray and Steven Montez, RBs Jordan Scarlett, Dexter Williams and Josh Ferguson, WRs Fred Ross, Tanner Gentry, Kermit Whitfield, Damion Willis, Robert Foster, George Campbell and Saeed Blacknall and TE Isaac Nauta.

The Blackjacks will be coached by Dom Capers, Mike Sherman, Steve Fairchild, Bob Bratkowski and Monte Kiffin.

Houston and Charlotte Name Starting QBs

February 4, 2020

Houston, TX – The Houston Roughnecks and Charlotte Battlehawks announced that PJ Walker and Jordan Ta'amu will be the starting quarterbacks for the 2020 season.

"He's shown the progess we were looking for," said Battlehawks head coach Jonathan Hayes. "He's earned the right to be the guy to start the season. To me, Chuck Long and the offensive staff, it was the right decision to make and the best decision for this football team to allow us to move forward."

No stranger to an uptempo style of play, Ta'amu is prepared for the offense that his coaching staff has crafted. "I got a taste of it in Houston," Ta'amu said. "I'm ready to go out there and start playing again. I've always loved no-huddles and have been a part of Air Raid offenses, so I'm excited to get this show on the road. We're excited to give them a show," he said. "It's going to high-scoring, high-flying. It's going to move fast, and hopefully fans are excited about it, because we are."

Walker isn't taking the news for granted. "Just the ability to have the opportunity to be the starting quarterback and to have the opportunity to have a lot of faith in me as a football player and as a person as well it was exciting." Walker said. He also knows how different the offense head coach June Jones has implemented will be. "I'm an undersized QB so I'm always going to carry a chip on my shoulder. I am always going to walk on the field like I am the best player on the field. I don't care who else is on the field with me, that's just my mentality. Just to be around a whole bunch of new people, coming from the pro-style system to a straight-out, Run and Shoot system is a lot different," he said. "Especially with the fact that I was under center a lot in my career and now I'm in the shotgun a lot."

Walker admits he has learned a lot over the past few years with the biggest advantage being relaxing and taking it all in. "The whole game has slowed down for me so that's a benefit as well," he said. "It's the loudest stadium I have ever played in that holds under probably 40,000 people."

[BengalErnst]

Initial XFL Rosters Announced

February 5, 2020

San Francisco, CA –


2020 Orlando Apollos - HC Steve Spurrier, OC David Reaves, DC Ron Zook, GM Tim Ruskell, QBs Garrett Gilbert, Kevin Anderson and Brad Kaaya, RBs Akeem Hunt, D'Ernest Johnson, Ryan Green and Deztrez Newsome, WRs Donte Moncrief, Charles Johnson, Jalin Marshall, Xavier Ubosi, Cortrelle Simpson and Chris Thompson, TEs Sean Price, Bucky Hodges and Kyle Carter, OL Dieugot Joseph, Aaron Evans, William Campbell, KaJohn Armstrong, Leonard Wester, Tre Jackson, Chris Martin and Ronald Patrick, DL Terry Beckner, Stevie Tuikolovatu, Immanuel Turner, Dare Odeyingbo, Kalani Vakameilalo, Antonio Guerad and Jerel Worthy, LBs Manase Hungalu, Blair Brown, Emmanuel Lamur, Ryan Davis, Christian French, Earl Okine and Terrance Parks, DBs David Amerson, Marquez Sanford, Jalen Allison, Dandre Payne, Taj-Amir Torres, Josh Evans, LaDarius Gunter, Keith Reaser, Cody Riggs and Ashton Lampkin, K Elliott Fry and P Ben Turk


2020 Memphis Express - HC Mike Singletary, OC David Lee, DC Dennis Thurman, GM Will Lewis, QBs Johnny Manziel, Zach Mettenberger and Garrett Grayson, RBs Zac Stacy, Sherman Badie, Alex Barnes and Terrence Magee, WRs Rashard Davis, Devin Lucien, Brice Butler, Joseph Parker, Travin Dural, Gerrard Sheppard and Fabian Guerra, TEs Adrien Robinson, Michael Colubiale and MikQuan Deane, OL Tayo Fabuluje, Ty Allen, Israel Helms, William Poehls, Austin Pasztor, Adam Bisnowaty, Oni Omoile, Dallas Thomas and Toby Weathersby, DL Vincent Valentine, Hunter Dimick, Sterling Shippy, Elijah Zeise, Olive Sagapolu, Terrence Fede, Montori Hughes and Julius Warmsley, LBs James Vaughters, Freddie Bishop, Sharif Finch, Quarte Sapp, Cameron Lynch, Koa Farmer and Davis Tull, DBs Kevon Seymour, Rashard Fant, Lenzy Pipkins, Terrell Bonds, Jonathan Cook, Jocquez Kalili, Colton Jumper and Arnold Tarpley, K Greg Joseph and P Ryan Winslow


