Spring football returns this weekend under a new name — but the D.C. Defenders will bring back a roster of familiar faces for home games at Audi Field.
The USFL and XFL leagues merged this year to create the UFL, offering another season of spring football to eight cities, including Washington. The Defenders open their third season on the road Sunday against the San Antonio Brahmas.
For many of the athletes, the league is a chance to showcase skills for potential NFL employers.
Running back Cam’Ron Harris will be featured in the Defenders’ starting lineup following a backup role last year. After working at a car dealership to start 2023, the Miami product joined the Defenders for the XFL playoffs and rushed for a pair of touchdowns.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, one of the UFL owners, is ready for action. “I never achieved my NFL dream, but being in this position to help make other people’s dreams come true is the greatest feeling in the world,” he wrote on X. “It’s our privilege to deliver football to you and opportunities to our players and coaches.”
When the Defenders hit Audi Field for their home opener on April 7, fans will recognize many of the names on the field.
Reigning XFL Player of the Year Jordan Ta’amu will return to take snaps after a preseason stint with the Minnesota Vikings. Safety D.J. Swearinger, cornerback Michael Joseph and defensive end Davin Bellamy, are also back with the team that led the XFL with a 9-1 regular-season record last year.
Three former Defenders found their way to NFL rosters after their performances last spring: punter Daniel Whelan is now with Green Bay, wide receiver Lucky Jackson is with Minnesota and wideout Chris Blair is with Atlanta.
“We’re like a proud uncle or dad to see those guys get an opportunity to go and actually stick with NFL teams,” returning coach Reggie Barlow told The Washington Post. “That’s the part of this process that I really like, to go and bring new guys into the fold, coach them up and develop them and put them in your system.”
The XFL’s Coach of the Year led the Defenders to a championship game appearance before losing to the underdog Arlington Renegades. Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, who coached in the NFL for 30 years, also returns to the organization.
Only eight teams survived the XFL-USFL merger, leading to half as many roster spots for players hoping to keep their professional careers afloat. With the reduction in teams, the Defenders added more talent through a dispersal draft including cornerbacks Deandre Baker and Gareon Conley, two former first-round picks in the NFL.
Baker, Conley and the rest of the Defenders will play five home games at raucous Audi Field.
The stadium, which also hosts soccer games for soccer’s D.C. United and Washington Spirit, has a reputation as one of the most intense environments in the league.
Meanwhile, fans will see slight changes in the UFL rulebook. The new spring league combines some of the experiments from its predecessors. It abandons the XFL’s unique kickoff rule, which the NFL has adopted for 2024, instead opting for kickoffs from the 20-yard line to incentivize returns and minimize touchbacks.
The league is keeping the XFL’s point-after rules, eliminating kicks after touchdowns. Instead, teams can opt to run one scrimmage play to add one, two or three points starting at the 2-, 5- and 10-yard lines.
The UFL is also including an alternative to the onside kick. After scoring in the fourth quarter, teams can opt for a fourth-and-12 play from their own 28-yard line. If they manage a first down, they get to keep possession. If not, the opposing team takes over.
A fan-favorite rule is also sticking around for 2024: the double-forward pass. To the delight of trick-play enthusiasts, UFL offenses can complete two forward passes on a play, as long as the passer stays behind the line of scrimmage before the throw.
Leave a Reply