WATCH: XFL comissioner defends restricting contracted player from leaving for NFL

The XFL is still seven weeks from launch, but don’t expect any of the players under contract with the league to change between now and then.

The XFL is still seven weeks from launch, but don’t expect any of the players under contract with the league to change between now and then.

Commissioner Oliver Luck spoke at length with the Tampa Bay Times roughly two months from kickoff and defended the league’s policy on not releasing its players from their contracts if an NFL team is interested in-season.

The Detroit Lions inquired with the XFL about quarterback Josh Johnson in November, but Luck & the XFL said the LA Wildcats player would be held to his contract ahead of December mini-camp.

Luck said, “In the game of football today (…) your quarterback play is determinative. (…) we said, ‘No, we’re keeping him. He’s ours, he signed a contract. He’s committed to us.”

Luck said he also turned down releasing quarterback Landry Jones and Phillip Walker after Ben Roethlisberger’s season-ending injury.

The commissioner explained that in order for the XFL’s relaunch to succeed, stability is key, saying “Once a player signs a contract (…) then he’s under contract with us. We won’t release that player to the NFL until after our season. We need certainty. We can’t just have guys peeling off.”

Two quarterbacks that fans will *not* see in the XFL are polarizing former football stars Johnny Manziel and Colin Kaepernick.

Johnny Football was in the XFL’s draft pool, according to Luck, but scouts and coaches, “didn’t think he was going to help their team.”

Of Kaepernick, Luck said, “I think his salary demands are way out of our ballpark. He was never really a viable option.”

XFL comissioner defends restricting contracted player from leaving for NFL, talk Manziel & Kaepernic

The XFL is still seven weeks from launch, but don’t expect any of the players under contract with the league to change between now and then.

The XFL is still seven weeks from launch, but don’t expect any of the players under contract with the league to change between now and then.

XFL blocked Steelers from signing 2 quarterbacks

Pittsburgh tried to bring back Landry Jones.

When the Pittsburgh Steelers lost quarterback Ben Roethlisberger halfway through the second game of the season, no one knew what was going to happen with the position. What ended up happening was the Steelers turned to Mason Rudolph before benching him and opening up Duck season with Devlin Hodges.

But according to Jordan Heck of Sporting News, this wasn’t Plan A. In an interview with XFL Commissioner Oliver Luck, he admitted the Steelers tried to sign two XFL quarterbacks and was blocked by the league in both cases.

Luck noted the Steelers inquired about signing Landry Jones, who spent his first five NFL seasons backing up Roethlisberger and has five career starts. Luck said the Steelers also checked on the availability of Phillip Walker as a potential scout-team quarterback to simulate Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. Again the XFL declined.

Things all worked out as they should with the Steelers and their quarterback position. If the Steelers had signed Jones they might have just lived with his mediocrity and Hodges would have never gotten his opportunity.

[vertical-gallery id=456091]

[lawrence-related id=456106]

Jags snag OL Tyler Gauthier off Patriots’ practice squad

The Jags have decided to poach a player off the Patriots’ practice squad to help the offensive line in Tyler Gauthier.

The Jacksonville Jaguars hopes for the playoffs are no more, which means it’s poaching season. In the past, the Jags have been victims of other teams who’ve poached players from their practice squad (like Allen Lazard), but it appears they are beating teams to the punch this year.

NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported that Enter Sports Management has informed him that the Jags snagged one of their clients, Tyler Gauthier, from the New England Patriots’ practice squad to help out their offensive line.

Gauthier, 22, is a player the Jags are likely well aware of due to his time with the Miami Hurricanes. He signed with the Pats in May as an undrafted free agent but was eventually waived in the process of the team making final cuts.

Gauthier returned to the team’s practice squad on Oct. 15. An hour after walking back into the Patriots’ facility, he was informed that he was also drafted by the St. Louis Battlehawks of the XFL. The terms of his deal with the Jags are unknown, but if the deal ends once the season is over, it appears he’ll be eligible to play with the Battlehawks. However, in all probability, he can sign a new deal with the Jags after the 2019 season (if one is offered to him), but more should surface on his XFL status later.

At 6-foot-5, 300-pounds Gauthier didn’t see the field for the regular season while with the Pats. However, he saw ample snaps in the preseason at guard and center and started in the Pats’ last preseason game against the New York Giants.

