DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum XFL and the rules changes they have

I have to say, I am looking forward to the XFL, even though I am not holding out a ton of hope after the AAF. Here are some of the differences in rule changes. Kickoff rule is pretty cool - although I liked their original kickoff rules

Punting is a good one too, and they are going to use a "eye in the sky approach" on challenges and reviews which I think the NFL will do.

I like the 2 minute clock idea as well.

XFL Rule
The kicker kicks from the 25-yard line and must kick the ball in the air and in play between the opponent’s 20-yard line and the end zone.
The coverage team lines up on the return side 35-yard line and the return team lines up on the 30-yard line. Each team must have exactly 3 players outside the hash marks on both sides of the ball and cannot move until the ball is caught by the returner.
Out of bounds kicks and kicks that fall short of the 20-yard line will result in an illegal procedure penalty, taking the ball all the way out to the kicking team’s 45 yard line.
Players can move when the ball is touched by the returner or 3 seconds after the ball touches the ground (when the official waves his hand down).
If the ball is kicked into the end zone and is downed it is a “Major” touchback and the ball is placed at the return side 35-yard line.
If the ball bounces in bounds and then out of the end zone or is downed in the end zone, the ball is placed at the return side 15-yard line.
If a player on the return team touches the ball and it goes out of bounds, the ball is spotted where it went out of bounds.
If a team wishes to run an onside kick, it must indicate this to the official before the play and the two teams will be permitted to line up using traditional NFL rules (i.e. 10 yards apart from the kicking team). There will be no surprise onside kicks.
Current NFL/College Rule
The NFL kicks off from the 35-yard line, with 5 players on each side of the ball. The ball can be kicked out of the end zone for a touchback or out of bounds and placed at the 40-yard line.
College also kicks off from the 35-yard line and allows return teams to take a touchback for any kickoff fair caught inside the 25-yard line.
Rationale
With a goal to eliminate safety issues with kickoffs, the NCAA and NFL created more opportunities for touchbacks. The increase in touchbacks naturally leads to fewer returns which means fewer meaningful plays. The XFL’s proposed rule change will encourage more kick returns while making the play less dangerous by eliminating the 30-yard sprint to collision.



POINT-AFTER TOUCHDOWN





XFL Rule
After a touchdown, the team has the option of running a play from the 2, 5, or 10-yard line, worth 1, 2, or 3 points respectively. The team must run an offensive play and no kicking plays are allowed.
If the defense is able to cause a turnover and return the ball to the opponent’s end zone, the resulting score is equal to the number of points the offense was attempting to score on its PAT.
Current NFL Rule
In the NFL, teams can elect whether to go for a kicked extra point or go for a 2-point conversion.
Rationale
The NFL has a near automatic play with its extra-point kick. The XFL has created excitement by replacing a kick with a play from scrimmage. To provide even more excitement, we have added the opportunity for a 3-point play, which means that an 18-point deficit is still a two-possession game. Fans have told the XFL that the 3-point play creates more strategy and innovation for the coaches.



PUNT





XFL Rule
Punting team cannot release past the line of scrimmage until the ball is kicked.
Gunners must line up at the line of scrimmage and are permitted to move laterally once the ball is snapped until it is kicked.
Defenders over the gunner cannot cross the line of scrimmage until the ball is kicked.
If the ball goes out of bounds inside the 35-yard line, it is a “Major” touchback and the ball goes to the 35-yard line.
If a punted ball lands in the opponent’s end zone or goes out of the end zone the result is a “Major” touchback, and the ball goes out to the 35-yard line.
Fair catches are permitted (though disincentivized - see Rationale)
Current NFL/College Rule
The NFL allows players that are the end man on the line of scrimmage (often called the “gunner”) to release once the ball is snapped, and all other players release when the ball is kicked. If a ball is kicked out of bounds it is placed at the spot it leaves the field of play.
College allows all players to leave once the ball is snapped. If a ball is kicked out of bounds it is placed at the spot it leaves the field of play.
Rationale
Fans told the XFL that they didn’t like the amount of punts (specifically punts in an opponent’s territory) and how many punts did not have a return (47% ended in fair catch, out of bounds, or touchback). The XFL has instituted two rule changes to address these concerns: all out of bounds kicks create a touchback (Major to 35), and no punt-coverage players can release until the ball is kicked. This will create an average distance between the punt return and the nearest defender to 11 yards, vs. similar leagues of 6 yards, creating less reason to fair catch.
The XFL touchback changes will create less incentive for teams to punt in an opponent’s territory. In NFL and College, touchbacks go to the 20, so teams will risk less vs. the XFL on punts. Our coaches will be incentivized to go for it on 4th down because there is a higher likelihood of a positive punt return, and no ability to “pin” the receiving team with a coffin corner kick.



