| 2025 DC Defenders season | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Owner | Alpha Acquico, LLC |
| General manager | Von Hutchins |
| Head coach | Reggie Barlow |
| Home field | Audi Field |
| Results | |
| Record | 0–0 |
The 2025 DC Defenders season will be the fourth season for the DC Defenders as a professional American football franchise and the second season in the United Football League (UFL). [1] The Defenders will play their home games at the Audi Field and will be led by third-year head coach Reggie Barlow.
Listed below are the Defenders' opponents for 2025. Exact dates and times will be announced at the end of 2024.
| Category | Home | Away |
|---|---|---|
| Conference opponents (XFL) | Arlington Renegades San Antonio Brahmas St. Louis Battlehawks | |
| Interconference opponents (USFL) | Birmingham Stallions Memphis Showboats | Houston Roughnecks Michigan Panthers |
Harry James Sharper Jr. is an American football coach and former player who most recently served as the linebackers coach for the DC Defenders of the United Football League (UFL). Sharper played professionally as a linebacker for nine seasons in the National Football League (NFL), and played college football for the Virginia Cavaliers. He was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the second round of the 1997 NFL draft. Sharper spent five seasons in Baltimore, where he was part of the team that won the franchise's first Super Bowl in Super Bowl XXXV. In 2002, he was selected by the Houston Texans in their expansion draft and played three seasons with the team. During his final season in 2005, Sharper was a member of the Seattle Seahawks. He is the older brother of former safety Darren Sharper.
James Donald Haslett is an American football coach and former linebacker who was most recently the head coach of the Seattle Sea Dragons of the XFL. He played college football for the IUP Crimson Hawks before being drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the second round of the 1979 NFL Draft; he went on to be named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.
William Likely III is an American football cornerback who is currently a free agent. He played college football at the University of Maryland.
Deondre Francois is an American football quarterback for the DC Defenders of the United Football League (UFL). He played college football for Hampton University and Florida State University.
Deandre Lamar Baker is an American football cornerback for the DC Defenders of the United Football League (UFL). He played college football at Georgia and was drafted by the New York Giants in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft. Baker played one season with the Giants before being released by them due to charges of armed robbery, which were later dropped. He has also been a member of the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Seattle Sea Dragons were a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. The Sea Dragons competed in the second incarnation of the XFL. The team was founded by Vince McMahon’s Alpha Entertainment as the Seattle Dragons, and were owned-and-operated by Dwayne Johnson’s Alpha Acquico. The Sea Dragons played their home games at Lumen Field.
The St. Louis Battlehawks are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. The Battlehawks compete in the United Football League (UFL) as a founding member of the XFL Conference. The team was founded by Vince McMahon’s Alpha Entertainment and are owned-and-operated by Dwayne Johnson's Alpha Acquico and Fox Corporation. The Battlehawks play their home games at The Dome at America's Center. The Battlehawks have a franchise regular season record of 10–5 (.667), the third highest win percentage among UFL teams as of its 2024 season.
The DC Defenders are a professional American football team based in Washington, D.C. The Defenders compete in the United Football League (UFL). The team was founded by Vince McMahon’s Alpha Entertainment and is owned and operated by Dwayne Johnson's Alpha Acquico and Fox Corporation. The Defenders play their home games at Audi Field. The Defenders have a regular season record of 12–3 (.800), the second-highest win percentage among UFL teams as of its 2024 season. They were also the top team in the 2023 XFL, boasting a 9–1 record and scoring 49 more points than the next closest team, the St. Louis Battlehawks.
Anthony "Pooka" Williams Jr. is an American football running back for the San Antonio Brahmas of the United Football League (UFL). He played college football at Kansas. He was named First Team All-Big 12 running back as a freshman and as a sophomore. He signed with the Bengals as an undrafted free agent in 2021.
John Hightower IV is an American football wide receiver for the Michigan Panthers of the United Football League (UFL). He played college football at Boise State and was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL draft.
Chris Rowland is an American football wide receiver for the DC Defenders of the United Football League (UFL). Rowland played college football for the Tennessee State Tigers. After college, he signed with the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2020. Rowland also played for the Tennessee Titans and Philadelphia Stars.
Tim Ward is an American football linebacker for the San Antonio Brahmas of the United Football League (UFL). He played college football for Old Dominion.
The Birmingham Stallions are a professional American football team based in Birmingham, Alabama. The Stallions compete in the United Football League (UFL), and were a founding member of the second iteration of the United States Football League (USFL) in 2022. The Stallions are owned and operated by Dwayne Johnson's Alpha Acquico and Fox Corporation, and play their home games at Protective Stadium. They have won three league championships since their founding, defeating the Philadelphia Stars 33–30 in 2022 and the Pittsburgh Maulers 28–12 in 2023 as part of the USFL, and most recently the San Antonio Brahmas 25–0 in the inaugural UFL Championship Game in 2024.
Jarrid Williams is an American football offensive tackle for the DC Defenders of the United Football League (UFL). He played college football at Houston and Miami (FL).
The United Football League (UFL) is a professional American football high-level minor league which started play in March 2024. The league was created following the merger of the latest incarnations of the XFL and United States Football League (USFL). It consists of eight teams, all of which were members of the XFL or USFL prior to the UFL's creation, concentrated in the Midwest and Southern United States.
The 2024 UFL season was the first season of the United Football League, which was created following the merger of the XFL and USFL, and the fifth season in the combined history of the two leagues, following the 2020 XFL season, 2022 USFL season, and separate 2023 seasons for both the USFL and XFL.
The 2025 UFL season is the second season of the United Football League, which was created following the merger of the XFL and USFL.
The 2025 San Antonio Brahmas season will be the third season for the San Antonio Brahmas as a professional American football franchise and the second season in the United Football League (UFL). The Brahmas will play their home games at the Alamodome and will be led by second-year head coach Wade Phillips.
The 2025 Houston Roughnecks season will be the fourth season for the Houston Roughnecks as a professional American football franchise and the second season in the United Football League (UFL). The Roughnecks will play their home games at Rice Stadium and will be led by third-year head coach Curtis Johnson.
The 2025 Michigan Panthers season will be the fourth season for the Michigan Panthers as a professional American football franchise and the second season in the United Football League (UFL). The Panthers will play their home games at Ford Field and will be led by third-year head coach Mike Nolan.