XFL’s Seattle Dragons reveal uniforms for inaugural season

The XFL’s Seattle Dragons revealed their uniform combinations on Tuesday, with roughly three months until their season is set to begin.

Fans finally know what the Seattle Dragons, the newest football team to start up in the Pacific Northwest, will be wearing when they take the field in February as part of the upstart XFL.

The team revealed their uniform combination at a dinner event on Tuesday evening, hosted by the team’s head coach and general manager, former Seattle Seahawks quarterback Jim Zorn.

The uniform combines the classic green and blue coloring of nearly every Seattle sports team, while also adding an orange dragon-like flair that somewhat resembles the color scheme at the University of Miami.

The XFL will wear navy blue home jerseys, and white jerseys with orange numbers on the road.

“I love them,” former Seahawks receiver and current Dragon Kasen Williams told media members on Tuesday. “I think my favorite part is the helmet, most definitely. The whites flow. The home jerseys with the all blue, they go, too. I’m a big fan.”

The Dragons are set to begin their training camp this week, and will look to evaluate their roster and make changes before the season begins on February 8, 2020 – one week after the Super Bowl.

[lawrence-related id=52019]

Power ranking every XFL team’s home and away uniforms

The XFL just revealed each team’s uniforms for the 2020 season. Which team has the best look?

The start of the 2020 XFL season is only a few months away, and each of the league’s eight teams revealed their home and away uniforms on Tuesday. The reborn league’s first season will kick off on February 8th, and while some teams will be looking sharp out on the field, others may want to go back to the drawing board. Here’s a look at every XFL team’s home and away uniforms for 2020.

1. St. Louis BattleHawks

The BattleHawks nailed it. While many other XFL teams are slamming as many primary and secondary colors on their jerseys that they can fit, but BattleHawks’ execution of their color scheme wouldn’t look out of place on an NFL field. The extremely large logo on the helmet may be polarizing, but it’s a bold design that fits with the rest of the uniform.

2. New York Guardians

Silver and black always looks great, but the Guardians don’t just have a copy of a Raiders design. The Guardians’ new home jerseys are somewhat reminiscent of the Las Vegas Outlaws of the original XFL, but taken to the next level. The Guardians’ away jerseys are primarily grey. The oversized helmet logo meets in a V shape at the back of the helmet, which is a unique look.

3. Houston Roughnecks

The Roughnecks took the Texans’ primary colors and went full New England Patriots with them. The results are above average by XFL standards.

4. Dallas Renegades

The Renegades have one of the coolest helmets in the league, but the rest of their uniform is just a standard Tennessee Titans home and away with an added red stripe, representing the eyes of the Renegade. Dallas doesn’t score many points for originality, but these are very professional-looking jerseys, at least.

5. D.C. Defenders

There’s nothing wrong with the Defenders’ jerseys, and they may be the cleanest-looking in the league, but they’re just a bit… boring. They look like uniforms you’d create in a video game, assuming you got bored and didn’t bother scrolling through the various options once you selected you colors. The lightning bolt down the side of the pants is a very nice touch, however.

6. Seattle Dragons

It’s difficult to make dark blue and dark green work together, and it feels like green should have been Seattle’s dominant color to match the body of their dragon. We also have to talk about the helmet. Look at this thing:

A close-up of the logo allows you to admire the detail, but from far away, it sort of looks like something a child would draw. Seattle’s away jerseys have a very Miami Hurricanes vibe, and look much nicer overall.

7. Los Angeles Wildcats

I feel for whoever had to design the Wildcats’ jerseys, because pulling off a successful jersey with primary colors of red and orange is a Herculean feat. The Calgary Flames have it figured out, but mostly because they use orange sparingly, and mostly rely on red and black to dominate their uniforms. The Miami Heat, similarly, feature very little orange.

The Wildcats have gone for a more even mix of orange and red, and while it’s not terrible, it’s not great. The away jerseys swap the red stripe on the side for orange, and are even less successful.

8. Tampa Bay Vipers

If you’ve been dreaming of an Oregon x Seattle Sounders mashup jersey, Tampa Bay is your team. The two-tone green just doesn’t look great, though, and the team logo isn’t doing the helmet any favors. Tampa Bay’s away jerseys are much better, but the lime green helmet brings it down.

