Tag: XFL

Several former Jags set to take field in XFL’s return

Tre McBride is one of several former Jags who could be an early contributor in the XFL, which will have its first game on Saturday.

The NFL season may be over with Super Bowl LIV in the books, but thanks to the return of the XFL, football season will continue. The first couple of games will kick off Saturday February 8 and will run through April 19, which will mark the date of the league’s championship game.

Last month, all eight teams finalized their rosters and several Jags manage to stick. Here are the 17 former Jags who will be apart of the XFL’s return:

DC Defenders

  • CB Doran Grant
  • CB Jalen Myrick
  • DT Tony Guerad
  • S Cody Brown

Houston Roughnecks

  • CB Saivion Smith
  • OL Demetrius Rhaney
  • OL Avery Gennesy
  • S Cody Brown

Los Angeles Wildcats

  • WR Tre McBride
  • RB Dujuan Harris
  • RB Elijah Hood

New York Guardians

  • RB Tim Cook III
  • LB Nick DeLuca
  • DT T.J. Barnes

St. Louis BattleHawks

  • DT Marcus Hardison

Tampa Bay Vipers

  • QB Chase Litton
  • CB Bryce Canady
  • TE DeAndre Goolsby

Analysis

The New York Guardians, Los Angeles Wildcats, and DC Defenders will be worth watching the most if you’re looking for former Jags who could have a big impact.

For the Guardians, linebacker Nick DeLuca could be a big contributor in terms of tackles as he’s one of the few names above who has played in a regular season football game with the Jags. He started in two games for the Jags and participated in nine, accumulating 10 tackles and a sack.

Running back Tim Cook could be a bruiser type tailback for the Guardians at 6-foot-0, 247 pounds, and I could see head coach and former Jags assistant Kevin Gilbride utilizing him a lot this XFL season. Additionally, defensive tackle T.J. Barnes is a player who could eat up double teams in the middle of the Guardians’ defense at 6-foot-7, 365 pounds.

The Defenders’ defense could have some early contributions from corners Jalen Myrick and Doran Grant. Myrick offers elite speed and ran a 4.28 at the 2017 combine, so he could be utilized both on defense and maybe on special teams.

Grant, on the other hand, played alongside Myrick a lot in the 2017 preseason when with the Jags. His scrappiness should definitely get him some time on the field as he proved to be someone who was always near the ball in the Jags’ preseason practices.

Lastly, the name to look out for with the Los Angeles Wildcats is that of receiver Tre McBride. He was close to making the Jags’ final roster last year but was ultimately beat out by C.J. Board. If his hands have improved, he could be a go-to guy for the Wildcats through the air as he offers them a target with good size (6-foot-0, 210-pounds).

When does the XFL season start?

The NFL season is about to end, but the XFL season is only a few days away.

The NFL season will come to a close on Sunday night in Miami, and either the Kansas City Chiefs or San Francisco 49ers will be crowned world champions at Hard Rock Stadium. Professional football fans won’t have to wait very long to get a weekend fix, however, as the reborn XFL launches the week after the Super Bowl.

The XFL season will officially kick off on Saturday, February 8th with the Seattle Dragons playing the D.C. Defenders (2 p.m. ET, ABC). Through Week 8 of the 10-week regular season, there will be two nationally televised games on both Saturdays and Sundays, with Thursday games being added in the final two weeks. A four-team playoff will begin on April 18th, and the championship game will be played on April 26th.

It remains to be seen if the XFL can succeed where the AAF failed in 2019, but the XFL’s innovative rule changes should keep things interesting.

Here is the full season schedule, via XFL.com:

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Kasen Williams confident Dragons will have the best fans in the XFL

Former Seahawks receiver Kasen Williams believes the Dragons, Seattle’s new XFL team, will have the best fanbase in the league.

For the last decade, the Seattle Seahawks have been synonymous with a handful of things: the Legion of Boom, Pete Carroll, Russell Wilson and the 12’s.

The fanbase has been known as one of the loudest and rowdiest in the NFL, making CenturyLink Field a dreaded place to play for opponents.