2020 Birmingham Iron - HC Tim Lewis, OC Steve Logan, DC Rick Minter, GM Joe Pendry, QBs Trevor Lawrence, Luke Falk and Taryn Christion, RBs Trent Richardson, Ty Isaac, Brandon Ross and LaDarius Perkins, WRs Kelvin Benjamin, Amba Etta-Tawo, Tobias Palmer, Jamire Jordan, Davon Grayson, Andre Lindsey and Quinton Patton, TEs Wes Saxton, Rico Gathers and Dan Skipper, OL Cyrus Kouandjio, Arie Kouandjio, Brandon Greene, JC Hassenauer, Jylan Ware, Kyle Murphy, Dominick Jackson, Brian Fineanganofo and Kitt O'Brien, DL Rickey Hatley, Jeremy Faulk, Dee Liner, Eric Cotton, Adrian Hubbard, Garrison Smith, Joshua Frazier and Darius Philon, LBs Aaron Adeoye, Xzavier Dickson, Cayson Collins, Nathan Stupar, Juwan Foggie, Nicholas Grigsby and Shaheed Salmon, DBs Nydair Rouse, Isaiah Langley, Dakari Monroe, Jalin Burrell, Christian Bryant, Chris Davis, Max Redfield and JaCorey Shepherd, K Nick Novak and P Colton Schmidt


2020 Atlanta Alphas - HC Brad Childress, OC Ken Zampese, DC Kevin Coyle, GM Billy Devaney, QBs JT Barrett, Joe Callahan and Peter Pujals, RBs Denard Robinson, Trayone Gray, Josh Caldwell and Dontae Strickland, WRs Rashad Greene, Charone Peake, Montay Crockett, Raphael Leonard, Jordan Veasy, Shawn Bane, Bug Howard and Malachi Jones, TEs Keith Towbridge and Orson Charles, OL Cornelius Edison, Devon Johnson, Lanard Bonner, Freddie Burden, Ulrick John, Chase Farris, Parker Collins, Trae Moxley and Jared Machorro, DL Antonio Simmons, Pat Afriyie, Stefan Charles, Lenny Jones, Ade Aruna, Justin Alexandre, Tracy Sprinkle and David Dean, LBs Khalil Bass, Connor Strachan, Juwon Young, Logan Tago, Ramon Humber and Kerron Johnson, DBs Taveze Calhoun, Robertson Daniel, Matt Elam, Quincy Mauger, Jalen Myrick, Dwayne Hollis, Ed Reynolds and Damian Swann, K Younghoe Koo and P Cameron Nizialek


2020 Washington Defenders - HC Pep Hamilton, OC Tanner Engstrand, DC Louie Cioffi, GM Greg Gabriel, QBs Cardale Jones, CJ Collins and Tyree Jackson, RBs Donnel Pumphrey, Jhurell Pressley, Nick Brossette and Khalid Abdullah, WRs Simmie Cobbs, Malachi Dupre, Deon Holliman, Tyler Palka, Eli Rogers, Rashad Ross, Jalen Rowell and DeAndre Thompkins, TEs Donnie Ernsberger, Derrick Hayward and Khari Lee, OL Cole Boozer, Malcolm Bunche, Rishard Cook, Terronne Prescod, Bunchy Stallings, Logan Tuley-Tillman, DeOndre Wesley, James OHagan and Jon Toth, DL Siupeli Anau, Daryle Banfield, Tavaris Barnes, Kenny Bigelow, Jay Bromley, Tracy Sprinkle and Elijah Qualls, LBs Jonathan Celestin, KeShun Freeman, Anthony Johnson, Jonathan Massaquoi, Sam Montgomery, AJ Tarpley, Jameer Thurman and Scooby Wright, DBs Elijah Campbell, Doran Grant, Deion Harris, Tyree Kinnel, Desmond Lawrence, Carlos Merritt, Rahim Moore, Shamarko Thomas and Josh Thornton, K Tyler Rausa and P Hunter Niswander


2020 Charlotte Battlehawks - HC Johnathan Hayes, OC Chuck Long, DC Jay Hayes, GM Trey Brown, QBs Jordan Ta’amu, Taylor Heinicke and Nick Fitzgerald, RBs Keith Ford, Matt Jones, Lenard Tillery and Christine Michael, WRs Carlton Agudosi, Keith Mumphery, DeMornay Pierson-El, Brandon Reilly, Alonzo Russell and LDamien Washington, TEs Gabe Holmes, Connor Davis and Marcus Lucas, OL Dejon Allen, Gerhard de Beer, Brian Folkerts, Korren Kirven, Matt McCants, Jake Campos, Andrew McDonald, Kent Perkins, Bruno Reagan, Kevin Bowen, Sean Hickey and Brian Wallace, DL Andrew Ankrah, Will Clarke, Dewayne Hendrix, DaVonte Lambert, Gimel President, Casey Sayles, Channing Ward and Khryi Thornton, LBs Terence Garvin, Andrew Jackson, Dexter McCoil, Anthony Stubbs and Shaq Jones, DBs Will Hill, Darius Hillary, Harold Jones-Quartey, Robert Nelson, Joe Powell, Trovon Reed, David Rivers, Kenny Robinson, Ryan White and Marquez White, K Taylor Russolino and P Marquette King