Double-Forward Pass





XFL Rule
If a team completes a forward pass behind the line of scrimmage, that team may throw a second forward pass, as long as the ball has at no time crossed the line of scrimmage.
Once the ball has passed the line of scrimmage, no forward passes are permitted.
Current NFL/College Rule
The NFL and College only allow only one forward pass per play.
Rationale
The “Double Pass” is one of the most exciting plays in football and the XFL aims to add excitement while maintaining traditional football. The Double Forward Pass updates the rules to make double passes less risky because the first pass may fall incomplete rather than becoming a fumbled lateral.



Overtime





XFL Rule
Overtime shall consist of 5 “Rounds”, staged in alternating single-play possessions as is customary in NHL shootouts or MLS penalty kicks. A “Round” will consist of one offensive play per team. Each possession starts at the opponent’s 5-yard line and the offensive team has one play to score. The team with more points after 5 rounds is the winner.
If a team has been mathematically eliminated before all 5 rounds have been completed, the game ends immediately (e.g. If Team A scores on its first 3 attempts and Team B is stopped on its first 3 attempts, then no subsequent plays are necessary).
If teams are tied after 5 rounds, then rounds continue until one team is leading at the conclusion of a round, and that team will be the winner.
For scoring purposes, each successful overtime score is worth 2 points.
The defensive team cannot score. If the offensive team commits a turnover, the play is over immediately.
If the defensive team commits a penalty, the offensive team will be allowed to re-attempt from the 1-yard line.
Any subsequent penalty committed by the defensive team on any subsequent play, including in future rounds, will result in a score awarded to the offensive team.
If the offensive team commits a pre-snap penalty, the ball will be moved back from the original spot, pursuant to regular rules and the play will be re-attempted.
If the offensive team commits a post-snap penalty, the play will end and no score will be awarded.
There will be a minimum of 20 seconds between plays with the ball-spotting official working in conjunction with TV and Official Review to signal when the next play begins.
Current NFL Rule
The NFL has a 10-minute overtime period, where each team must possess, or have the opportunity to possess the ball, unless the team that gets the ball first scores a touchdown. A coin toss determines which team will possess the ball first in overtime. If neither team wins in the overtime period, the game ends in a tie.
Rationale
NFL overtime can end in a tie and a team’s offense may never see the field. Overtime may also take up to 27 minutes to complete in the NFL. XFL overtime allows both teams to play offense, in under 10 minutes, and always has a winner.




5 Timing Changes
25-Second Play Clock
XFL Rule
We will implement a 25-second play clock that begins after the ball is spotted for the next play.
It takes 7 seconds on average to spot the ball (average 32 second play clock)
Current NFL Rule
The NFL has a 40-second play clock that starts when the previous play ends.
Rationale
In order to speed up the game, we wanted to minimize the downtime between plays. Our coaching staffs and teams are going to provide what fans want -- more football during the game.



Comeback Period
XFL Rule
Occurs after the 2-Minute Warning in each half.
On plays that end in the field of play, the game clock will be stopped until the ball has been spotted and 5 seconds have run off of the play clock.
On incomplete passes and out of bounds plays, the game clock will stop completely until the ball is snapped.
Current NFL/College Rule
The NFL has a 2-minute warning with 2 minutes left in each half, which stops the clock. When a player goes out of bounds or there is an incompletion inside the 2-minute warning, the clock stops until the ball is snapped on the next play.
College stops the clock after every first down for the Referee to re-spot the ball.
Rationale
The most exciting part of the game is the end of each half, and the XFL aims to maximize this excitement. By stopping the game clock after every play, the team that is trailing has a clear way to maximize its remaining time and still have the ability to use its complete playbook, including runs or plays in the middle of the field.
Also, a team cannot “run out the clock” at the end of the game until the opponent has no timeouts and there is 1 minute left (5 second run off on the play clock, so 20 seconds can be run off on a play), vs. the NFL, where a game can essentially be ended with 2 minutes left through three kneeldowns that each take 40 seconds off the play clock.