Even though the Seahawks season is over, the 12’s still have plenty of opportunities to bring the noise to CenturyLink this Spring with the inaugural XFL season coming up.

The first home game for the Seattle Dragons is February 15, and former Seahawks receiver Kasen Williams knows the crowd is going to bring it, just like they always do.

“We’re gonna have the fans,” Williams said after Friday’s practice. “They’re gonna show out. We’re probably gonna have the best fanbase in the whole XFL. I told them get ready. It’s not gonna feel like an XFL game, when we go play away and we come back home it’s going to be a completely different vibe.”

Williams is one of six former Seahawks who is now suiting up for the Dragons, a list that includes receiver Keenan Reynolds, quarterback B.J. Daniels and tackle Isaiah Battle.

Williams also played his college ball at the University of Washington, and could not be happier to continue his playing career in Seattle.

“Gratitude (is) through the roof,” Williams said. “I’m just extremely grateful to be here. I could have been playing anywhere. The fact that I’m here and the story gets to continue to be told in Seattle, it’s dope.”

Williams played for the Seahawks in 2015 and 2016, appearing in three games, before starring in the 2017 preseason and still, to the surprise of many, getting cut on September 1. He ended up with the Browns, hauling in nine catches in his most recent NFL action.

Now, Williams hopes to resurrect his career in the XFL, with the stated goal of making his way back into the league.

But first, he wants to help establish the Dragons as the team to beat in the eight-team XFL, something he believes is very doable after seeing the other teams in camp.

“I feel confident in our team,” Williams said. “I think we’re gonna have a good squad, I really do. The way we stack up to our opponents, I think we’re gonna have the opportunity to really make a splash in this league for it being the first year. We can really be one of the teams that gives the XFL a good rap.”

The Dragons will begin their season on Saturday, February 8 in Washington, DC against the Defenders at 2:00 p.m. PT.

Their home opener will be a week later against the Tampa Bay Vipers, also at 2:00 p.m. PT.

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Where Are The Former Longhorns On XFL Depth Charts?

Where are the former Texas Longhorns listed on the first XFL depth charts ahead of their first games of the year?

The Super Bowl wraps up the 2019-2020 NFL season on Sunday evening but for a handful of former Texas Longhorns players, their season begins on February 8. Four Longhorns will be taking the field as part of the rebirth of the XFL season of 2020.

Recently the initial depth charts for each of the eight participating teams in the XFL were announced. Here is where each former Longhorn is currently projected on the teams depth chart.

  • Jerrod Heard, 4th wide receiver for the Dallas Renegades
  • Patrick Vahe, backup right guard for the Los Angeles Wildcats
  • Cedric Reed, starting left defensive end for the Los Angeles Wildcats
  • Kent Perkins, starting left guard for the St Louis Battlehawks

In the opening weekend, XFL has the Battlehawks traveling to Dallas to take on the Renegades. Jerrod Heard and Kent Perkins will both be on display in that game. Dallas will play their home games at Globe Life Park, the former home of the Texas Rangers who move into a new stadium in March.

The other game with two longhorns will be on Saturday night when the LA Wildcats travel to Houston. Cedric Reed and Patrick Vahe will represent Texas as they play their first XFL game in the state where they played a majority of their college football. This game will be played at TDECU Stadium, the home of the University of Houston.

 

7 former Texans to watch for in the XFL

With the XFL set to kick off on Feb. 9, there are seven former Houston Texans seeking to revitalize their careers.

The XFL returns, but that is not the only entity that will be looking for a renaissance. There are still a number of familiar faces from the NFL who are looking to continue their careers in pro football with success in the alternative league.

Here are seven former Houston Texans fans should keep an eye on when the XFL kicks off on Feb. 9.

1. CB Charles James, Houston Roughnecks

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Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

The star of 2015’s HBO series Hard Knocks and fan favorite in Houston, James has returned to his footballing home. Traded by the St. Louis Battlehawks earlier this year, the 29-year-old former New York Giant has 21 regular-season appearances to his name with the Texans over the course of three years. The 5-9 veteran of the failed AAF is clearly excited to be back in the south as he looks to continue his football career.