2020 New York Guardians - HC Kevin Gilbride, OC GA Mangus, DC Jim Herrmann, GM Alan MacCracken, QBs Luis Perez, Marquise Williams and Matt McGloin, RBs Matt Colburn, Tim Cook, Justin Stockton and Darius Victor, WRs DeAngelo Yancey, Tanner Gentry, Austin Duke, Joe Horn, MeKale McKay, Colby Pearson and Teo Redding, TEs EJ Bibbs, Keenan Brown and Jake Sutherland, OL Damien Mama, Tony Adams, Anthony Coyle, Derek Dennis, Garrett Brumfield, Jarron Jones, John Kling, Ian Silberman, Maea Teuhema, Brant Weiss, Zac Kerin and Avery Young, DL Rykeem Yates, TJ Barnes, Toby Johnson, Joey Mbu, Ryan Mueller, Bunmi Rotimi, Cavon Walker and Jarrell Owens, LBs Nick DeLuca, Garret Dooley, Frank Ginda, Ben Heeney, DJuan Hines, Darnell Leslie and Jawuan Johnson, DBs Dravon Askew-Henry, Demetrious Cox, AJ Hendy, Jeremiah McKinnon, DeJuan Neal, Andrew Soroh, Jamar Summers, Wesley Sutton and Ranthony Texada, K Matt McCrane and P Justin Vogel


2020 Tampa Bay Vipers - HC Marc Trestman, OC Jaime Elizondo, DC Jerry Glanville, GM Ron Selesky, QBs Taylor Cornelius, Quinton Flowers and Aaron Murray, RBs Tarean Folston, Jacques Patrick, DeVeon Smith and Brandon Wilds, WRs Ryan Davis, SJ Green, Antonio Callaway, Reece Horn, Seantavius Jones, Jake Lampman, Tanner McEvoy, Jalen Tolliver and Dan Williams, TEs DeAndre Goolsby, Pharoah McKever and Colin Thompson, OL Christian Morris, Daronte Bouldin, Jerald Foster, Martez Ivey, Marquis Lucas, Jordan McCray, NaTy Rodgers, Andrew Tiller, Isaiah Williams and John Yarbrough, DL Josh Banks, Shane Bowman, Obum Gwacham, Deiontrez Mount, Jason Neill, Bobby Richardson, Ricky Walker, Kellen Soulek and Nikita Whitlock, LBs Thurston Armbrister, Emmanuel Beal, Reggie Northrup, Terrance Plummer and Lucas Wacha, DBs Rannell Hall, Bryce Canady, Trey Caldwell, Marcelis Branch, Micah Hannemann, Demontre Hurst, Anthoula Kelly, Tarvarus McFadden, Robert Priester, Robensen Therezie and Herb Waters, K Andrew Franks and P Jake Schum


2020 San Diego Fleet - HC Mike Martz, OC Mike DeBord, DC Donnie Henderson, GM Dave Boller, QB Colin Kaepernick, Mike Bercovici and Austin Davis, RBs Kapri Bibbs, Bishop Sankey, Lavon Coleman and Terrell Watson, WRs Justice Liggins, Francis Owusu, Brian Brown, Justin Sumpter, Brian Burt and Dontez Ford, TEs Marcus Baugh, Ben Johnson and Gavin Escobar, OL Daniel Brunskill, John Montelus, Brett Boyko, Seantrel Henderson, Jaelin Robinson, Blake Camper, Jamar McGloster, Justice Powers, Chris Gonzalez, and Beau Nunn, DL Datone Jones, Jamell Garcia-Williams, Ryan Delaire, Alex Barrett, Damontre Moore, Myles Nash and Shakir Soto, LB Travis Feeney, James Cowser, Bryson Allen-Williams, Dante Booker, Keion Adams, John Lotulelei and Eric Pinkins, DBs Sua Cravens, Ron Brooks, Xavier Coleman, Bradford Lemmons, Kendall James, Kameron Kelly, Jude Adjei-Barimah, Keivarae Russell and Rodney Randle, K Donny Hageman and P Sam Irwin-Hill


2020 St. Louis Stallions - HC , OC Tim Lappano, DC , GM Matthew Hayes, QBs Chris Streveler, Chase Litton and Josh Woodrum, RBs Tre Mason, Daryl Richardson, Terron Ward and Joel Bouagnon, WRs TJ Jones, Roger Lewis, Kenny Bell, Jordan Leslie, Brian Tyms and Kaelin Clay, TEs Anthony Denham, Manasseh Garner and Austin Traylor, OL Jake Bennett, Ryan Cummings, Austin Davis, Austin Droogsma, Justin Senior, Antonio Garcia, Tuni Kanuch and Jeremiah Poutasi, DL Darius Hamilton, Chris Odom, Tenny Palepoi, Karter Schult, DeShawn Williams, Sealver Siliga and Handsome Tanielu, LBs Stephone Anthony, Josh Banderas, Tobenna Okeke, Asantay Brown, Trevor Reilly, Ty Schwab and John Timu, DBs Ciante Evans, Howard Wilson, Clifton Duck, Jhavonte Dean, Kentrell Brice, Kemon Hall, CJ Smith, Jordan Sterns and Henri Toliver, K Taylor Bertolet and P Cory Carter