[opinary poll=”do-you-plan-to-watch-the-xfl-in-2020_for” customer=”forthewin”]

[jwplayer xTbhS2P9-q2aasYxh]

Ex-Broncos punter Marquette King lands in XFL

Former Raiders and Broncos punter Marquette King plans to play in the XFL in 2020.

Former Oakland Raiders and Denver Broncos punter Marquette King was selected by the St. Louis BattleHawks in the supplemental round of the XFL draft last week. King will begin playing in the new league in February.

After spending the first six years of his career with the Raiders, King signed a three-year, $7 million contract with the Broncos last April. His time in Denver was shortlived due in part to a thigh injury.

Before being placed on injured reserve (and later being released), King averaged 44.1 yards per punt in four games last year with a net average of 39.7 yards per punt. He was replaced by Colby Wadman.

Wadman hasn’t exactly been a fan favorite since taking over punting duties. The second-year punter is averaging 43.8 yards per punt this season with a net average of 38.4 yards per punt. Both of those averages are below King’s totals from 2018.

Last week, King tweeted a message of support for the punter that replaced him.

King implied that the Broncos’ coaching staff had him change his punting technique last year which hurt his consistency. King seems to believe that the same thing is happening to Wadman this year.

Tom McMahon has been Denver’s special teams coordinator since 2018.

[vertical-gallery id=628347]

XFL introduce game ball it will use in 2020 season

The XFL released the first look at its game ball for the 2020 season on Monday.

The XFL has been spreading the news about its 2020 season in spurts. The league displayed the ball it will use in its season for the first time on Monday.

Per the league site:

  • The points of each football are wrapped with ‘X’ marks in white and the team’s primary color. This design allows receivers to track the ball easily.
  • Patent-pending, “X-Pebble” grip technology will help players control the ball with a feel that enables a tight spin on throws, and also allows ball carriers to enhance their ball security.

XFL OFFICIAL BALL DETAILS

  • Design and Production Partner: Team Issue (Dallas, Texas)
  • Size: Standard professional football size
  • Texture: Patent-pending “X-Pebble” exterior grip technology
  • Game Usage: In every XFL game, the team on offense will use the ball featuring their team’s custom look and color scheme.
  • Dimensions: Prolate spheroid
    • Long circumference: 28 to 28 1/2 inches
    • Short circumference: 21 to 21 1/4 inches
    • Weight: 14 to 15 ounces
  • Colors: Traditional red leather – the ball will be brown on game day after pre-game leather conditioning 
  • Retail Price: $125 plus shipping and handling
  • Unique Features:
    • “X-Tips”: painted Xs wrap both points of each football in white and the team’s primary color
    • X-Pebble technology grip: exte

It won’t be the same as the one it used in its first incarnation.

4 Feb 2001: Eric England #99 of the San Francisco Demons celebrates with the ball during the game against the Los Angeles Extreme at Pac Bell Stadium in San Francisco, California. The Demons defeated the Extreme 16-15.Mandatory Credit: Tom Hauck /Allsport

Tanner McEvoy, Darius Hillary selected in XFL Supplemental Draft

Two former Wisconsin Badgers, Tanner McEvoy and Darius Hillary, were selected in the XFL supplemental draft on Friday.

Two former Wisconsin Badgers have been added to XFL rosters after safety Darius Hillary and wide receiver Tanner McEvoy were selected in the league’s supplemental draft on Friday.

McEvoy was selected by the Tampa Bay Vipers and Hillary went to the St. Louis Battlehawks.

McEvoy and Hillary join two other Badgers – Olive Sagapolu and Garret Dooley – on XFL rosters as the league looks to reboot in 2020, just after the conclusion of the NFL season.

McEvoy was perhaps the most interesting recent player in Badgers history, having played quarterback and safety while at Wisconsin. He completed 65 passes for 709 yards and five touchdowns in 2014, while also racking up 45 career tackles and seven interceptions as a defensive back.

He entered the NFL as a receiver however, and spent two seasons with the Seahawks and one with the Dolphins before finding his way to the XFL.

Hillary spent four years with the Badgers from 2012-2015, racking up 138 combined tackles with 18 passes defended and one interception. He went undrafted and bounced around multiple practice squads, appearing in one NFL game with the Browns in 2017.

[lawrence-related id=8732]