Running Game Clock
XFL Rule
Outside the last 2 minutes of each half, the game clock will run after incompletions and out of bounds plays.
Aside from incompletions and out of bounds plays, game clock rules outside the last 2 minutes of each half are the same as the NFL.
Current NFL/College Rule
The NFL game clock stops after every out of bounds play until the Referee re-spots the ball, and on incomplete passes until the next play begins.
College stops the clock after every 1st down and when a player goes out of bounds until the Referee re-spots the ball. The clock also stops after an incomplete pass until the ball is snapped on the following play.
Rationale
The XFL is aiming to play each game in under 3 hours, but with the same amount of total plays. In order to achieve this goal, the XFL is treating incompletions and out of bounds plays the same as plays that end in the field of play.



Timeouts
XFL Rule
Each team will have 2 one-minute timeouts per half.
Current NFL/College Rule
3 timeouts per half
Rationale
With our rule changes in the last 2 minutes, coaches should not need as many timeouts to help create a comeback. By eliminating one timeout per half, we limit the number of stoppages during the most exciting part of the game. If a play is reviewed and overturned by replay during a timeout, the team that took the timeout will not be charged.



Replay Rulings
XFL Rule
The XFL will have no coaches’ challenges and all plays will be subject to review from the Replay Official, who will be stationed in a booth above the field.
Reviewable plays are limited to: (a) Plays involving possession. (b) Plays involving touching of either the ball or the ground. (c) Plays governed by the goal line. (d) Plays governed by the boundary lines. (e) Plays governed by the line of scrimmage. (f) Plays governed by the line to gain. (g) Number of players on the field at the snap. (h) Game administration. (1) Penalty enforcement. (2) Proper down. (3) Spot of a foul. (4) Status of the game clock. (i) Disqualification of a player. This list of reviewable plays is identical to those in the NFL prior to 2019.
Exception: The Replay Official may correct obvious errors involving player safety at any point throughout the game.
Exception: The Replay Official may correct any egregious obvious error that may have a significant impact on the outcome of the game in the last five minutes of the 4th quarter or during overtime.
NFL Rule
Coaches’ Challenge:
Each team is permitted two challenges that will initiate Instant Replay reviews: (a) The Head Coach can initiate a challenge by throwing a red flag onto the field of play before the next legal snap or kick. (b) A team that commits a foul that delays the next snap can no longer challenge the previous play. The non-fouling team can still challenge the previous play, and both teams can benefit from the review. (c) The Head Coach may challenge on-field rulings listed in Section 3, except for those plays that only the Replay Official can challenge (Article 2). (d) Each challenge requires an available team timeout. A team that is out of timeouts, or has used all its available challenges, may not attempt to initiate a challenge.
Rationale
Review/Replay in football officiating is paramount to how fans view the game. To get the play right is of utmost importance to the XFL and our goal is to provide quality reviews at the right times and in a timely fashion. By eliminating coaches’ challenges, we don’t rely on the teams to fix miscues by the officials, and by only allowing “common sense” to be applied to officiating we put the fan first instead of the process.



5 Common Sense Rules
One Foot Inbounds
XFL Rule
To catch a ball means that a player:
Secures control of a live ball in flight before the ball touches the ground.
Touches the ground in bounds with any part of his body, and then
Maintains control of the ball long enough to enable him to perform an act common to the game, i.e., long enough to pitch or hand the ball, advance it, avoid or ward off an opponent, etc.
Current NFL Rule
To gain possession of a loose ball that has been caught, intercepted, or recovered, a player (a) must have complete control of the ball with his hands or arms and (b) have both feet or any other part of his body, other than his hands, completely on the ground inbounds, and, after (a) and (b) have been fulfilled, perform any act common to the game. It is not necessary that he commit such an act, provided that he maintains control of the ball long enough to do so. This rule applies in the field of play, at the sideline, and in the end zone.
Rationale
Catches in the NFL are often up to debate because of timing and control of the football. By simplifying the rules that establish control of the football, we are creating easier ways for officials to determine when a catch is made. When interviewing over 100 players on their opinion, players often said “A catch is made with your hands, not your feet.”



