XFL to bring back D.C. team in latest iteration of upstart league

The XFL hopes the third time is the charm. And they’re relying on the District in part to see it through.

The upstart football league announced the nation’s capital will again be one of the eight cities to host a team in the latest iteration of the XFL. The league made the announcement late Sunday, adding that former Virginia Tech wide receiver Reggie Barlow would be the coach of the District’s team. No team name was announced.

“To the fans in D.C. – we’re coming back,” Barlow said in a statement. “First of all, it’s an honor and a pleasure to have an opportunity to coach a team in the DC area. Our XFL team is going to play with a lot of passion, and we are looking forward to being a part of this great city. It’s going to be really exciting and we already know you guys are going to show up and get loud for us.”

This will be the XFL’s third attempt at launching a league. The previous version didn’t last even a full season as the league folded operations in 2020 at the start of the pandemic. Before the XFL 2.0 shut down, the D.C. Defenders played three games at Audi Field and averaged more than 16,000 fans. 

Months after shutting down, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and a group of investors purchased the spring league for $15 million from now-former WWE CEO Vince McMahon. 

The XFL said in a statement Sunday that the D.C.-based team would again play games at Audi Field. The team’s coaching staff includes former Washington Redskins defensive coordinator Gregg Williams. 

Besides D.C., the XFL’s other cities include Houston, Orlando, Las Vegas, San Antonio, Seattle, St. Louis and Arlington (Texas). Bob Stoops (Arlington), Wade Phillips (Houston) and Hines Ward (San Antonio) are among the notable coaches to participate in the league. 

The XFL plans to kick off in February 2023, with games televised on ESPN, ABC and FX. So get ready to dust off those “Finally, D.C. football in February” jokes now.