D.C. Defenders at their opening home game from the 2020 season….before the pandemic.

All-Pro Reels / Flickr

In honor of this weekend’s launch of the XFL season in D.C., we answer all your burning questions about this football league — and the D.C. team you definitely knew about.

What the heck is the XFL?

Well, in their own words, they’re a “fan-first, fast-paced global professional football league with innovative rules and an enhanced 360-game experience.”

It’s kind of like a smaller, alternate football league that plays during the off-season of the NFL – so in other words – Spring football!

The XFL has different game-play rules than the NFL, too. They use a 35-second play clock, allow double forward passes, kick off from the 35-yard line for the kicking team and 30-yard line for the return team, have tiered extra points after touchdowns (teams can make another attempt for 1-3 points depending on the yard-line), and even more variations from the NFL that are meant to increase the pace of the game.

Where did the XFL come from?

The original launch of the league was in 1999 in partnership with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and NBC. The league had eight teams, but our beloved D.C. Defenders was not one of them. The league played one season in 2001 before it folded.

The XFL is now owned by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, his longtime business partner Dany Garcia, and Gerry Cardinale’s RedBird Capital Partners.

Who are the D.C. Defenders?

The D.C. Defenders were introduced in the league’s second launch, with a name reveal that was everything but exciting.

In their original launch, they hired the former assistant for the Michigan Wolverines football team and Howard alumnus Pep Hamilton as their head coach. Notable players at the time included Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Cardale Jones, Tyree Jackson (now a Philadelphia Eagles tight end), former Denver Broncos defensive back Rahim Moore, and former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Eli Rogers.

Reggie Barlow is now the team’s head coach, having spent the past six seasons as the head coach at Virginia State University. The Defenders’ defensive coordinator Gregg Williams coached in the NFL for three decades, and was the defensive coordinator from 2004-2007 for D.C.’s NFL team. Williams is also affiliated with “Bountygate.” He was suspended while working with the New Orleans Saints for incentivizing players to injure opponents with “kill shots” for extra money — a system he also used while he was a coordinator for D.C.’s NFL team, according to the Washington Post.

Former Jacksonville Jaguars running back Ryquell Armstead, along with former St. Louis BattleHawks (another XFL team) quarterback Jordan Ta’amu are also a part of the re-launch of the D.C. Defenders.

Wait, didn’t the team end?

The XFL had its second attempt in February 2020….yeah, right before the coronavirus pandemic. The XFL was brought to a screeching halt, and teams, including the D.C. Defenders, disbanded as the league declared bankruptcy. But the third time’s the charm, right?

When does the season start?

The season will start on Feb. 18, 2023, with 40 regular season games, two playoffs, and one championship. The opening game will be the Vegas Vipers vs. the Arlington Renegades, and the D.C. Defenders’ first home game will be on Feb. 19 against the Seattle Sea Dragons (8 p.m. ET, ESPN).

Where can I watch the game?

The games will be broadcasted on ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, and FX, with games available in Spanish on ESPN Deportes and live on ESPN+.

Okay, I’m kind of hyped and want to see this in person. Where can I catch the D.C. Defenders IRL?

The Defenders share Audi Field with D.C. United and the Washington Spirit. If you’re interested, you can get tickets on Audi Field’s website.

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