Dedicated Ball-Spotting Official
XFL Rule
There will be a dedicated Ball Spotting Official who will solely be responsible for quickly spotting the ball and getting a new ball after each play.
Current NFL/College Rule
The NFL and College use a seven-official system, with no single official responsible for spotting the ball.
Rationale
The NFL cycles a new ball in and out of the game between plays using the entire crew and the ball personnel on the sideline. The average time to operate the spotting of the ball is 12 seconds but it is variable depending on the situation. The Ball Spotting Official standardizes the time it takes to spot the ball and gives the XFL an on-field official with control of the game tempo.



Coach-to-Player Communication
XFL Rule
While still in development, the goal is for select offensive players to have a Coach-to-Player helmet receiver.
The Coach-to-Player system would allow a member of the coaching staff in the bench area or the coaches’ booth to communicate to a player through a speaker in his helmet.
Broadcast partners would have access to this communication and may use it during the game.
Current NFL/College Rule
College:
No Coach-to-Player communication
NFL:
The Coach-to-Player system allows a member of the coaching staff in the bench area or the coaches’ booth to communicate to a designated offensive or defensive player with a speaker in his helmet. The communication begins once a game official has signaled a down to be over and is cut off when the play clock reaches 15 seconds or the ball is snapped, whichever occurs first.
Rationale
By allowing coaches to communicate with all offensive skill players that substitute and change location for each play we can play at a faster pace. Since offense changes much more than defense we only need to adjust the way the offense communicates to players.



Simplified Illegal Man Downfield
XFL Rule
No ineligible player shall be or have been more than three yards beyond the line of scrimmage until a passer throws a legal forward pass that crosses the line of scrimmage. A player is in violation of this rule if any part of his body is beyond the three-yard limit.
Current NFL/College Rule
College
When, after the snap, a Team A ineligible player immediately charges and contacts an opponent at a point not more than one yard beyond the neutral zone and maintains the contact for no more than three yards beyond the neutral zone.
NFL
An ineligible offensive player is illegally downfield if: (a) he moves more than one yard beyond the line of scrimmage without contacting an opponent; (b) after losing contact with an opponent within one yard of the line of scrimmage, he advances more than one yard beyond the line of scrimmage; (c) after losing contact with an opponent more than one yard beyond the line of scrimmage, he continues to move toward his opponent’s goal line.
Rationale
This rule has become a more important part of football due to the advent of the RPO (Run Pass Option). Due to the way the rule is traditionally written, it is hard to officiate. The XFL has written the rule to be clearer while also helping teams that run the RPO.



Shorter Halftime
10-minute break, then back to the action.

lets go DC Defenders!!!

Rules or competition level aside, the XFL is going to fall victim to the same thing that every other spinoff professional football league does: lack of fan devotion/team following. (among other things.)

Take this board here, most people are here because of love of the BROWNS. Sometimes events test that love but it's there for most of us. There's even that familiarity with the league in general. Having another team here (especially in startup league) just wouldn't be the same.

I think that's who I am gonna go with - with the Cardale affiliation and all

Or it would be the only chance at watching a professional football team win we will ever have but crying as well

What is that you posted? War and Peace?

By the time I finished reading that mess, I would need Windows 20.

My team will be the St. Louis Battlehawks.

Where will these games be televised? And what day of the week?

I like the ability to go for 1,2, or 3 points like that

Name me one player on your team...I knew it. You can't.

Brogan Roback QB

Nice Googling...

XFL 2020 TV Schedule on ESPN/ABC & Fox Sports – TV Insider
https://www.tvinsider.com/825340/xfl-2020-tv-schedule-espn-abc-fox/

Absolutely. This failure is as predictable as the AAF's failure.

People will quit tuning in once the initial novelty wears off.

I didn’t realize they were playing so many weeks .. this could crash and burn and I wouldn’t be surprised

I like some of the rules. I think the NFL should study some of these.

