The most electrifying man in sports entertainment has taken over the gridiron. Following an unsuccessful relaunch in 2020 largely in part to the COVID-19 pandemic, Vince McMahon suspended XFL operations and filed the football league for bankruptcy. Months later, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson stepped in and purchased the XFL for $15 million in August 2020. Aside from an expected 2023 revival, chatter revolving around the future of the league stayed relatively dormant for the past two years. While aspects like schedules and rosters remain unknown, fans now know what teams will make up the league.
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Taking to social media, The Rock revealed that there will be eight teams competing in the 2023 XFL season: Arlington Renegades, Houston Roughnecks, Vegas Vipers, Orlando Guardians, St. Louis Battlehawks, San Antonio Brahmas, Seattle Sea Dragons, and DC Defenders.ย
Three of these teams, Defenders, Battlehawks, and Roughnecks, are continuations of the 2020 XFL squads. The Guardians were previously located in New York, while the Vipers used to call Tampa Bay their home. The Renegades also moved slightly, from Dallas to Arlington. Seattle is about the same, just adding “sea” to its Dragons mascot. The biggest change comes with the eighth team, as the Los Angeles Wildcats have been scrapped entirely in favor of the San Antonio Brahmas.
Alongside the names, The Rock previously announced the venues and coaches for each of the XFL’s teams.
- Arlington, Texas: Choctaw Stadium, coach Bob Stoops
- Houston: TDECU Stadium, coach Wade Phillips
- Orlando, Florida: Camping World Stadium, coach Terrell Buckley
- Las Vegas: TBA stadium, coach Rod Woodson
- San Antonio: The Alamodome, coach Hines Ward
- Seattle: Lumen Field, coach Jim Haslett
- St. Louis: The Dome, coach Anthony Becht
- Washington D.C.: Audi Field, coach Reggie Barlow
“The acquisition of the XFL with my talented partners, Dany Garcia and Gerry Cardinale, is an investment for me that’s rooted deeply in two things — my passion for the game and my desire to always take care of the fans,” The Rock said shortly after acquiring the league. “With pride and gratitude for all that I’ve built with my own two hands, I plan to apply these callouses to the XFL, and look forward to creating something special for the players, fans, and everyone involved for the love of football.”
As 2023 nears, The Rock promised a strong collection of football players coming in the league’s third revival.
“The XFL player will be the hardest and hungriest players in the world,” The Rock said. “So, football nation, we are building this for you, the XFL is watching, all for the love of football.”
