DC Defenders
Current season
Established December 5, 2018 (2018-12-05)
Play in Audi Field (Washington, DC)
League/conference affiliations
XFL (2020–2023)
  • East Division (2020)
  • North Division (2023)

United Football League (2024–present)

  • XFL Conference (2024–present)
Current uniform
Team colorsRed, white, silver[1]
     
Personnel
Owner(s)Fox Corporation (50%), Dany Garcia, Dwayne Johnson, RedBird Capital Partners (50%)
Head coachReggie Barlow
Team history
  • DC Defenders (2020–present)
Championships
League championships (0)
Conference championships (0)
Division championships (1)
Playoff appearances (1)
Home stadium(s)

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 are 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.

History

McMahon era (2020)

On 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.[2] 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.[3] The team name and logo were revealed on August 21, 2019, followed by the uniforms on December 3, 2019.[4]

First ever XFL kickoff against the Seattle Dragons at Audi Field, in 2020
DC hosting the St. Louis BattleHawks at Audi Field, in 2023
Former logo for the DC Defenders used in 2020

On October 15, 2019, the Defenders announced their first player in team history, being assigned former Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Cardale Jones.[5] 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.[6] 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.[7]

Dwayne Johnson and Dany Garcia era (2023–present)

On 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.[8][9] 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.[10][11] On October 31, 2022, the XFL announced that the Defenders name would be returning, this time with a brand new logo.[12]

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.[13] 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.[14] The merger would also require regulatory approval.[15] In October 2023 the XFL filed a trademark application for the name "United Football League".[16] 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.[17] The merger was made official on December 31, 2023.[18]

Current roster

Players

DC Defenders roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

Offensive linemen
  • -- Adonis Boone T
  • -- Matt Carrick G
  • 62 Tommy Champion T
  • -- Jean Delance G
  • 77 Liam Fornadel G
  • -- Lamont Gaillard C
  • 78 D'Marcus Hayes T
  • -- Greg Long T
  • 52 Mike Maietti C
  • -- George Moore T
  • 53 Kyle Murphy T
  • -- Chidi Okeke T
  • -- Jack Plumb T

Defensive linemen

Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams


Roster updated January 17, 2024
66 active, inactive

Staff

DC Defenders staff
Front office
  • Director of team operations – Stacie Johnson
  • Director of player personnel – Von Hutchins
Head coach
Offensive coaches
  • Offensive coordinator/running backs – Fred Kaiss
  • Quarterbacks – Shannon Harris
  • Wide receivers – Alvance Robinson
  • Offensive line – Russ Ehrnfield
 
Defensive coaches
Team operations
  • Quality control – Deion Harris
  • Athletic trainer – Chris Lacsamana
  • Equipment manager – VanDyke Jones
  • Video manager – Caleb Studivant

Player history

Current NFL players

Season Pos Name NFL team
2020 CB Elijah Campbell Miami Dolphins
2023 P Daniel Whelan Green Bay Packers
2020 TE Tyree Jackson New York Giants
2023 WR Chris Blair Atlanta Falcons
2023 WR Lucky Jackson Minnesota Vikings

Notable players

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
2023–present S D. J. Swearinger Former Houston Texans safety, 2013 2nd round pick
2024–present WR Preston Williams Former Miami Dolphins wide receiver
2024–present CB Gareon Conley Former Oakland Raiders cornerback, 2016 1st round pick
2024-present LB Jordan Evans Former Cincinnati Bengals Linebacker

XFL Offensive Player of the Year award winners

Defenders XFL OPOY winners
Year Player Position Selector
2023 Jordan Ta'amu QB XFL

Coach history

Head coach history

# 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 10 9 1 .900 2 1 1 2023 XFL Coach of the Year[19]

Offensive coordinator history

# 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 10 9 1 .900 2 1 1

Defensive coordinator history

# 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 10 9 1 .900 2 1 1

XFL Coach of the Year award winners

Defenders XFL COTY winners
Year Player Selector
2023 Reggie Barlow XFL

Championships

North Division championship games

Year Coach Stadium Location Opponent Score Record
2023Reggie BarlowAudi FieldWashington, D.C.Seattle Sea Dragons37–219–1
Total North Division championship games won: 1