2020 San Antonio Commanders – HC Marvin Lewis, OC Matt Troxel, DC Jim Grobe, GM Daryl Johnston, QBs Logan Woodside, Brogan Roback and Dustin Vaughan, RBs Jeremy Hill, David Cobb, Tra Carson and Aaron Green, WRs Josh Doctson, Terrance Williams, Demarcus Ayers, Greg Ward, River Cracraft, Floyd Allen and John Diarse, TEs Jace Amaro, Kano Dillon and Cameron Clear, OL Derrick Puni, DJ Coker, Sepesitiano Pupungatoa, Fisayo Awolaja, Mason Gentry, Jacob Ohnesorge, Shawn Lauvao, Jaryd Jones-Smith and Dillon DeBoer, DL Adolphus Washington, Richard Ash, Deion Barnes, Johnny Dwight, Matthew Godin, Ashaad Mabry and Arthur Miley, LBs Mason Foster, Shane Ray, Jayrone Elliott, Tyrone Holmes, Joe Lanning, Austin Larkin and Shaan Washington, DBs DeVante Bausby, Kurtis Drummond, Lorenzo Doss, Zack Sanchez, Davon House, Orion Stewart, Duke Thomas and Jomon Dotson, K Nick Rose and P Joseph Zema


2020 Mexico City Conquerors - HC Rick Neuheisel, OC Steve Axman, DC Nick Aliotti, GM Phil Savage, QBs Trevor Knight, John Wolford and Jack Heneghan, RBs Thomas Rawls, John Crockett, Matthew Dayes and Darnell Holland, WRs Josh Huff, Damon Sheehy-Guiseppi, Isaac Zico, Dorian Baker, Marquis Bundy, Richard Mullaney and Stacy Coley, TEs Thomas Duarte, Austin Seferian-Jenkins and Gerald Christian, OL Joshua Garnett, Josh Allen, Jake Brendel, Pierce Burton, Rees Odhiambo, Jacob Judd, Andrew Lauderdale, Patrick Lewis and Hugh Thornton, DL Quindarius Thagard, Brandin Bryant, Charles Wright, Marcus Hardison, Corbin Kaufusi, Trenton Thompson and Dylan Wynn, LBs Dadi Nicholas, Hau’oli Kikaha, Marquis Flowers, Trevon Johnson, Josh Corcoran, Steve Beauharnais and Sione Teuhema, DBs Dexter McDougle, Shareece Wright, Erick Dargan, Lafayette Pitts, Kamari Cotton-Moya, SaQuan Edwards, Sterling Moore, Shaquille Richardson and Kieron Williams, K Nick Folk and P Jeff Locke


2020 Dallas Renegades – HC Bob Stoops, OC Hal Mumme, DC Chris Woods, GM John Peterson, QBs Landry Jones, Eric Dungey and Philip Nelson, RBs Cameron Artis-Payne, Lance Dunbar, Dmitri Flowers and Austin Walter, WRs Jeff Badet, Armanti Edwards, Jazz Ferguson, Jerrod Heard, Freddie Martino, Flynn Nagel, Steven Dunbar and Kermit Whitfield, TEs Donald Parham, Romello Brooker and Julian Allen, OL Willie Beavers, Josh Allen, Alex Balducci, Darius James, John Keenoy, Pace Murphy, Maurquice Shakir, Salesi Uhatafe and Patrick Lawrence, DL Frank Alexander, Omarius Bryant, Winston Craig, Izaah Burks, Tomasi Laulile, Gelen Robinson and Tyrell Thompson, LBs Jesse Aniebonam, Reshard Cliett, Ray Ray Davison, James Folston, Greer Martini, Gerald Rivers, Tre Watson and Tegray Scales, DBs Micah Abernathy, Tenny Adewusi, Donatello Brown, Treston Decoud, Marwin Evans, Josh Hawkins, Dashaun Phillips, Derron Smith and DMontre Wade, K Austin MacGinnis and P Drew Galitz


2020 Houston Roughnecks – HC Junes Jones, OC Chris Miller, DC Ted Cottrell, GM Randy Mueller, QBs Connor Cook, Phillip Walker and Marcus McDade, RBs DeAngelo Henderson, Andre Williams, James Butler and Marquez Williams, WRs Sammie Coates, Nick Holley, Blake Jackson, Jalen Saunders, Taivon Jacobs, Ryheem Malone, Sam Mobley and Cam Phillips, OL Nick Callender, Juwann Bushell-Beatty, Isame Faciane, Avery Gennesy, Tejan Koroma, Terry Poole, Demetrius Rhaney, Kelvin Palmer, Marquez Tucker and Sebastian Tretola, DL Corey Crawford, Kony Ealy, Nick James, Caushaud Lyons, Johnny Maxey, Vantrel McMillan, Walter Palmore and Gabe Wright, LBs DeMarquis Gates, Carl Bradford, Beniquez Brown, Kaelin Burnett, LaTroy Lewis, Brian Peters and Edmond Robinson, DBs Cody Brown, Ajene Harris, Marqueston Huff, Charles James, Deatrick Nichols, Deji Olatoye, Saivion Smith, Trae Elston and Jeremiah Johnson, K Sergio Castillo and P Austin Rehkow


