3 Big Names To Watch From Every XFL Team
Oh, another try at a NFL competitor...Wait, I've actually heard of some of these players?
Vince McMahon's XFL has made its glorious return after almost 20 years. Will you be tuning in?
Vince is promising that this go-round will be more true to the game of football with less glitz, less sexual exploitation of cheerleaders, less over-the-top antics, and better announcing. Although, we won't get the fun nicknames on the jerseys this time.
How ever you personally feel about the nicknames, the gimmick ended up being one of the better ideas for a league with rosters full of unknowns. D-Day, Death Blow, Big Daddy, and The Truth were memorable from the champion Los Angeles X-treme. Rod "He Hate Me" Smart, literally made his name on the Las Vegas Outlaws and later made the rosters of the Philadelphia Eagles and Carolina Panthers.
Standouts such as Tommy Maddox, Mike Furrey, and Jose Cortez landed on NFL rosters relying on their skills on the field rather than any cleverness on their nameplates.
It will be interesting to see if this new version of the XFL can capture (and keep) the attention of football fans with rosters built by the scraps of former NFL, CFL, and NCAA players. Many players and coaches will actually be recognizable to fans that have paid close attention. For those that don't go so in-depth, here's a helpful list of known football names to give you someone to cheer for!
8. Seattle Dragons
Head Coach: Jim Zorn
Seattle might be the perfect place for Zorn as he's best known as the original Seattle Seahawks QB from 1976-1984. He returned as the QB coach for the '97-'98 season, then again '01-'07. His last head coaching gig was for the Washington Redskins in 2009.
His offensive coordinator will be Mike Riley, former head coach of Nebraska, Oregon State, and the San Diego Chargers.
Quarterback: Brandon Silvers
The former Troy University quarterback went undrafted in 2018. After failing to make the New Orleans Saints roster, he signed up for the failed AAF football league. He went from third string to taking over the starting job from ex-NFL quarterbacks Christian Hackenberg, Zach Mettenberger, and Johnny Manziel.
Silvers was one of the few AAF players to get a second chance in the NFL (with the NY Jets). His competition for starting QB comes from B.J. Daniels, who bounced around between the 49ers, Seahawks, Texans, Giants, Bears, and Falcons before being cut in both the CFL and AAF.
Wide Receiver: Keenan Reynolds
The most accomplished quarterback on the roster will actually be playing reciever. Reynolds took over as the starting QB midway through his freshmen year in 2012. He led the Midshipmen to bowls all four years, finishing 5th in Heisman voting as a senior.
In 2016, the Baltimore Ravens drafted Reynolds, as a runningback, in the sixth round. He made his NFL debut with the Seattle Seahawks in 2018 and still serves in the United States Naval Reserve.