They are shortening half time because they can't sell enough ads to fill.


Tampa Bay is the only southern team. Marc Trestman is the HC, Jerry Glanville the DC...I didn't know Jerry was alive. Pretty good coaching and several Florida and other SEC names I remember...I could root for them, but it would be better if there was a team in Nashville, Atlanta, or Birmingham. I might be just outside that scalene triangle.

I think that they'll do OK. They have a contract in place with ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, Fox, FS1 and FS2.

They are already promoting it on Fox. I saw an ad the other day.

AAF did decent ratings. I expect that the XFL will as well. If there's one thin ol' Vince McMahon knows .... it's promotion.

Regardless, I plan on watching. I love football too much!

Since Birmingham doesn't have a franchise, the league should survive...

Sorry...can't support Vince McMahon. He takes blood money from the Saudis, runs race-based cuckolding angles on his wrestling program, and wishes to suppress freedom of expression through the anthem policy they use.

Hard pass. Enjoy supporting one of the largest carnival barker bigots for all those who watch.

No googling necessary, I’ve followed him on Twitter since he was a Brown for a brief minute.

Apparently this gets kicked off on Feb 8th. More details here: https://www.xfl.com/en-US/articles/xfl-releases-2020-schedule

Here we are, between the conference championship games and Super Bowl, so I doubt many people are too interested in this right now. I'm sure after the Super Bowl, there will be some people in football withdrawal that will tune in. I may as well, but I have a hard time getting excited about a new football league.

XFL Rule
After a touchdown, the team has the option of running a play from the 2, 5, or 10-yard line, worth 1, 2, or 3 points respectively. The team must run an offensive play and no kicking plays are allowed.
If the defense is able to cause a turnover and return the ball to the opponent’s end zone, the resulting score is equal to the number of points the offense was attempting to score on its PAT.

I like this rule, But, would still allow the option of kicking the XP if so desired ...

The scoring is kind of odd there, but I'm not sure how the option to kick an extra point would fit in, since scoring from the 2 yard line would only be 1 point. The extra point would have to be quite far back, to make the 2 yard conversion attempt worthwhile.

As is, the attempt from the 5 yard line that is worth 2 points seems like it would be pretty tempting.

I have long since wondered how tiring it would be to have be so outraged and over dramatic about everything.

sometimes a pizza is just a pizza, its not a gluten filled, heart attack inducing pie, whos parent company of the pepperoni it uses once had a ties to a cousin of the guys sister who once owned saw a slave 400 years ago.

I will enjoy watching football, any day of the week and twice on sundays when its one

I know I aspire to not be part of the white moderate that regularly made Dr. King quite angry.

Didn't you make a crack about keeping politics in the "toxic forum" in another thread?

yawn

Conclusion: There are no safe spaces. Dun Dun Duuuun!

XFL Rules and Players to Know Ahead of Opening Weekend
The XFL kicks off Saturday with some familiar names and new-age rules. Here's a quick breakdown of the rules you should know about and the names you'll recognize if you tune in on opening weekend.
KALYN KAHLERUPDATED:FEB 7, 2020ORIGINAL:FEB 7, 2020
Remember the insane scramble that replaced the coin toss to determine possession in the first rendition of the XFL back in 2001? A player from each team lined up on the 35-yard-line and then raced and dove towards the ball placed at the 50-yard-line, wrestling with the other player to secure possession. Yeah, that’s not happening in this version of the XFL, but there are plenty of other rules changes to get excited about.

If you’re like me and can’t bear to watch conservative coaching and brutally boring extra point attempts (seriously, if you were Andy Reid and you had Patrick Mahomes at quarterback and that array of offensive weapons, why wouldn't you go for two every time?!) then the XFL is the football league for you.

Just when our national football withdrawal is sinking in at the bleakest point of winter, the XFL is here to help with four games on the slate this weekend, all featuring a running game clock. Goodbye three-and-half hour contests! The rebirth of the ill-fated league that lasted just one season in 2001 is nothing like the first one. The original XFL was a WWE spin on NFL action, promising more violence, more entertainment and more sex appeal than the NFL. This isn’t the X-rated NFL, but rather, a league that was built on ideas from football fans. Like the concept that people just might have other things they’d rather be doing than sitting around waiting for a replay review to end. Personally, I’d rather spend my time rewatching the Super Bowl halftime show for the 26th time.