2020 Los Angeles Legends – HC Winston Moss, OC Norm Chow, DC Pepper Johnson, GM Joey Clinkscales, QBs Josh Johnson, Chad Kanoff and Jalan McClendon, RBs DuJuan Harris, Elijah Hood, Larry Rose and Martez Carter, WRs Sergio Bailey, Saeed Blacknall, Adonis Jennings, Tre McBride, Jordan Smallwood, Donteea Dye, Nelson Spruce and Keyarris Garrett, TEs DeQuan Hampton, Brandon Barnes and Scott Orndoff, OL Sean Brown, Fred Lauina, Lene Maiava, Storm Norton, Ryan Pope, Nico Siragusa, Patrick Vahe, Ryan Cummings, Damian Prince, Anthony Morris and Kahlil McKenzie, DL Shawn Oakman, Boogie Roberts, Devin Taylor, Reggie Howard, Latarius Brady, Corey Vereen, Roderick Henderson and Andrew Stelter, LBs Quentin Gause, Taiwan Jones, Victor Ochi, Cedric Reed, Will Smith and Tre Williams, DBs Jerome Couplin, MarSean Diggs, Ahmad Dixon, Harlan Miller, Arrion Springs, Mike Stevens, Bradley Sylve, Roman Tatum, Jack Tocho and LaDarius Wiley, K Giorgio Tavecchio and P Shane Tripucka


2020 Seattle Dragons – HC Jim Zorn, OC Mike Riley, DC Clayton Lopez, GM Tony Softli, QBs Brandon Silvers, BJ Daniels and Justin Holman, RBs Kenneth Farrow, JaQuan Gardner and Trey Williams, WRs KD Cannon, Alonzo Moore, Kasen Williams, Dontez Byrd, Austin Proehl, Keenan Reynolds and John Santiago, TEs Connor Hamlett, Colin Jeter and Evan Rodriguez, OL Kirk Barron, Isaiah Battle, Venzell Boulware, Dillon Day, Michael Dunn, Quinterrius Eatmon, Cyril Richardson, Brandon Haskin and Robert Myers, DL Marcell Frazier, Martin Ifedi, Stansly Maponga, Praise Martin-Oguike, Anthony Moten, Jacquies Smith, Will Sutton, Tani Tupou and Pasoni Tasini, LBs Steven Johnson, Durrant Miles, Nyles Morgan, Nick Temple, Korey Toomer, Brandon Bell and Kyle Quiero, DBs Mohammed Seisay, Steve Williams, Tyson Graham, Godwin Igwebuike, Derrick Jones, Marko Myers, Jermaine Ponder, Channing Stribling and Jeremy Clark, K Ernesto Lacayo and P Brock Miller

[BengalErnst]

Stoops, Hayes and Long: a Bond Spanning Four Decades

February 7, 2020

Dallas, TX - The same photo hangs on the walls of their homes and offices. Four coaches on the Oklahoma Sooners staff (Chuck Long, Bob Stoops, Jonathan Hayes and Mike Stoops), celebrating a 34-14 Rose Bowl victory over Washington in 2003. All four once coached and played together at Iowa under the late Hayden Fry. "We love to joke that after all those years at Iowa, we had to go to Oklahoma to win a Rose Bowl," Dallas Renegades head coach Bob Stoops said. Stoops loves that photo, and it means a great deal to him. Which is why it hangs proudly alongside among some of his favorite life moments. On Sunday in Arlington, three of the men from that photo will be lined up on opposing sidelines. Stoops' Renegades host the Charlotte BattleHawks on Sunday. Hayes is the BattleHawks' head coach, and Long is his offensive coordinator. Hayes might not be coaching at all if it weren't for a fateful call from Stoops when he was assembling his first staff at Oklahoma. "That was a long, long time ago when I hired Jonathan to be our tight ends and special teams coach," Stoops said with a grin. "And he wasn't involved in coaching, he was breaking horses at the time after retiring from the Chiefs."

After years of playing tight end, and most of those years at the highest level in the NFL, Stoops was convinced Hayes could be a tight ends coach at the college level. Hayes wasn't so sure. "He said, 'Let me come take a look around Norman, and then we'll see,'" Stoops said. "I laughed and said, 'There's no looking around, you're either taking the job or you're not." Hayes took the job, and he's been a coach ever since. After that Rose Bowl season, he took a job with the Cincinnati Bengals, and was on that staff until 2018. Now, he's got his first head coaching gig. Surely a lot has changed about Hayes in all the years since he was on the same staff with Stoops, but for the life of him, Stoops couldn't tell you how. Lifelong friendships can be like that sometimes. "Who knows? We're all different these days," Stoops said. "He's a great coach, a great communicator and I'm really excited to see his team and watch him through this whole process."

Long was the Hawkeyes' up-and-coming quarterback as senior DB Stoops was on his way out, and while Stoops often laments missing out on getting to suit up with the former Heisman runner-up in his prime, he relishes the time they've had together since then, and knows the Renegades will have their hands full. "He's a great coach. He was my offensive coordinator for a good number of years before becoming a head coach," Stoops said. "That will be a well disciplined team, and he's great at balancing the run and pass, so we'll have to be disciplined on that side."

Friendships that still have room for a little competitive fire. "Those guys don't golf, so we'll have to get after it here on the field," Stoops said with a chuckle. "We'll have some good laughs ahead and behind the game, though."


