The DC Defenders are a professional American football team based in Washington, D.C. The Defenders compete in the United Football League (UFL). The team was founded by Vince McMahon’s Alpha Entertainment and is owned and operated by Dwayne Johnson's Alpha Acquico and Fox Corporation. The Defenders play their home games at Audi Field. The Defenders have a regular season record of 12–3 (.800), the second-highest win percentage among UFL teams as of its 2024 season. They were also the top team in the 2023 XFL, boasting a 9–1 record and scoring 49 more points than the next closest team, the St. Louis Battlehawks.[2][3]
| DC Defenders | |
|---|---|
 Current season | |
| Established December 5, 2018 Play in Audi Field (Washington, DC) | |
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| League/conference affiliations | |
XFL (2020–2023)
United Football League (2024–present)
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Current uniform | |
.svg) | |
| Team colors | Red, white, silver[1] |
| Personnel | |
| Owner(s) | Fox Corporation (50%), Dany Garcia, Dwayne Johnson, RedBird Capital Partners (50%) |
| Head coach | Reggie Barlow |
| Team history | |
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| Championships | |
| League championships (0) | |
| Conference championships (0) | |
Division championships (1)
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| Playoff appearances (1) | |
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| Home stadium(s) | |
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History
editMcMahon era (2020)
editOn December 5, 2018, Washington, D.C., was announced as one of eight cities that would join the newly reformed XFL, as well as Seattle, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, St. Louis, Tampa Bay, and Dallas.[4] On February 21, 2019, the team hired Pep Hamilton, who was most recently an assistant with the Michigan Wolverines football team, as their first head coach and general manager. Hamilton is an alumnus of Howard University and was familiar to XFL Commissioner Oliver Luck through Hamilton's work with Luck's son, former NFL quarterback Andrew Luck.[5] The team name and logo were revealed on August 21, 2019, followed by the uniforms on December 3, 2019.[6]
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On October 15, 2019, the Defenders announced their first player in team history, being assigned former Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Cardale Jones.[7] Later that day, the 2020 XFL Draft took place. The Defenders selected wide receiver Rashard Davis with the first overall pick, but he did not play for the team and later signed with the Tennessee Titans.
On February 8, 2020, the Defenders won the first game in modern XFL history, defeating the Seattle Dragons by a score of 31–19.[8] On February 15, 2020, the Defenders beat the New York Guardians by a score of 27–0, which was the first shutout in modern XFL history. On March 12, 2020, the XFL announced that the remainder of the 2020 XFL season had been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On April 10, 2020, the XFL suspended operations and terminated all employees, players, and staff.[9]
Dwayne Johnson and Dany Garcia era (2023–present)
editOn August 3, 2020, it was reported that a consortium led by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Dany Garcia, and Gerry Cardinale (through Cardinale's fund RedBird Capital Partners) purchased the XFL for $15 million just hours before an auction could take place; the purchase received court approval on August 7, 2020.[10][11] In March 2022, a report emerged that Reggie Barlow would become the new head coach of the D.C. XFL franchise, confirming that Washington, D.C., would return as an XFL city. Barlow's hire was official on April 13, 2022, as well as the return of the D.C. franchise on July 24, 2022.[12][13] On October 31, 2022, the XFL announced that the Defenders name would be returning, this time with a brand new logo.[14]
In September 2023, Axios reported that the XFL was in advanced talks with the USFL to merge the two leagues prior to the start of their 2024 seasons.[15] On September 28, 2023, the XFL and USFL announced their intent to merge with details surrounding the merger to be announced at a later date.[16] The merger would also require regulatory approval.[17] In October 2023 the XFL filed a trademark application for the name "United Football League".[18] On November 30, 2023, Garcia announced via her Instagram page that the leagues had received regulatory approval for the merger and were finalizing plans for a "combined season" to begin March 30, 2024.[19] The merger was made official on December 31, 2023.[20]
Current roster
editPlayers
editQuarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends
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Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen
|
Linebackers
Defensive backs
Special teams
|
Reserve lists
Unsigned draft picks
Roster updated November 13, 2024 50 active, 2 reserve(s), 10 unsigned |
Staff
edit
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Player history
editCurrent NFL players
edit| Season | Pos | Name | NFL team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | CB | Elijah Campbell | Miami Dolphins |
| 2023 | P | Daniel Whelan | Green Bay Packers |
| 2023 | WR | Chris Blair | Atlanta Falcons |
| 2023 | WR | Lucky Jackson | Minnesota Vikings |
| 2023–2024 | G | Liam Fornadel | New England Patriots |
| 2024 | WR | Kelvin Harmon | Dallas Cowboys |
| 2023–2024 | WR | Brandon Smith | New York Jets |
Notable players
edit| Season | Pos | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | QB | Cardale Jones | Former Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback |
| 2020 | WR | Eli Rogers | Former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver |
| 2020 | S | Matt Elam | Former Baltimore Ravens safety, 2013 1st round pick |
| 2020 | S | Rahim Moore | Former Denver Broncos safety, 2011 2nd round pick |
| 2024 | WR | Preston Williams | Former Miami Dolphins wide receiver |
| 2024 | LB | Jordan Evans | Former Cincinnati Bengals linebacker, 2017 6th round pick |
| 2023–2024 | S | D. J. Swearinger | Former Houston Texans safety, 2013 2nd round pick |
| 2023–present | S | Montae Nicholson | Former Washington Commanders safety, 2017 4th round pick |
| 2024 | CB | Gareon Conley | Former Oakland Raiders cornerback, 2016 1st round pick |
| 2024-present | CB | Deandre Baker | Former New York Giants cornerback, 2019 1st round pick |
| 2024-present | WR | Keke Coutee | Former Houston Texans wide receiver, 2018 4th round pick |
XFL Offensive Player of the Year award winners
edit| Defenders XFL OPOY winners | |||
| Year | Player | Position | Selector |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Jordan Ta'amu | QB | XFL |
Coach history
editHead coach history
edit| # | Name | Term | Regular season | Playoffs | Awards | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GC | W | L | Win % | GC | W | L | ||||
| DC Defenders | ||||||||||
| 1 | Pep Hamilton | 2020 | 5 | 3 | 2 | .600 | – | – | – | |
| 2 | Reggie Barlow | 2023–present | 20 | 13 | 7 | .650 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2023 XFL Coach of the Year[21] |
Offensive coordinator history
edit| # | Name | Term | Regular season | Playoffs | Awards | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GC | W | L | Win % | GC | W | L | ||||
| DC Defenders | ||||||||||
| 1 | Tanner Engstrand | 2020 | 5 | 3 | 2 | .600 | – | – | – | |
| 2 | Fred Kaiss | 2023–present | 20 | 13 | 7 | .650 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |
Defensive coordinator history
edit| # | Name | Term | Regular season | Playoffs | Awards | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GC | W | L | Win % | GC | W | L | ||||
| DC Defenders | ||||||||||
| 1 | Jeff FitzGerald | 2020 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| 2 | Louie Cioffi | 2020 | 5 | 3 | 2 | .600 | – | – | – | |
| 3 | Gregg Williams | 2023–present | 20 | 13 | 7 | .650 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |
XFL Coach of the Year award winners
edit| Defenders XFL COTY winners | |||
| Year | Player | Selector | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Reggie Barlow | XFL | |
Championships
editNorth Division championship games
edit| Year | Coach | Stadium | Location | Opponent | Score | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Reggie Barlow | Audi Field | Washington, D.C. | Seattle Sea Dragons | 37–21 | 9–1 |
| Total North Division championship games won: | 1 | |||||
Rivalries
editThe Defenders have a rivalry against the St. Louis Battlehawks.[22] The Defenders have won all three matchups between the two teams. In addition, every game has been decided by one possession and has determined who is the top team in the division at that point in the season. At the end of their first meeting of the 2023 season, three players were ejected after a brawl broke out.[23] A week later, the Battlehawks' quarterback, A. J. McCarron, called their competition the "first XFL rivalry."[24]
Franchise matchup history
edit| Team | Record | Pct. |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle Sea Dragons | 4–0 | 1.000 |
| Houston Roughnecks (2020) | 1–0 | 1.000 |
| Houston Roughnecks (2024) | 1–0 | 1.000 |
| Memphis Showboats | 1–0 | 1.000 |
| San Antonio Brahmas | 2–1 | .667 |
| Vegas Vipers | 2–1 | .667 |
| St. Louis Battlehawks | 3–2 | .600 |
| Arlington Renegades | 2–2 | .500 |
| Orlando Guardians | 1–1 | .500 |
| Birmingham Stallions | 0–1 | .000 |
| Los Angeles Wildcats | 0–1 | .000 |
| Michigan Panthers | 0–1 | .000 |
- Defunct teams in light gray.
Records
edit| All-time Defenders leaders | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leader | Player | Record | Years with Defenders | |
| Passing yards | Jordan Ta'amu | 3,514 passing yards | 2023–present | |
| Passing touchdowns | Jordan Ta'amu | 27 passing touchdowns | 2023–present | |
| Rushing yards | Abram Smith | 788 rushing yards | 2023–present | |
| Rushing touchdowns | Abram Smith | 7 rushing touchdowns | 2023–present | |
| Receiving yards | Chris Blair | 594 receiving yards | 2023 | |
| Receiving touchdowns | Alex Ellis | 6 receiving touchdowns | 2023–present | |
| Receptions | Lucky Jackson | 36 receptions | 2023 | |
| Tackles | Francis Bernard | 73 tackles | 2023–present | |
| Sacks | Malik Fisher | 7 sacks | 2023–present | |
| Interceptions | Michael Joseph | 4 interceptions | 2023–present | |
| Coaching wins | Reggie Barlow | 13 wins | 2023–present | |
Market overview
editThe Baltimore–Washington area has a history of several teams in alternative professional football. The USFL had the Washington Federals (a mostly unsuccessful franchise) in its first two years. Then the Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars moved from Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Byrd Stadium in College Park, Maryland, in 1985, winning the USFL's final championship. The Canadian Football League's Baltimore CFL Colts/Stallions were the only successful American team in the league during their two-year existence in the mid-1990s (and were the only American-based team to win the Grey Cup, the CFL's championship). Indoor teams to have played in Washington include the Washington Commandos and the Washington Valor (which folded two months before the Defenders' first game) of the Arena Football League, and the D.C. Armor of American Indoor Football Association, in addition to several teams based in Maryland.