Per the XFL’s rules site, the XFL has added five “gameplay innovations,” five “timing changes,” and five “common sense rules” that distinguish its game from the NFL. As the 10-week regular season begins with all eight teams in action, starting with the Seattle Dragons visiting the DC Defenders on Saturday at 2 p.m. ET, here are the highlights of those updates.

UNIQUE XFL RULES
NO EXTRA POINT KICKS

Mercifully, the XFL has eliminated the extra point kick. You will never have to suffer through an extra-point doink in the XFL). Instead, there are three options post-touchdown score. Teams can go for one point from the 2-yard line, two points from the 5-yard line or three points from the 10-yard line. That means a team could score a nine-points in one possession. These three different scoring options will make a regulation tie a lot less likely. The options will create a fascinating wrinkle in coaching strategy. It’s likely that two-point conversions will be most common, but after a defensive touchdown, why not go for three?

SAFER KICKOFFS AND PUNTS

Two other game play innovations involved the kicking game: Kickoffs have been altered to make them safer so players aren’t hitting each other at full-speed. The kicker will kick off from the 30-yard line, 5 yards farther back than in the NFL, as a way to limit touchbacks. Most players will line up across from each other between the other 30- and 35-yard line and cannot move until the returner catches the ball.

The XFL made some changes to disincentivize punting, in the hopes of encouraging more teams to go for it on fourth down. Balls that are punted into the end zone or out of bounds will be marked at the 35-yard line, as opposed to the 20 in the NFL. The XFL is calling that a “major touchback.” If a team does punt, it will be more difficult to cover. No player on the punt team can run downfield until the ball is kicked, which will give returners more space to work with.

TWO FORWARD PASSES (!)

The XFL did not want to be a gimmicky football league, so they actively designed rules updates that made sense and wouldn’t turn the game into a circus. In what might be the most fun update in the XFL rulebook, the double-forward pass will be allowed, as long as the first pass is completed behind the line of scrimmage. Once the ball has passed the line of scrimmage, no forward passes are allowed.

QUICKER GAMES

The XFL is aiming to play each game in under three hours, but with the same amount of total plays. To do this, the league is focused on reducing the time in between plays. The XFL has added an eighth official on the field whose only job is to spot the ball. Once the official spots the ball, a 25-second play clock will begin. The game clock will keep running after incompletions and plays in which the ball went out of bounds until less than two minutes remain in each half. Each coach only has two timeouts per half, instead of three, and halftime is cut to 10 minutes. The XFL also eliminated coaches’ challenges. All plays will be subject to review from the replay official, who will be stationed in a booth above the field. He is the only person who can stop the game. There are no coin tosses to eat up time at the beginning of the game. The home team will choose to kick off or defer at the start of the game.

In another effort to speed up the game, the league rewrote the illegal man downfield penalty to help eliminate one of the most common penalties. As the NFL has written the rule, it is confusing and tough to officiate, and has become an issue with the popularity of run pass option plays where offensive linemen are run blocking farther downfield when the play actually ends up being a pass. The XFL will allow offensive linemen to be up to two yards downfield when a pass is thrown.

A CLEAR DEFINITION OF A CATCH

What’s a catch? It’s still not clear in the NFL, but the XFL aims to clear that up with a rule that does not require both feet in bounds to qualify as a catch. The XFL is hoping to eliminate the uncertainty surrounding catches by only requiring that a player touch the ground in bounds with any part of the body, and then maintain control to, “make an act common to the game.”

***

PLAYERS TO WATCH
The XFL didn’t make an effort to go after big-name NFL rejects like Johnny Manziel or college stars that aren’t eligible yet for the NFL like Trevor Lawrence. They didn’t make a push for any NFL free agents, like alternative leagues have in the past. Instead, the league chose to stick with players that they could rely on to participate in training camp and commit to the full 10-week season. Here are a few players to keep an eye on:

Kenny Robinson, S, St. Louis

Robinson is the only XFL player who entered the league with college eligibility remaining. The 21-year-old was dismissed from West Virginia last June because of an academic violation and chose to sign with the XFL rather than transfer to another school. He is eligible for the 2020 draft, and he’ll use this XFL season as a tryout for NFL evaluators.