XFL Week 1: Defenders Freeze Dragons with Big Plays

February 8, 2020

Washington, DC - The first Defenders' game was packed with big hits, big plays and big attitudes at Audi Field in Washington, D.C. Playing in-front of a home crowd estimated at 27,000, the Washington Defenders lived up to their name to edge the Seattle Dragons, 31-19, during Saturday's inaugural 2020 game. Although both teams leaned heavily on their running games, with a total of 49 carries between them, the defenses made their mark for the Defenders, with 43 combined tackles, two interceptions, a sack and a blocked punt. With the secondary leading the way, it tallied nine pass deflections and two interceptions, Washington head coach Pep Hamilton also was pleased with his defensive line and special teams.

The all-around effort from the Defenders' defense persuaded Hamilton to give them a much-needed break until Monday. "I feel great about that defense, they took the ball away three times," he said. "That's what you want in your defense, you want them to turn the ball over. The coaches also play a big role in the win, with their play calling, but players ultimately make the plays to win games." Despite a slow start for Washington that saw Seattle take an early 6-3 lead, DB Rahim Moore made a decisive read to intercept Dragons QB Brandon Silvers with 10:30 left in the second quarter. "We had a good week of practice, great film study, our calls were on-point from the defensive coordinator," Moore said. "The good thing about it though was that we were able to see who we were going up against. Our D-line was on point tonight. Our linebackers were communicating, flying around, making tackles. And the secondary, we just kind of pulled it on what they did."

DC continued to live up to the team name with a blocked punt by DB Elijah Campbell later in the second quarter that was scooped up for a score by DB Jonathan Celestin to give the Defenders a 9-6 lead. It also spurred the offense to loosen up and start moving the ball consistently. "It feels great to get this win, it has been a long-time coming," Celestin said. "I haven't played a game in about a year-and-a-half, just to be able to compete and fly around again, it feels great."

Seattle went ahead 13-9 after a 13-yard touchdown pass from Silvers to RB Trey Williams and the subsequent 1-point conversion with 20 seconds left in the half, but the Defenders got back within a point on a 55-yard field goal from K Ty Rausa with five seconds left in the half to make it 13-12. DC QB Cardale Jones helped the Defenders keep pace with the up-tempo Dragons with two third-quarter touchdown passes to carve out a 25-19 lead. Seattle was driving early in the fourth quarter, but former Alabama DB Brandon Sylve stepped in front of a Silvers pass intended for WR Austin Proehl and returned it for a 69-yard touchdown to give the Defenders some breathing room. "You practice how you play," he said. "It was the same exact play as in practice, so the moment I saw the quarterback's shoulders turn my way, I'm like, 'Man, this all she wrote right here.' It's nothing but dog work man. "I knew the ball was coming out high. They thought I was in 'Cover 2' but I disguised it; I was in man. When I saw him about to let loose, I broke on the ball." DC clamped down on the Dragons' last two offensive drives for the victory.

-- (0-0)Dragons 19 - 31 Defenders(0-0)
(SEA): QB Silvers - 21/40 217 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs, RB Farrow - 10 carries, 57 yards, 4 catches, RB Gardner - 9 carries, 36 yards, 27 yards, 1 TD, WR Proehl - 5 catches, 88 yards, 2 TDs
(DC): QB Jones - 16/26 235 yards, 2 TDs, RB West - 12 carries, 31 yards, WR Rogers - 6 catches, 73 yards, WR Ross - 2 catches, 52 yards, 1 TD

-- (0-0)Alphas 11 - 37 Commanders(0-0)
(ATL): QB Barrett - 22/37 254 yards, 2 INTs, RB Robinson - 11 carries, 49 yards, WR Jones - 2 catches, 43 yards, WR Peake - 2 catches, 36 yards
(SA): QB Woodside - 18/31 218 yards, 2 TDs, RB Hill - 10 carries, 53 yards, RB Cobb - 16 carries, 62 yards, 4 catches, 45 yards, 1 TD, WR Ward - 4 catches, 56 yards, WR Doctson - 2 catches, 46 yards, 1 TD

XFL Week 1: Walker Dazzles in Season Opener

February 8, 2020

Houston, TX - When QB PJ Walker last took the field within the confines of TDECU Stadium, his life was much different. The now 24-year-old was a junior at Temple, suffering a demoralizing loss in the Owls' loss to the Houston Cougars in the American Athletic Conference championship game in 2015 despite the quarterback's 287 passing yards and a touchdown. In the third game of the XFL's season Saturday night, Walker led the Roughnecks to the team's first win, a dominant 37-17 victory over the Los Angeles Legends. "He's learning the system," Roughnecks head coach June Jones said after the game of his young quarterback. "He did some really good things."

Walker got things started early, making use of the XFL's by-design fast tempo with a 50-yard bomb to WR Cam Phillips, the Roughnecks' leading receiver on the night, to put Houston up 6-0 within two minutes of kickoff. A quarter later, with the Roughnecks down 14-6, Walker's "magic," as Jones called it, continued when he connected with RB James Butler for a 16-yard score to put Houston within two. Walker played well in front of over 27,000 fans on the XFL's first day of action, tossing for 272 yards en route to a four-touchdown performance that had his concerned coach surprised. "I was kind of anxious to see him, when the play breaks down to create things," Jones said. "He did create a lot of stuff. That was his magic in college, too."

