The XFL was a professional American football league that played its only season in 2001. The XFL was operated as a joint venture between the World Wrestling Federation and NBC. The XFL was conceived as an outdoor football league that would begin play immediately after the National Football League (NFL) season ended, to take advantage of the perceived lingering public desire to watch football after the NFL and college football seasons conclude. It was promoted as having fewer rules to encourage rougher play than other major leagues, while its telecasts featured sports entertainment elements inspired by professional wrestling, including heat and kayfabe, and suggestively-dressed cheerleaders. Commentary crews also featured WWF commentators joined by sportscasters and veteran football players. Despite the wrestling influence, the games and their outcomes were legitimate and not based on scripted storylines.
The Los Angeles Xtreme was a professional American football team based in Los Angeles, California. The team was a member of the XFL, begun by Vince McMahon of World Wrestling Entertainment and by NBC, a major television network in the United States. The team played its home games in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in the spring of 2001. They were in the XFL's Western Division with the San Francisco Demons, the Memphis Maniax, and the Las Vegas Outlaws. The team had the league's best passing offense and was nicknamed "L.A.X." as a pun on the IATA code for Los Angeles International Airport. They finished the season in 1st place with a 7–3 record and defeated the Chicago Enforcers in the Playoffs and the San Francisco Demons in the Million Dollar Game with a score of 38–6 to win the league's sole Championship.
The Las Vegas Outlaws were an American football team in the XFL. They played in the Western Division with the Los Angeles Xtreme, San Francisco Demons and Memphis Maniax. They played their home games at Sam Boyd Stadium. On February 3, 2001, The Outlaws hosted the first nationally televised XFL game on NBC against the New York/New Jersey Hitmen.
Jeffrey Jason Garcia is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). After attending high school and junior college in Gilroy, California, Garcia played college football at San Jose State University.
The Birmingham Thunderbolts were a short-lived springtime American football team based in Birmingham, Alabama. This team was part of the failed XFL begun by Vince McMahon of World Wrestling Entertainment and by NBC, a major television network in the United States.
Casey J. Printers is a former professional American football, Canadian football and indoor football quarterback. Printers spent most of his professional career with the BC Lions in the Canadian Football League, and also played for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Kansas City Chiefs and Allen Wranglers.
Craig Dominic Whelihan is a retired American football quarterback in the NFL, XFL, and AFL. He played college football at the University of the Pacific.
Jarious K. Jackson is a professional Canadian football pass game coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Edmonton Elks of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He has also been a coach for the Toronto Argonauts, Saskatchewan Roughriders, and BC Lions. Jackson played professionally in the CFL for eight seasons with the Lions and one year with the Argonauts where he won three Grey Cup championships in 2006, 2011, and 2012. He has also been a member of the Denver Broncos (NFL), to whom he was drafted 214th overall in the 2000 NFL Draft, and the Barcelona Dragons. Jackson played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
Cal Murphy was a Canadian football coach, general manager and scout, most notably for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League. In his career as a coach and/or general manager, he led various teams to nine Grey Cup championships, earning a spot in the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. In his retirement years he spent some time as a scout for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League.
Mervyn L. Fernandez, nicknamed Swervin' Mervyn, is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver with the BC Lions in the Canadian Football League (CFL) and Los Angeles Raiders in the National Football League (NFL).
The Million Dollar Game, also known as the XFL Championship, was the lone championship of the original 2001 incarnation of the XFL. The game was played on Saturday, April 21, 2001 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Western Division champion Los Angeles Xtreme defeated the western runner-up San Francisco Demons 38–6.
Giovanni Carmazzi is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for two seasons with the San Francisco 49ers. He played college football at Hofstra University, where he threw for over 9,000 yards, and was selected by the 49ers in the third round of the 2000 NFL Draft. Carmazzi spent the entirety of his NFL career as a backup, never appearing in a regular season game. After being released by the 49ers, he spent one season in NFL Europe and two seasons in the Canadian Football League (CFL).
Scott Stewart Milanovich is an American football coach and former quarterback who is the quarterbacks coach for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the head coach of the Edmonton Football Team of the Canadian Football League (CFL) in 2020, the quarterbacks coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2017 to 2019 and the head coach of Toronto Argonauts from 2012 to 2016. Milanovich also served as an assistant coach for the Montreal Alouettes, Cologne Centurions and Rhein Fire.
Pat Barnes is a retired National Football League quarterback. He played from 1997 to 2003 in the NFL, XFL, and CFL.
Mike Pawlawski is a former professional football player, a quarterback in the National Football League, Arena Football League, and XFL.
McLeod John Baltazar Bethel-Thompson is an American professional gridiron football quarterback for the New Orleans Breakers of the United States Football League (USFL). He was a member of the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL), and won two Grey Cup championships with the team: one as a back-up quarterback in 2017, another as the team's starter in 2022. He played college football at UCLA and Sacramento State. He is the grandson of the 1948 Olympic shot put champion Wilbur 'Moose' Thompson. Bethel-Thompson is a journeyman quarterback having been a member of five different NFL teams, two CFL teams, and one team in both the Arena Football League and the United Football League.
Nathan Michael Sudfeld is an American football quarterback for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Indiana and was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the sixth round in the 2016 NFL Draft. Sudfeld also spent four seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles as a backup quarterback, seeing occasional playing time and was a part of their Super Bowl LII-winning team.
Antonio Pipkin is a Canadian football quarterback who is a free agent. He most recently played for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Tiffin. Pipkin has also been a member of the Arizona Cardinals (NFL), the Montreal Alouettes (CFL), the Edmonton Football Team (CFL), and Toronto Argonauts (CFL).
Bryan James Scott is an American gridiron football quarterback for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Occidental College and played in The Spring League. He played for the Philadelphia Stars of the United States Football League (USFL) in 2022.
Nathan Rourke is a Canadian professional football quarterback for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL). He previously played for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL). Rourke played college football for the Ohio Bobcats. Rourke set the all-time CFL records completion percentage (79.2%) during the 2022 CFL season.