Cardale Jones, QB, DC Defenders

Jones is a permanent part of Buckeye lore after leading Ohio State to a national championship in backup duty as a freshman. His NFL career was short, but he’s one of a few players that bring a bit of name recognition to the league.

Marquette King, P, St. Louis Battlehawks

King might not get much work in with the way the XFL has disincentivized punting, but he’s another ex-NFL name in the XFL, and has a big personality. King is the only player in the XFL who earned All-Pro status in the NFL. He was voted a second-team All-Pro in 2016. And then, in 2018, new Raiders head coach Jon Gruden cut him.

Kony Ealy, DE, Houston Roughnecks

Ealy was a second-round pick in the 2014 draft, and he started 15 games for the Carolina Panthers over three seasons before he was traded to New England. He also memorably had an interception and a strip sack against Peyton Manning in Super Bowl 50. The Patriots waived him before he ever appeared in a game, and then he bounced to the Raiders and Jets. Ealy is now 28, and the XFL will give him another shot to catch the eye of the NFL.

Antonio Callaway, WR, Tampa Bay Vipers

One of the most interesting XFL names won't be playing this season. The ex-Browns receiver was injured in practice with the Vipers and is now on IR. Callaway was cut from the Browns after two years of missteps in Cleveland and a second suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. The speedy fourth-round pick likely hoped to use the XFL as a way back into the NFL.

Other names NFL and college fans will recognize: Josh Johnson, Landry Jones, Christine Michael, Keenan Reynolds, Matt Elam, Sammie Coates, Will Sutton, Jordan Taamu, Matt Jones, Lance Dunbar, Jeff Badet, Kenneth Farrow and Scooby Wright.

***

Week 1 Schedule:
Saturday, February 8
Seattle Dragons vs. DC Defenders: 2 p.m. ET on ABC
Los Angeles Wildcats vs. Houston Roughnecks: 5 p.m. ET on FOX
Sunday, February 9
Tampa Bay Vipers vs. New York Guardians: 2 p.m. ET on FOX
St. Louis Battlehawks vs. Dallas Renegades: 5 p.m. ET on ESPN

https://www.si.com/nfl/2020/02/07/xfl-ru...impression=true

I've been watching DC vs Seattle. Its pretty entertaining. I might adopt the Defenders since they have Buckeyes Cardale Jones, Doran Grant, and Tracy Sprinkles. Browns are represented by HC Pep Hamilton and LB Scooby Wright. Plus, my initials are DC. What the hell else is there to watch on a snowy Saturday in February?

They need to put Looney Tunes (non-PC version) back on tv on Saturdays.

XFL has a much cleaner version of review than the NFL. Its quicker and less intrusive on the flow of the game.

Watching Los Angeles vs Houston and this is an entertaining product. I like the kick-offs.

I watched part of the Seattle/DC game, and while I didn't see any examples of the 2 or 3 point XP, I like the idea of keeping a team in the game, even at 10 points down.

Did anyone catch the Dragons player dropping a F bomb during a interview.I guess that is a downfall of interviewing players as soon as they come off the field to the sidelines

Convinced it was intentional in order to make it buzzy right off the bat. The "F-Bomb" trended on Twitter nationally. Got more eyes on the product. Smart move!

JFF weighing in...

(I still can't think of a more OIC moment than Billy Manziel)

The NFL needs one of these leagues to be successful.

they need a playground where they can test new rules, train refs and possibly get Cinderella stories about players who played in another league and are now kicking butt in the pros.

The arena league was great because we got a bit of this... NFL Europe was also great for this.

It's also great to test different markets that they might be able to move into in the future as well.

Between the Super Bowl and MLB spring training, I've got nothing much to occupy my off time. So I'll probably watch at least the first 4 weeks of XFL games, and maybe beyond if it holds my interest. After watching yesterday, I was surprised this morning to not be able to find box scores and stats for yesterday's games. I checked ESPN, Fox Sports, and XFL.com, and it appears that box scores aren't available, or maybe just not published. That's kind of dumb for a league with a bunch of players who are basically unknown, when that league is struggling to be noticed.