Many of Walker's highlights, including his 39-yard, go-ahead touchdown pass to WR Sam Mobley towards the end of the second quarter to put Houston up 18-17, also had fans shocked, even comparing him to another Houston quarterback, the Texans' Deshaun Watson. "I just learned so much, man," Walker said. "Seeing how these guys develop into really good football players and the way they process the game the way that they do, I'm just trying to model my game the same way."

The quarterback took two more successful shots at the end zone in the Roughnecks' victory, hitting WR Khalil Lewis for a 4-yard score set up by Walker's 29-yard completion to RB Nick Holley and another 4-yarder to Butler for his final touchdown pass of the night. Walker also enjoyed the home atmosphere, which was much different than the last time he played at the venue. For Walker, who also rushed for 26 yards in the game, to be able to play with the Roughnecks, and the chance to continue winning, is thrilling, and he promised Houston will continue rolling. "I was out there having fun and embracing the moment," Walker said. "It was just amazing to have the opportunity to go out there and play a live football game. I'm excited. I think we got a great team. I think we know who we got in front of us. I don't think we're going to take our foot off the gas pedal at all."

-- (0-0)Legends 17 - 37 Roughnecks(0-0)
(LA): QB Kanoff - 21/39 214 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, RB Hood - 12 carries, 43 yards, RB Harris - 12 carries, 52 yards, 1 TD, WR Spruce - 11 catches, 103 yards
(PHI): QB Walker - 23/38 272 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT, RB Butler - 9 carries, 30 yards, 1 TD, 3 catches, 59 yards, 1 TD, WR Phillips - 4 catches, 67 yards, 1 TD, WR Coates - 4 catches, 50 yards

-- (0-0)Conquerors 36 - 17 Iron(0-0)
(MEX): QB Wolford - 15/24 228 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, RB Rawls - 15 carries, 50 yards, 1 TD, RB Holland - 12 carries, 56 yards, 1 TD, WR Huff - 3 catches, 58 yards, WR Huff - 4 catches, 107 yards
(BIRM): QB Falk - 20/34 196 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, RB Richardson - 12 carries, 53 yards, WR Benjamin - 3 catches, 43 yards, 1 TD

XFL Week 1: Guardians open up XFL 2020 with huge win at MetLife Stadium

February 9, 2020

New York, NY - The Tampa Bay Vipers did not get the start to the season they were hoping for, falling to the New York Guardians in their season opener, 23-3. The Vipers turned the ball over three times and failed to get any more than a field goal in the first game of the year. QB Aaron Murray completed 16 of 34 passes for 231 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions. QB Quinton Flowers did come into the game for a few plays throughout the game and completed one of two passes for 37 yards. He also rushed five times for 34 yards. “Our play today was unacceptable," Vipers head coach Marc Trestman said. "We turned the ball over three or four times. We didn’t tackle as well as we needed to tackle in the first half. When you have over 400 yard of offense and come up with three points, your play is just not acceptable.”

The Alphas got into the red zone four times and failed to get into the end zone. Guardians QB Matt McGloin had two total touchdowns on the day, but it was a late defensive touchdown that sealed the game for New York. McGloin completed 15 of 29 passes for 182 yards with one score to WR Coby Pearson. New York’s defense flustered the Vipers offense, forcing them into four turnovers, including a pair of turnovers on downs in the fourth quarter.

-- (0-0)Vipers 3 - 23 Guardians(0-0)
(TB): QB Murray - 16/34 231 yards, 2 INTs, RB Smith - 16 carries, 79 yards, RB Patrick - 13 carries, 66 yards, WR Williams - 6 catches, 123 yards, WR Tolliver - 3 catches, 47 yards, TE Truesdell - 3 catches, 49 yards
(NY): QB McGloin - 15/29 182 yards, 1 TD, RB Victor - 12 carries, 34 yards, 1 TD, WR McKay - 3 catches, 58 yards, WR Pearson - 2 catches, 44 yards, 1 TD

-- (0-0)Apollos 31 - 28 Fleet(0-0)
(ORL): QB Gilbert - 12/24 169 yards, 2 TDs, RB Johnson - 14 carries, 62 yards, WR Hyman - 3 catches, 68 yards, 1 TD, WR Johnson - 5 catches, 54 yards, 1 TD
(SD): QB Kaepernick - 33/49 375 yards, 3 TDs, 3 INTs, RB Bibbs - 15 carries, 63 yards, 1 TD, WR Liggins - 11 catches, 114 yards, 1 TD, WR Owusu - 5 catches, 84 yards, 1 TD, TE Escobar - 3 catches, 55 yards

XFL Week 1: BattleHawks Spoil Stoops' Return

February 9, 2020

Dallas, TX - It wasn't pretty. Much like the weather, the XFL season opener between the Dallas Renegades and Charlotte BattleHawks was far from perfect.
Not that the BattleHawks are complaining. Leaving with a 15-9 victory on an overcast and drizzly Sunday at Globe Life Park has a way of warming the soul. "We fought very hard," Charlotte coach Jonathan Hayes said. "Defense played really well, offense ran the ball when we needed to, and we really set the tone of the game."

