They now call him “Mr. President” in St. Louis.
But before defensive end Gimel President took the field for the XFL, he played snaps in the NFL.
The two teams President was on the rosters for were the Houston Texans and the Tennessee Titans.
He joined the latter in on May 1, 2018, when the Titans claimed him off waivers.
President was released on August 18, 2018, then signed to the practice squad on December 18, 2018, signed to a reserve/future contract with the Titans on December 31, 2018, and then was finally waived back in August.
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After a second stint with the Texans, President’s career found new life in the resurgence of the XFL with the St. Louis BattleHawks.
“I feel really settled in right now,” President told me. “I feel like we’re executing more, I’m learning more. I can do my reads a lot more, because I’m comfortable now.”
The XFL was a lot more exotic in its original debut season than it is now, though there are still some unique rules that set it apart from other football leagues.
“I don’t feel like there’s a major difference,” he said. “I feel like football is just football. Something that’s definitely different is the special teams. But, other than that, like I said, football is football.”
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President hasn’t forgotten about the Titans, though, and was following along every step of the way on their AFC Championship run last season.
“I was watching every game,” he said. “I was excited for my brothers to make it that far, and for Houston as well. It was exciting to see.”
He said he still keeps in touch with a couple of former teammates, and feels he gained a lot from being in Nashville.
“I learned from the best, certain things to do, how to do them and mastering and critiquing my craft as a football player,” he said.
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Outside of his raw ability as a defensive end, President also brings some intangibles to the BattleHawks.
“I’d definitely say I bring energy,” he said. “In the XFL, I’m looking to learn how to be a better football player and also to contribute on special teams.”
Three games into the season, President has recorded six tackles, one quarterback hit and one pass defensed, along with a single special teams tackle.
He and the BattleHawks will aim to improve to 3-1 as they take on the Seattle Dragons in the The Dome at America’s Center at 4 p.m. CST next Saturday.
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