XFL 2023: Teams, Rosters, Coaches, Schedule & Rules Explained

Given that two spring leagues will be holding games throughout the NFL’s offseason, fans won’t have to worry about experiencing football withdrawal after the 2022 NFL season is done. The USFL’s second season kicks up in April, while the resurrected XFL is returning after a two-year absence. Six days after the Super Bowl LVII, on this Saturday, Feb. 18, the XFL will begin play.

Before this weekend’s games, here is all you need to know about the current XFL.

🎥 Know My Name: Rod Woodson

Head Coach @RodWoodson26 has brought a HOFer's spirit and a Super Bowl Champion's attitude to the @XFLVipers. His willingness to share his knowledge will be why his players are well-rounded athletes, on and off the field.#XFL | #KnowMyName | #BHM pic.twitter.com/bKqMBcGRqW

— United Football League (@TheUFL) February 16, 2023

XFL Brief History

The XFL, the most recent effort to launch a spring league, will begin play in the spring of 2023. Eight clubs will compete in the league, which will include a 10-week regular season and a three-week, three-game postseason to choose a winner.

The XFL played one season in 2001 before trying a resurrection in the spring of 2020, making this officially the third edition.

The XFL was first established in 2001 as a collaborative venture between NBC and WWF, led by Vince McMahon. Despite a strong start, the league only lasted one season as a result of low viewership. The league made a comeback in 2020 under McMahon’s leadership, but after just five weeks of operation, COVID-19 forced the league to shut down once more. The league had to sell after filing for bankruptcy.

The @XFL2023 returns to the field this weekend after nearly 3 years away. It has new owners, 7 new coaches and a hybrid hub/home market strategy. But the core tenets of the 2020 vision – redesigned rules and access-based storytelling – remain. https://t.co/AmQ4lrDTGQ

— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) February 16, 2023

The league was later purchased out of bankruptcy by a company led by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson for $15 million, with the goal of having it return in 2023. Each XFL club will practise in Arlington, Texas, and will only travel on game days as a cost-cutting strategy.

The XFL was promoted as a “extreme” NFL substitute. McMahon wanted to increase the amount of trash-talking in the game so that it was more like it was in the WWF. Also, the NFL was cracking down on needless roughness at the time the league was marketing its product as “genuine” football, which included intense, violent collisions.

The league had a great beginning viewership for its broadcast on NBC, but as the season went on, ratings fell due to the calibre of the broadcasts and the play.

Trailer for our Player 54: Chasing the XFL Dream’ docuseries 🏈🎬

We created the new @XFL2023 for the players.

The #54’s just like me.

Chips on their shoulders & grit in their DNA.

Debuting on TOMORROW
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Directed by Peter Berg@sevenbucksprod pic.twitter.com/QKj3FaIxtI

— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) February 15, 2023

Teams

Eight teams are divided into two divisions to play a 10-week regular season. The top two teams in each division will play a round of semifinal playoff games April 29-30 before a championship game to be played May 13.

The league made three changes to its franchise locations, moving out of New York, Los Angeles and Tampa, Florida, and into Las Vegas, San Antonio and Orlando, Florida.

The league consists of eight teams that are split into North and South divisions. Here’s a look at each team, which division they are in, and who will be coaching them in 2023.

Meet your XFL 2023 Final Rosters🏆
Who you got for the championship game??#XFL2023 pic.twitter.com/ZOwzK31UkK

— United Football League (@TheUFL) February 10, 2023

XFL North

• D.C. Defenders — Reggie Barlow
• Seattle Sea Dragons — Jim Haslett
• St. Louis Battlehawks — Anthony Becht
• Vegas Vipers — Rod Woodson

XFL South

• Arlington Renegades — Bob Stoops
• Houston Roughnecks — Wade Phillips
• Orlando Guardians — Terrell Buckley
• San Antonio Brahmas — Hines Ward

Source tells me Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is expected to be in San Antonio on Sunday for the Brahmas XFL home opener and will announce to the crowd in attendance that the Alamodome is hosting this year's XFL championship game. Nothing has been confirmed by the league. #XFL2023 pic.twitter.com/8ih1jyDDLa

— RJ Marquez (@KSATRJ) February 16, 2023

The San Antonio Brahmas are the only team with a new host city and team name between the 2020 XFL roster and the 2023 iteration, in case you’re wondering what happened. The Vegas (previously Tampa) Vipers, the Arlington (formerly Dallas) Renegades, and the Orlando (formerly New York) Guardians are three teams with the same name but a new home city. There is no longer an L.A. Wildcats.