QB Jordan Ta'amu's 9-yard strike to wideout Alonzo Russell in the back of the end zone early in the fourth quarter proved the difference on the scoreboard. That was hardly the whole story. Defensive coordinator Jay Hayes' unit deserves plenty of credit for slowing down the Dallas "Air Raid" attack. The Renegades managed only three field goals, spoiling the return to the sideline for Renegades coach Bob Stoops. Ta'amu did enough in his professional debut. The Ole Miss product completed 20 of 27 passes for 207 yards and added 77 yards on the ground, with his lone touchdown pass with 13:18 left giving Charlotte a 12-9 lead. Charlotte had its own struggles, but converted 6 of 12 third downs. Ta'amu's ability to extend plays helped lead to both touchdown drives. "One of my strengths was being able to use my legs when I had nothing down field," he said. "That kind of opened up our offense a lot. They had to worry about our receivers, our great running backs and the quarterback on top of it. Being able to use my feet was another weapon."

The Battlehawks rolled up 191 yards rushing. RB Matt Jones racked up a team-high 85 yards on 21 carries. RB Keith Ford chipped in with a 16-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. Dallas managed only 267 yards on 59 plays, an average of 4.5 yard per pop. The Renegades had only two plays of more than 13 yards. "You can't allow big plays because big plays dictate the momentum of the game," said BattleHawks DB Dexter McCoil, who had a sack and eight tackles. "You get points off big plays." Dallas offensive coordinator Hal Mumme's signature "Air Raid" didn't take flight. Maybe it had something to do with backup QB Philip Nelson starting in place of Landry Jones. Charlotte's defense also played a part. Nelson wasn't bad. The East Carolina product dinked and dunked somewhat effectively, he completed 33 of 42 passes, but the lack of downfield throws allowed the BattleHawks to keep plays in front of them. Nelson had only 209 yards on those 33 completions. "Too many field goals get you beat," Stoops said. "You've got to be able to put the ball in the end zone and we didn't do that." Stoops refused to pin the loss on Nelson. "Some of the inconsistency isn't on him," Stoops said.

It had been 1,133 days since Stoops last coached a game. His tenure at Oklahoma lasted 18 years and included a national title before a surprising retirement in 2017. The lure of the XFL proved too strong and made too much sense. Not only could Stoops maintain his lifestyle of the last three years, he's scratched that competitive itch just a three-hour drive from Norman, Okla. And while he called being back "great," the experience wasn't just about the getting off the couch. I came in all in, expecting to win," he said. "I'm not doing this for any other reason. I want to win and win big."

The day started slowly for each side. The scoreless first quarter featured three punts and a turnover. Stoops punted once despite needing less than a yard. Chrlotte had a promising march thwarted in Dallas territory on RB Christine Michael's fumble. The defensive battle began to thaw in the second period. Dallas sandwiched a pair of K Austin MacGinnis field goals around the game's first touchdown from the BattleHawks. Charlotte took a 6-3 lead on Ford's nifty scoring run late in the second quarter, breaking through a scrum around the line and racing across the goal line. MacGinnis' second kick tied it 6-6 going into the half. Dallas took a 9-6 midway through the third on a 23-yard field goal. The Renegades never seriously threatened to score again. "We've got to be able to convert in the red zone," Stoops said. The BattleHawks went up for a good on an 11-play, 83-yard drive that ended with Russell's 9-yard grab in the back of the end zone early in the fourth. BattleHawks K Taylor Russolino capped the following march with a 48-yard field goal.

-- (0-0)BattleHawks 15 - 9 Renegades(0-0)
(CHA): QB Ta'amu - 20/27 209 yards, 1 TD, 9 carries, 77 yards, RB Jones - 21 carries, 85 yards, WR Washington - 4 catches, 64 yards, WR Russell - 3 catches, 49 yards, 1 TD, TE Lucas - 4 catches, 40 yards
(DAL): QB Nelson - 33/42 209 yards, 1 INT, RB Dunbar - 12 carries, 52 yards, WR Davis - 6 catches, 43 yards, TE Parham - 4 catches, 40 yards

-- (0-0)Express 15 - 29 Stallions(0-0)
(MEM): QB Manziel - 16/27 187 yards, 1 TD, RB Stacy - 7 carries, 47 yards, WR Butler - 3 catches, 45 yards, 1 TD
(STL): QB Streveler - 17/28 244 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, RB Bouagnon - 22 carries, 69 yards, RB Mason - 9 carries, 54 yards, WR Lewis - 2 catches, 84 yards

Seattle Dragons Open Additional Seating Sections For Season Ticket Sales

February 10, 2020

Seattle, WA - The Seattle Dragons today announced that due to demand following the team's season opener at the Washington Defenders, the Dragons will open additional seating sections at CenturyLink Field for purchase in advance of Seattle's home opener. Season tickets start at $20/ticket and single-game tickets start at $24/ticket.

"Affordability and access for our fans comes first and we are thrilled to open additional sections to accommodate our fans," Seattle Dragons Team President Ryan Gustafson said. "We are grateful and excited about the support we've received from the incredible sports fans of Seattle leading into our first home game on the 15th at CenturyLink Field."