Rivalries

The Defenders have a rivalry against the St. Louis Battlehawks.[20] 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.[21] A week later, the Battlehawks' quarterback, A. J. McCarron, called their competition the "first XFL rivalry."[22]

Overall regular season record vs. opponents

Team Record Win %
Seattle Sea Dragons 3–0 1.000
St. Louis Battlehawks 3–0 1.000
San Antonio Brahmas 1–0 1.000
Houston Roughnecks 1–0 1.000
Vegas Vipers 2–1 .667
Orlando Guardians 1–1 .500
Arlington Renegades 1–1 .500
Los Angeles Wildcats 0–1 .000

Records

All-time Defenders leaders
LeaderPlayerRecordYears with Defenders
Passing yardsJordan Ta'amu1,894 passing yards2023
Passing touchdowns Jordan Ta'amu 14 passing touchdowns 2023
Rushing yardsAbram Smith788 rushing yards2023–present
Rushing touchdowns Abram Smith 7 rushing touchdowns 2023–present
Receiving yardsChris Blair594 receiving yards2023
Receiving touchdowns Lucky Jackson 5 receiving touchdowns 2023
Receptions Lucky Jackson 36 receptions 2023
Tackles Francis Bernard 51 tackles 2023–present
SacksDavin Bellamy5.5 sacks2023–present
InterceptionsMichael Joseph4 interceptions2023–present
Coaching wins Reggie Barlow 9 wins 2023

Market overview

The 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.[23]

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.[24]

References

  1. "DC Defenders' uniforms, helmet". XFL.com (Press release). December 3, 2019. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
  2. www.bizjournals.com https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2018/12/05/xfl-picks-houston-as-an-inaugural-city-announces.html. Retrieved 2023-02-04. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. "Pep Hamilton is reportedly heading to the XFL". 8 February 2019.
  4. Spedden, Zach (2019-08-21). "XFL Team Names and Logos Unveiled". Football Stadium Digest. Retrieved 2023-02-04.
  5. Florio, Mike (2019-10-15). "XFL announces its eight allocated quarterbacks". ProFootballTalk. Retrieved 2023-02-04.
  6. "XFL scores Week 1: Final results, highlights from Saturday's games". www.sportingnews.com. 10 February 2020. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  7. "Sources: XFL staff laid off, no plans for 2021". ESPN.com. 2020-04-10. Retrieved 2023-03-08.
  8. "THE ROCK BUYS THE XFL FOR $15 MILLION". RingsideNews.com. August 2, 2020. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  9. 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.
  10. "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 2023-02-04.
  11. Cadeaux, Ethan (24 July 2022). "XFL to return to Washington, D.C. for 2023 relaunch". NBC Sports. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  12. "D.C. Defenders Return for Kickoff in 2023". www.xfl.com. Retrieved 2023-02-04.
  13. Baysinger, Tim; Primack, Dan; Fischer, Sara (September 19, 2023). "Scoop: Football leagues XFL and USFL in merger talks". Axios. Retrieved September 19, 2023.
  14. TSN ca Staff (2023-09-28). "XFL, United States Football League announce intention to merge". TSN. Retrieved 2023-09-28.
  15. Schad, Tom (2023-09-28). "XFL, USFL confirm intention to merge into single spring football league". USA Today. Retrieved 2023-09-29.
  16. "XFL files trademark applications for 'United Football League' and 'UFL'". San Antonio Express-News. October 18, 2023.
  17. "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.
  18. "USFL, XFL announce merger, formation of new spring football league: The UFL". Yahoo Sports. 2023-12-31. Retrieved 2023-12-31.
  19. Inabinett, Mark (2023-05-02). "Former Alabama State coach wins XFL's top honor". al. Retrieved 2023-05-02.
  20. Lyons, Joe (2023-03-17). "Battlehawks look for better result against XFL rival D.C. Defenders". STLtoday.com. Retrieved 2023-06-07.
  21. "XFL brawl: Three players ejected during Defenders-BattleHawks showdown in final minute of game". CBSSports.com. 2023-03-06. Retrieved 2023-06-07.
  22. Inabinett, Mark (2023-03-17). "AJ McCarron, Battlehawks part of 'a little XFL rivalry'". al. Retrieved 2023-06-07.
  23. 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.
  24. Andres, Patrick (2023-03-05). "Another Enormous Beer Snake at XFL Game Goes Viral". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 2023-03-05.
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