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XFL Week 1 Power Rankings: D.C. Defenders enter 2023 as the team to beat, Arlington Renegades No. 2
Are you ready for more football? Here's how things stack up in the rebooted XFL
www.cbssports.com
XFL 2023 primer: Schedule, players, coaches, rules, everything you need to know about rebooted league
While the 2022 NFL season is over, fans don't need to worry about having football withdrawal, not with two spring leagues playing games during the NFL's offseason. Along with the USFL's second season, which begins in April, the rebooted XFL is back after a two-year hiatus. The XFL will kick things off this Saturday, Feb. 18 -- six days after Super Bowl LVII.Here's everything you need to know about the modern version of the XFL ahead of this weekend's games.
Backstory
Initially founded in 2001, the XFL was a joint collaboration between NBC and WWF, spearheaded by Vince McMahon. After a hot start, poor ratings ultimately led to the league lasting just one season. The league returned in 2020, with McMahon leading the reboot, but had to close its doors again after COVID-19 shut things down after just five weeks. The league filed for bankruptcy and was forced to sell.A group that includes Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson then bought the league out of bankruptcy for $15 million, eyeing 2023 as its return season. For cost-saving measures, each XFL team will train in Arlington, Texas, and will only travel for game days.
Teams
The league consists of eight teams that are split into North and South divisions. Here's a look at each team, which division they are in, and who will be coaching them in 2023.XFL North
- D.C. Defenders -- Reggie Barlow
- Seattle Sea Dragons -- Jim Haslett
- St. Louis Battlehawks -- Anthony Becht
- Vegas Vipers -- Rod Woodson
XFL South
- Arlington Renegades -- Bob Stoops
- Houston Roughnecks -- Wade Phillips
- Orlando Guardians -- Terrell Buckley
- San Antonio Brahmas -- Hines Ward
Notable players
Several former notable NFL players will be part of the XFL in 2023. They include former All-Pro wideout Josh Gordon (Sea Dragons), former Steelers receiver Martavis Bryant (Vipers) and Vipers quarterback Luis Perez, a longtime NFL journeyman who started for the USFL's New Jersey Generals last year before briefly spending time with the Rams.Former NFL quarterbacks Ben DiNucci (Seattle), A.J. McCarron (St. Louis) -- both of whom have started games in the NFL -- and former NFL and USFL alums Kyle Sloter (Arlington) and Jordan Ta'amu (DC) will also take part in the XFL's upcoming season.
Three former NFL first-round picks -- quarterback Paxton Lynch (Guardians), linebacker Vic Beasley (Vipers) and safety Matt Elam (Guardians) -- are also in the league. Lynch was the 26th overall pick in the 2016 draft by the Broncos. Beasley, the seventh overall pick of the 2015 draft by the Falcons, was an All-Pro in 2015 with 15.5 sacks. Elam was the last pick of the first round of the draft in 2013 by the Ravens.
Running back Matt Jones (Vipers) was a third-round NFL pick in 2015 by Washington. Two punters -- Marquette King (Renegades) and Brad Wing (Brahmas) -- started in the NFL.
Rule changes
Like the USFL, the XFL has a few rules that distinguish itself from the NFL.- Teams can score three points after scoring a touchdown if they elect to place the ball at the 10-yard line following a touchdown.
- Unlike the NFL, the clock will start in the XFL following incomplete passes and out of bounds plays prior to the two-minute warning in either half. The clock will stop after first downs after the two-minute warning in either half. There will be 10-minute halftimes.
- The XFL has adopted the XFL's onside kick alternative where a team can try to keep the ball after a score by attempting to convert a fourth-and-15 from its own 25-yard line.
- Teams can complete a double forward pass as long as the first completion does not cross the original line of scrimmage.
- Overtimes will consist of alternating attempts from the opponent's 5-yard- line. Each team will get three attempts or until a winner is declared.
How to watch
All 43 XFL games will be broadcast across ABC, ESPN and ESPN2. Each game will also be streamed on ESPN+.Week 1 schedule
- Saturday, Feb. 18: Vegas Vipers at Arlington Renegades (Choctaw Stadium) -- 3 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN+
- Saturday, Feb. 18: Orlando Guardians at Houston Roughnecks (at TDECU Stadium) -- 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN/FX and ESPN+
- Sunday, Feb. 19: St. Louis Battlehawks at San Antonio Brahmas (at The Alamodome) -- at 3 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN+
- Sunday, Feb. 19: Seattle Sea Dragons at D.C. Defenders (at Audi Field) -- 8 p.m. ET on ESPN and ESPN+
