The XFL's return in 2023 will at long last bring Gregg Williams back to the nation's capital after 15 years.
Williams has gone on to have a prosperous NFL career as a defensive coordinator (aside from his stint in New Orleans, which was maligned by 'BountyGate'), with stops in Jacksonville, New Orleans, St. Louis, Tennessee, Cleveland and with the New York Jets (2019-2020).
Williams was once thought to be the heir apparent to the great Joe Gibbs upon Gibbs' retirement from his second stint coaching the Washington Redskins (2004-07), but Williams was ultimately fired in Jan. 2008 when Washington owner Dan Snyder elected instead to hire Jim Zorn (12-20).
The XFL announced on Sunday the cities and venues in which its eight teams will be playing during its 2023 relaunch season and D.C. was among them. Although the D.C. team's name has yet to be announced, it will play at Audi Field, the 2020 home of the XFL's D.C. Defenders.
The other XFL cities are: Arlington, Texas (Choctaw Stadium), Houston (TDECU Stadium), Orlando (Camping World Stadium), Las Vegas (to be announced), San Antonio (The Alamodome), Seattle (Lumen Field) and St. Louis (The Dome).
DC's XFL team will be coached by former college coach and NFL player Reggie Barlow.
The other XFL coaches are: Bob Stoops (Arlington), Wade Phillips (Houston), Terrell Buckley (Orlando), Rod Woodson (Las Vegas), Hines Ward (San Antonio), Jim Haslett (Seattle) and Anthony Becht (St. Louis).
What we've yet to learn is whether DC's team will once again be called the Defenders, who averaged more than 16,000 fans in three home games at Audi Field in 2020 before the league was shuttered prematurely that March due to the pandemic. That iteration of the league filed for bankruptcy the following month, in April 2020, and was later sold to Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson.
The newly revamped XFL is scheduled to kick off on Feb. 18, 2023. Team names, logos and uniforms are slated to be unveiled at a later date. Games will air on Disney television properties ABC, ESPN and FX. The league's multi-year deal with Disney includes exclusive content rights across Disney's digital, social and direct-to-consumer outlets (such as ESPN+).
Pep Hamilton, who coached the Defenders in 2020, is entering his second season with the Houston Texans under head coach David Culley. He began as Houston's passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2021 and was recently promoted to offensive coordinator.
Barlow is a former NFL wide receiver and return specialist who played eight seasons (1996-2003) between Jacksonville and Tampa Bay. He went on to coach at his alma mater, Alabama State, first as a quarterbacks coach (2005-06) and later as head coach from 2007-2014. Prior to joining the XFL, Barlow was the head coach at Virginia State (2016-2021).
XFL DC's announced coaching/personnel staff:
Head Coach: Reggie Barlow
Defensive Coordinator: Gregg Williams
Offensive Coordinator/Running Backs: Fred Kaiss
Director of Player Personnel: Von Hutchins
Director of Team Operations: Stacie Johnson
Stacie Johnson will serve as the team's Director of Team Operations (DTO), a role described as a liaison between the team and the league's business and football operations personnel. She will report to Marc Ross, Executive VP of Football Operations for the XFL.
XFL DC is now accepting deposits for 2023 season ticket memberships — starting at $50 — which are said to include savings on single-game ticket prices, an opportunity to purchase those same seats for the playoffs, a 20 percent discount on the XFL Shop, access to purchase an annual team fan merchandise kit, as well as "exclusive season ticket member experiences."
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