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After workout with Broncos, QB Nick Fitzgerald lands in XFL

Quarterback Nick Fitzgerald, who had a tryout with the Broncos in December, has landed in the XFL.

Former Mississippi State quarterback Nick Fitzgerald was among 19 players who worked out for the Broncos in December but he was not among the 15 players the team signed to reserve/future contracts.

Denver signed quarterback Brett Rypien to a future deal, which wasn’t surprising given that Rypien spent all of last season with the Broncos. That was disappointing for Fitzerald, but his football dream isn’t dead yet.

Fitzgerald has signed with the St. Louis BattleHawks of the XFL and he might have a chance to start. His competition for playing time will include Taylor Heinicke and Jordan Ta’amu.

Fitzgerald (6-5, 226 pounds) appeared in 43 games during his time at Mississippi State and completed 54.6 percent of his passes for 6,055 yards with 54 touchdown passes against 28 interceptions. He also rushed for 3,504 yards and 45 touchdowns and caught one pass for 9 yards.

He entered the NFL as a college free agent with the Buccaneers last year and spent part of his rookie season on Tampa Bay’s practice squad.

The BattleHawks’ first game will be against the Dallas Renegades on Sunday, Feb. 9 at 3:00 p.m. MT. That contest will air on ESPN.

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XFL releases commercial for 2020 season on Fox

The XFL is ready to have NFL fans turn their attention toward the new league after the Super Bowl.

The XFL will air on four different TV networks this spring: ABC, ESPN, Fox and FS1. ESPN has already released a promo for the league’s 2020 season, as has Fox Sports.

The league teamed up with Fox to air a commercial that’s promoting “more plays, less downtime and more scoring” in the XFL. Given that Super Bowl LIV will air on Fox, it wouldn’t be surprising to see this advertisement air during the 49ers’ matchup with the Chiefs on Sunday:

The XFL will kick off on Saturday, Feb. 8 when D.C. hosts Seattle at 12 p.m. MT on ABC. That contest will feature four former Broncos players: safety Shamarko Thomas (D.C.), linebacker Steven Johnson (Seattle), offensive lineman Dillon Day (Seattle) and linebacker Stansly Maponga (Seattle).

Related: 12 ex-Broncos set to play in XFL.

Several former Denver players were cut by the league before the start of the season, including safety Rahim Moore. Other players — like wide receiver/returner Kelvin McKnight — left the league for opportunities in the NFL. McKnight left the XFL’s Dallas team to sign a reserve/future contract with the Broncos in December.

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Keenan Reynolds excited to be back in Seattle with the Dragons

Former Seattle Seahawks receiver Keenan Reynolds will once again populate the field at CenturyLink, this time with the Dragons of the XFL.

Even after spending the previous two hours in non-stop, sideways rain, Seattle Dragons receiver Keenan Reynolds was all smiles after Friday’s practice at Memorial Stadium in downtown Seattle.

“You gotta love the weather,” Reynolds cracked. “Little bit of drizzle, little bit of wind, right in front of the Space Needle, it don’t get much more Seattle than this. It’s great to be back, great to have another opportunity.”

Reynolds, more than most of his teammates, would know. The former Navy quarterback spent the 2018 season with the Seahawks, appearing in two games while spending the majority of the year on the practice squad.

He was with the Seahawks last summer as well, competing with rookie John Ursua to replace the retired Doug Baldwin in the slot. However, he was cut just before the season began and NFL rules prohibited him from being added to the practice squad, so Reynolds hit free agency.

After a brief stint as a TV analyst for the CBS Sports Network, Reynolds was selected in the fledgling XFL Draft by the Dragons – allowing him to stay close to home.

His familiarity with the city of Seattle, and their rabid fanbase, has him prepared for this upcoming season of games played at CenturyLink Field – a preparedness he is excited to share with his teammates.

“Yeah we kinda talked about it a little bit,” Reynolds said. “Just how loud the 12’s are. I think we’re going to have the best turnout fanwise. There’s nothing else going on in Seattle and Seattle fans are relentless. I think it’s going to be a great opportunity for us to play in front of a great crowd.”

