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ESPN staff
The XFL is back in 2023, its third iteration after trying to launch a spring football league two other times. The first came in 2001, and there was also a COVID-19-shortened attempt in 2020. Before the league, which is being run by an ownership group headed by league co-owners Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Dany Garcia, can get going, however, it first needed its eight teams to have logos and team names.
We now have those, as the XFL released the franchise names and brands Monday, the next step as the league readies for its kickoff in February, which will be shown on the ESPN family of networks. What’s next? Assigning 16 quarterbacks to its franchises (two per team) on Nov. 15, followed by the draft, which will take place Nov. 16-17 at the UFC Apex in Enterprise, Nevada.
Here are the eight team names and logos, along with information about the stadiums and head coaches for each franchise:
Arlington Renegades
Stadium: Choctaw Stadium
Coach: Bob Stoops
Stoops is known for his success at the University of Oklahoma, where he coached from 1999 to 2016. He brought a struggling Sooners program back to national prominence, winning a championship in 2000 and leading Oklahoma to 10 Big 12 titles in 18 seasons. Stoops compiled a 191-48 record with the Sooners, making him the winningest coach in Oklahoma history. He also coached the XFL’s Dallas Renegades in 2020, leading them to a 2-3 mark.
D.C. Defenders
Stadium: Audi Field
Coach: Reggie Barlow
Barlow, who played eight seasons in the NFL with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Oakland Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a receiver and kick returner, coached 13 seasons for HBCU teams before joining the XFL. Barlow coached eight seasons at his alma mater, Alabama State, from 2007 to 2014 before coaching another five seasons at Division II Virginia State from 2016 to 2021. He has an 83-58 record as a coach with one conference title.
Houston Roughnecks
Stadium: TDECU Stadium
Coach: Wade Phillips
Phillips has coached professional football dating back to 1976, serving as a defensive assistant coach for 10 NFL franchises, most recently as the Los Angeles Rams‘ coordinator from 2017 to 2019. Phillips has also been an NFL head coach, compiling an 83-69 record over nine seasons (including playoffs) with the Denver Broncos, Buffalo Bills and Dallas Cowboys.
Orlando Guardians
Stadium: Camping World Stadium
Coach: Terrell Buckley
After spending 14 seasons as a cornerback in the NFL from 1992 to 2005 for seven teams, including the Super Bowl XXXVI champion New England Patriots in 2001, Buckley worked as a college coach for 15 seasons after retiring as a player. He was an assistant at the college level from 2007 to 2021, most recently as the cornerbacks coach for Ole Miss from 2020 to 2021. The Florida State product had 50 career interceptions in the NFL.
San Antonio Brahmas
Stadium: Alamodome
Coach: Hines Ward
Ward joins the Brahmas as their coach and general manager after an illustrious 14-year playing career for the Pittsburgh Steelers, in which he made four Pro Bowls and was the Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XL. Ward finished his playing career with 1,000 receptions for 12,083 yards and 85 touchdowns. He has four seasons of coaching experience, most recently as the wide receivers coach at Florida Atlantic in 2021.
Seattle Sea Dragons
Stadium: Lumen Field
Coach: Jim Haslett
Along with playing eight seasons in the NFL as a linebacker for the Bills and New York Jets and coaching the New Orleans Saints for six seasons from 2000 to 2005, Haslett has experience with spinoff football leagues, as he led the United Football League’s Florida Tuskers to a 6-0 record in 2009. Haslett has nearly three decades of NFL coaching experience as a head coach, defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.
St. Louis BattleHawks
Stadium: The Dome at America’s Center
Coach: Anthony Becht
Becht was a first-round draft pick by the Jets in 2000 and spent 11 seasons in the NFL as a tight end for the Jets, Buccaneers, Rams, Arizona Cardinals and Kansas City Chiefs. Becht, who had 188 career receptions for 1,537 yards and 21 touchdowns as a player, served as the tight ends coach for the Alliance of American Football’s San Diego Fleet in 2019.
Vegas Vipers
Stadium: TBA
Coach: Rod Woodson
Woodson was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2009 after a 17-year career with the Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Ravens and Raiders, which saw him set an NFL record with 12 interception returns for touchdowns and finish third in league history with 71 interceptions. Woodson, who won a Super Bowl with the Ravens in 2000, spent three seasons as an assistant coach with the Raiders from 2015 to 2017.
Source: www.espn.com