The Defenders join the Washington Commanders, Washington Nationals, Washington Capitals, Washington Wizards, Washington Mystics, D.C. United, Washington Spirit, Capital City Go-Go, and Old Glory DC as professional sports teams based in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.
Defenders fans have taken up a tradition of assembling beer snakes out of empty beer containers. The snake constructed at the March 8, 2020, game vs the St. Louis Battlehawks ended up spanning several rows, including a contribution from then-Commissioner Oliver Luck.[25]
In the 2023 season opener against the Seattle Sea Dragons, fans threw lemons onto the field after stadium security personnel confiscated several attempts at making a beer snake, delaying the game for a few minutes. This prompted the Defenders to discuss the issue with Audi Field security and set new guidelines that allowed the beer snake to return during the next home game on March 5.[26]
References
edit- ^ "DC Defenders' uniforms, helmet". XFL.com (Press release). December 3, 2019. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
- ^ Reineking, Jim (May 13, 2023). "2023 XFL championship game: TV, live stream info for DC Defenders vs. Arlington Renegades". USA Today. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
- ^ Haage, Anthony (March 25, 2023). "UFL Title Odds for 2024 - Birmingham Favored to Three-Peat". Gambling Sites. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
- ^ www.bizjournals.com https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2018/12/05/xfl-picks-houston-as-an-inaugural-city-announces.html. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ "Pep Hamilton is reportedly heading to the XFL". February 8, 2019.
- ^ Spedden, Zach (August 21, 2019). "XFL Team Names and Logos Unveiled". Football Stadium Digest. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
- ^ Florio, Mike (October 15, 2019). "XFL announces its eight allocated quarterbacks". ProFootballTalk. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
- ^ "XFL scores Week 1: Final results, highlights from Saturday's games". www.sportingnews.com. February 10, 2020. Retrieved February 10, 2020.
- ^ "Sources: XFL staff laid off, no plans for 2021". ESPN.com. April 10, 2020. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
- ^ "THE ROCK BUYS THE XFL FOR $15 MILLION". RingsideNews.com. August 2, 2020. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
- ^ Kerr, Jeff (August 2, 2020). "Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson buys XFL for $15 million with partners RedBird Capital and Dany Garcia". CBSSports.com. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
- ^ "XFL Announces Head Coaches: Reggie Barlow, Anthony Becht, Terrell Buckley, Jim Haslett, Wade Phillips, Bob Stoops, Hines Ward and Rod Woodson". www.xfl.com. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
- ^ Cadeaux, Ethan (July 24, 2022). "XFL to return to Washington, D.C. for 2023 relaunch". NBC Sports. Retrieved July 25, 2022.
- ^ "D.C. Defenders Return for Kickoff in 2023". www.xfl.com. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
- ^ Baysinger, Tim; Primack, Dan; Fischer, Sara (September 19, 2023). "Scoop: Football leagues XFL and USFL in merger talks". Axios. Retrieved September 19, 2023.
- ^ TSN ca Staff (September 28, 2023). "XFL, United States Football League announce intention to merge". TSN. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
- ^ Schad, Tom (September 28, 2023). "XFL, USFL confirm intention to merge into single spring football league". USA Today. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
- ^ "XFL files trademark applications for 'United Football League' and 'UFL'". San Antonio Express-News. October 18, 2023.
- ^ "We are pleased to have completed the antitrust review process in connection with the proposed merger of the XFL and USFL and intend to play a combined season this spring kicking off on Saturday, March 30. We are now finalizing terms of the definitive agreement and will share more about this new League in the coming weeks". Instagram.
- ^ "USFL, XFL announce merger, formation of new spring football league: The UFL". Yahoo Sports. December 31, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
- ^ Inabinett, Mark (May 2, 2023). "Former Alabama State coach wins XFL's top honor". al. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
- ^ Lyons, Joe (March 17, 2023). "Battlehawks look for better result against XFL rival D.C. Defenders". STLtoday.com. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
- ^ "XFL brawl: Three players ejected during Defenders-BattleHawks showdown in final minute of game". CBSSports.com. March 6, 2023. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
- ^ Inabinett, Mark (March 17, 2023). "AJ McCarron, Battlehawks part of 'a little XFL rivalry'". al. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
- ^ Lincoln, Darrelle (March 8, 2020). "DC Defenders fans might've created the biggestbeer snake in history during game at Audi Field". Total Pro Sports. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
- ^ Andres, Patrick (March 5, 2023). "Another Enormous Beer Snake at XFL Game Goes Viral". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
External links
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