While the depth chart has yet to be released, Reynolds is expected to be a big part of Seattle’s offense, a unit that also features former Seahawks receiver Kasen Williams and quarterback B.J. Daniels, along with Texas A&M running back Trey Williams and Troy quarterback Brandon Silvers.

Reynolds wouldn’t go into detail about his specific role on the team (“I can’t give you too much information,” he joked) but he did express excitement about the kickoff rules in the XFL, which should allow for more returns and excitement in an area of the game that, frankly, has gone stale in the NFL.

Reynolds was also excited about another new rule the XFL is adopting, allowing for two forward passes on a single play. One of the most prolific college quarterbacks of all-time while at Navy, it’s no surprise he’d take an interest in a rule that allows him to throw the ball downfield after making a catch. But, like before, he’s not releasing any part of the playbook just yet.

“That’s top secret, I don’t know if I can divulge,” Reynolds said, when asked if he envisions throwing the ball this year. “But I definitely was smiling when I saw that you get two forward passes, so that’s pretty cool.”

The Dragons will begin their inaugural season on Saturday, February 8 in DC against the Defenders.

Kickoff is slated for 2:00 p.m. PT.

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Every Georgia football player in the XFL

Here are the four former Georgia football players on XFL rosters.

The Xtream Football League, also known as the XFL, will begin in February, reviving the league for the first time since its lone season in 2001.

The league, which is owned by WWE majority owner Vince McMahon, will consist of eight teams with 52 players each.

Four Bulldogs will represent the University of Georgia this season across two teams, the New York Guardians and the Tampa Bay Vipers.

Former Georgia nose tackle Toby Johnson (6’4 350lb) will be playing for New York, after spending four years in the NFL playing for six teams. Last year, Johnson played for the Massachusetts Pirates of the National Arena League.

Johnson came to Georgia in 2013 after playing at a high level at Hutchinson Community College.

On the Tamp Bay Vipers, Georgia will have three players – QB Aaron Murray, DB Corey Moore and LS Nick Moore. 

Murray returns home to Tampa to play for the Vipers. After breaking numerous SEC and Georgia records, Murray attempted to play in the NFL, where he did not find much success. He then went on to work for CBS as a broadcaster in addition to playing a single season for the Atlanta Legends, a member of the Alliance of American Football in 2019.

Corey Moore is a former Georgia safety who was undrafted in 2015 but went on to have a nice NFL career, playing for the Texans from 2015-17 and the Colts in 2019. He finished his NFL career with 72 tackles, 5 passes defended and an interception. I would not be surprised if he made a return to the NFL shortly.

Long snapper Nick Moore hails from Brookwood High School in Snellville, Georgia. He came to Georgia in 2015 as a Mark Richt recruit after spending being drafted by the Red Sox and playing four years of minor league baseball. Moore, from 2015-18, played in 23 games for the Dawgs. He was given an opportunity by the New Orleans Saints but was unable to earn a roster spot.

Former Saints kicker Garrett Hartley waived by XFL’s Seattle Dragons

Ex-New Orleans Saints kicker Garrett Hartley initially made the cut for the XFL Seattle Dragons team, but was waived due to poor medicals.

Super Bowl XLIV-winning New Orleans Saints kicker Garrett Hartley received tough news Wednesday: the XFL’s Seattle Dragons waived the 33-year-old, which Hartley explained was due to medical concerns. XFL News Hub’s Konnor Fulk first reported that Hartley would be waived. He recently joined the XFL’s Seattle branch last weekend.

Hartley announced his departure from Seattle on Instagram in an emotional two-minute video. He expressed frustration with the process, saying, “Unfortunately my time in Seattle has been cut short. Even with a world renowned spine surgeon’s backing as well as other experts, the XFL wouldn’t clear me to play.”

He was a long shot to stick in the XFL anyway, having last kicked professionally in the 2015 presesaon with the Pittsburgh Steelers. But a hamstring injury ended his NFL hopes, and it appears a spine issue will keep him out of the XFL. It’s a tough break for someone who has worked hard to get back to this stage, and appeared to get so close before the XFL’s doctors shut that door. It’s puzzling that Hartley’s medicals were cleared for his XFL workout and that he made it so far into the process as to be assigned a uniform before someone pulled the plug.

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