The XFL got back to action this weekend – less than a week after the NFL had put their 2022 season to bed. If you eat, sleep and breathe football, you don’t have to wait until September to get your fill again. The re-booted league owned by actor / wrestler Dwayne Johnson just kicked off the first of ten regular-season four-game weekends.
The games will be broadcast on ABC and ESPN networks, as well as some on FX. The reboot will conclude with the league championship in mid-May.
There are also some former NFL coaches and players to be found too – even some familiar faces to Washington fans.
Gordon Gets Yet Another Life Line
Former NFL wide receiver Josh Gordon is the most noteworthy XFL player.
At one time, Gordon was considered to be one of the most prolific receiving threats in the National Football League. He earned All Pro honors in 2013. That season, he led the league in receiving yards with 1646 – despite missing the first two games for having violated the NFL’s substance abuse policy.
That would prove prophetic as the troubled receiver would be suspended multiple times for violating the substance abuse policy over the next few years. He ultimately spent time with the Cleveland Browns (21012-2018), the New England Patriots (2018-2019), the Seattle Seahawks (2019-2020), the Kansas City Chiefs (2021) and even the Tennessee Titans as recently as 2022.
Unfortunately he never regained the form he showed early in his career. He will likely always be remembered more for being suspended five times, than his play on the field.
Gordon plays for the Seattle Sea Dragons. He scored a touchdown in week one.
Other NFL Players
Vic Beasley, OLB, Vegas Vipers
Beasley was the eighth overall pick by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2015 NFL draft, and spent five seasons there. In 2016, he was named First Team All Pro and led the league in sacks with 15.5. He spent time with both the Titans and Las Vegas Raiders in 2020, but failed to earn much playing time. He has 37.5 sacks, 12 forced fumbles, one interception and 122 tackles in 60 career NFL games.
Paxton Lynch, QB, Orlando Guardians
Lynch spent two seasons with the Denver Broncos and started four games and is a former first round draft pick (26th overall). He was the third quarterback drafted in 2016, behind Jared Goff and Carson Wentz. Lynch also spent time with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks, before trying his luck in Canada with Saskatchewan of the CFL in 2021.
AJ McCarron, QB, St. Louis Battlehawks
McCarron was the first quarterback to win back-to-back BCS national titles – with Alabama in 2012 and 2013. He was drafted in the 5th round in 2014 by the Cincinnati Bengals, where he spent four seasons serving as a backup. The Bengals arranged a trade with the Browns in 2017, but the trade was nixed when the paperwork didn’t make it in on time.
The 32-year old also spent time in the Buffalo Bills, Oakland Raiders, Houston Texans and Atlanta Falcons organizations.
Matt Elam, S, Orlando Guardians
Elam was a first-round pick in 2013, and spent four years with the Baltimore Ravens (2013-2016). Unfortunately his NFL career was shut down by two arrests in 2017 – one for marijuana and oxycodone possession, the other for battery and theft charges involving his girlfriend. Ultimately, all charges against Elam were dropped due to insufficient evidence.
This is his second tour of duty in the XFL as he was with the DC Defenders in 2020. He also played in the CFL with the Saskatchewan Roughriders from 2018-2019, and with the Edmonton Elks in 2022.
Johnny Townsend, K, Orlando Guardians
Townsend was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the 5th round (173rd overall) of the 2018 draft. He averaged 43.17 yard in 70 punts in his rookie season, but was released by the Raiders before the 2019 season. Since then, he has bounced around like a pinball. He has spent time with the Giants, Ravens (twice), Chiefs (twice), Titans (twice), and Texans since then, and only registered 13 punts.
He is the younger brother of current Kansas City Chiefs punter, Tommy Townsend.
Martavis Byant, WR, Vegas Vipers
Drafted in the 4th round (118th overall) by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2014, Bryant spent four seasons in the NFL. He was suspended in 2015 for four games for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy. He was then suspended for the entire 2016 season for the same. After making it back into the fold in 2017, he was suspended again in 2018. he was ultimately suspended indefinitely for violating the terms of his conditional reinstatement.
He was signed by the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL in 2021 but never showed up. He was also signed by the Edmonton Elks of the CFL but was released before the season began.
Kalen Ballage, RB, San Antonio Brahmas
As a Junior at Arizona State, Ballage tied College Football’s FBS single game touchdown record with eight. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the 4th round of the 2018 draft. He spent two seasons with the Dolphins but never really caught on. Miami traded him to the New York Jets in 2020 but he failed the physical and the deal was nullified. He did ultimately sign with the Jets but was waived less than a month later. He also had brief stints with the Los Angeles Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Notable Washington Coaches And Players In The XFL
Jim Haslett – Head Coach Seattle – Defensive Coordinator 2010-2014
Gregg Williams – Defensive Coordinator D.C. Defenders – Redskins Assistant Head Coach / Defensive Coordinator 2004-2007
Jeff Badet, WR -Vegas Vipers – Washington Football Team 2020
Josh Harvey-Clemons, LB – Orlando Guardians – Washington Redskins 2017-2020
Treyvon Hester, DT – Seattle Sea Dragons – Washington Redskins 2019
Steven Montez, QB – Seattle Sea Dragons – Washington Football Team 2020-2021
Caraun Reid, DT – D.C. Defenders – Washington Redskins 2017
Martrell Spaight, LB – Vegas Vipers – Washington Redskins 2015-2017
There are also numerous players that spent time at a Washington training camp or on the practice squad, but that never made the roster:
De’Vante Bausby, Cody Latimer, Jordan Ta’amu, Jequez Ezzard, Jacob Panasiuk, Gabe Wright, Ferrod Gardner, DeJuan Neal, De’Veon Smith, Willie Beavers, Donald Payne, Sean Davis, Deon Yelder, Ranthony Texada, Jordan Veasy, Tre Walker, Linden Stephens, Isaiah Williams, Nijuel Hill, Will Adams.
Opening Weekend
In true hollywood style, Dwayne Johnson jet set around the country and made it to all four opening games.
Here are the results of the opening week’s action:
Saturday February 18th
Arlington Renegades 22 Vegas Vipers 20
Houston Roughnecks 33 Orlando Guardians 12
Sunday February 19th
St. Louis Battlehawks 18 San Antonio Brahmas 15
D.C. Defenders 22 Seattle Sea Dragons 18
The weekend was highlighted by the Battlehawks vs Brahmas game. It featured improbable late game heroics that were accentuated by the XFL’s on-side kicking rule that allows a team to not kick, and instead take the ball on a 4th and 15 on their own 25-yard line instead. The Battlehawks converted the fourth down and drove the length of the field for the game-winning field goal.
The new XFL will feature 40 regular season games, followed by two playoff games on April 29 and 30, and then the XFL Championship Game on May 13.
There are some entertaining rule differences.
The league seeks to find a balance between intrigue and entertaining football.
Can they do it?