Rule alterations

1. The XFL, like the USFL, has a few regulations that set it apart from the NFL.
2. If a team choose to start play at the 10-yard line after scoring a touchdown, they can score three points.
3. In contrast to the NFL, after incomplete passes and out-of-bounds plays before the two-minute warning in either half, the time will begin to run in the XFL. After the two-minute warning in either half, the clock will stop after a first down has been made. Halftimes will go for ten minutes.
4. In the XFL, a team can try to maintain the ball after scoring by converting a fourth-and-15 from its own 25-yard line, which is an alternative to an onside kick.
5. Teams are capable of making two forward passes as as long as the first completion does not cross the original line of scrimmage.
6. Overtimes will consist of alternating attempts from the opponent’s 5-yard- line. Each team will get three attempts or until a winner is declared.

Our Time Is Now ⚡️#XFL2023 | #BreatheFire pic.twitter.com/lEPBbAicEZ

— Seattle Sea Dragons (@XFLSeaDragons) February 16, 2023

How to watch

All 43 XFL games will be broadcast across ABC, ESPN and ESPN2. Each game will also be streamed on ESPN+.

Week 1

Saturday, Feb. 18

Sunday, Feb. 19

Week 2

Thursday, Feb. 23

Saturday, Feb. 25

Sunday, Feb. 26

Week 3

Saturday, March 4

Sunday, March 5

Week 4

Saturday, March 11

Sunday, March 12

Week 5

Thursday, March 16

Saturday, March 18

Sunday, March 19

Week 6

Saturday, March 25

Sunday, March 26

Monday, March 27

Week 7

Friday, March 31

Saturday, April 1

Sunday, March 19

Week 8

Saturday, April 8

Sunday, April 9

Week 9

Saturday, April 15

Sunday, April 16

Week 10

Saturday, April 22

Sunday, April 23

The DC Defenders have released their Week 1 depth chart for the 2023 season: #XFL pic.twitter.com/WaPg8vqFyc

— Christian Paolantonio (@CPaolantonio_) February 16, 2023

XFL playoffs schedule 2023

The XFL playoffs will take place immediately after the 2023 season concludes. The first round of the playoffs will take place on Saturday, April 29 and Sunday, April 30 while the league’s championship game will be played two weeks later on Saturday, May 13.

The XFL hasn’t yet announced whether the championship game will be played at a neutral site. Below is the full playoff schedule for 2023:

Divisional round

Saturday, April 29

Sunday, April 30

Championship game

Saturday, May 13

.@TheRock is looking forward to even more football 💪

The @XFL2023 season kicks off this Saturday 🏈 pic.twitter.com/BfERNYvvyQ

— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) February 13, 2023

Roster

With that said, there are some notable former NFL players mixed throughout the league. That list includes:

• WR Geronimo Allison (Vegas)
• LB Vic Beasley (Vegas)
• WR Martavis Bryant (Vegas)
• QB Ben DiNucci (Seattle)
• DB Matt Elam (Orlando)
• WR Josh Gordon (Seattle)
• DB Will Hill (Arlington)
• P Marquette King (Arlington)
• QB Paxton Lynch (Orlando)
• QB A.J. McCarron (St. Louis)
• DL Caraun Reid (D.C.)
• WR Eli Rogers (Orlando)
• QB Kyle Sloter (Arlington)
• P Brad Wing (San Antonio)

INTRODUCING: @JoshLewinStuff, XFL Writer & Podcaster

Kicking off, he breaks down what to expect — Thursday previews (The XFL Week Ahead) and Monday recaps (The XFL Rewind & The XFL Week In Review) — and covers the XFL's new look, geography, coaches, rules.https://t.co/SPFkP4DwK4

— United Football League (@TheUFL) February 14, 2023

Coaches

It is also noted that seven of the eight head coaches will be different. Arlington’s Bob Stoops returned from the 2020 league, but the remainder are new. The list includes a mix of former NFL head coaches and prominent players:

• D.C.: Reggie Barlow
• St. Louis: Anthony Becht
• Orlando: Terrell Buckley
• Seattle: Jim Haslett
• Houston: Wade Phillips
• San Antonio: Hines Ward
• Vegas: Rod Woodson

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