Under new ownership from Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, the XFL has re-opened their doors. As the league tries to give fans a different football experience, numerous former NFL stars will be playing in the re-imagined XFL.
This iteration of the XFL features eight teams. The Arlington Renegades, D.C. Defenders, Houston Roughnecks, Orlando Guardians, San Antonio Brahmas, Seattle Sea Dragons, St. Louis BattleHawks and Vegas Vipers will all be competing for the coveted XFL Championship.
The XFL began their season on Feb. 18. Arlington defeated Vegas 22-20 while Houston took down Orlando 33-12.
While the league has struggled in the past, Johnson is hoping his involvement will drive up interest. Helping his case is the numerous former NFL players who will don an XFL uniform. They may not be Patrick Mahomes or Jalen Hurts, but the XFL has plenty of former well-known NFL talent.
Marquette King
Marquette King spent six years as an NFL punt, spending five of them with the then Oakland Raiders. Alongside his work as a punter, King's on-field antics will make him hard to forget for any NFL fan.
In King's rookie season, he led the league with an average of 48.9 yards per punt. He followed that up by leading the NFL in punts (109) and punt yardage (4,390) as a sophomore. King is also known for a number of hilarious stunts, including dancing with the ref's flag after a penalty had been called.
King will now be punting for the Renegades. With Arlington winning their first game, King's XFL season got off on the right foot – pun intended.
AJ McCarron
AJ McCarron is arguably the most well-known quarterback in the XFL this season. After playing for three NFL franchises, McCarron is now ready to lead the BattleHawks from under center
McCarron spent six years in the NFL, playing for the Bengals, Texans and Raiders. He completed 62.6% of his passes for 1,173 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions.
While he made just 17 appearances and four starts as an NFL quarterback, McCarron has a lot more experience than a lot of the other QBs in the league. The BattleHawks are hoping McCarron's experience will lead them to victory.
Josh Gordon
Of all the players in the NFL, Josh Gordon is the most eye-catching. While his time in the NFL wasn't long, Gordon has one of the more interesting story lines entering the XFL season.
Gordon was a Pro Bowler and an All-Pro receiver with the Browns in 2013. He caught 87 passes for a league-leading 1,646 yards and nine touchdowns. However, his career was marred by drug suspensions as his career never truly blossomed after that 2013 season.
Still, Gordon won a Super Bowl ring with the Patriots in 2019 and spent some time with the Titans in 2022. Gordon has all the makings to be the XFL's best receiver and will be looking to prove he can still be a potent threat with the Sea Dragons.
Paxton Lynch
Unlike Gordon, Paxton Lynch never had a breakout season in the NFL. However, the former first-round pick will have an opportunity to prove himself with the Guardians.
Lynch was drafted by the Broncos in the first-round of the 2016 NFL Draft. He appeared in just five games for Denver, throwing for 792 yards, four touchdowns and four interceptions. While he bounced around a couple team's practice squads, he never lived up to his first-round hype.
Lynch's XFL debut didn't go as planned, as he was benched in Orlando's loss. The Guardians will hope Lynch can bounce back and eventually show his first-round roots.
Vic Beasley
Vic Beasley was another draft standout whose career didn't pan out. However, he was a dominant defender during a short run with the Falcons.
Atlanta selected Beasley eighth-overall in 2015. By 2016, he was a Pro Bowler and an All-Pro, as he racked up league-high sack (15.5) and forced fumble (6) numbers.
Beasley was out of the league by 2020. However, he helped the Falcons reach the 2017 Super Bowl with his strong play off of the edge. The Vipers are hoping Beasley still has some gas left into the tank and will make his living in the opposing team's back field.
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