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 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.
The Chicago Enforcers were an American football team of the XFL based at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. The XFL was begun by Vince McMahon of the WWE and by NBC, a major television network in the United States. NBC dropped XFL broadcasts after the first season in 2001 due to dismal ratings, and the league was dissolved shortly thereafter.
The Orlando Rage was an American football team based in Orlando, Florida as part of the XFL, begun by Vince McMahon of the World Wrestling Federation and by NBC, a major television network in the United States.
The San Francisco Demons were a short-lived springtime American football team based in San Francisco, California. 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. Originally they were to be based in San Jose but prior to the start of the season they were moved to San Francisco. They were in the Western Division with the Los Angeles Xtreme, Las Vegas Outlaws and Memphis Maniax.
The New York/New Jersey Hitmen were an American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Hitmen were the members of the Eastern Division of the XFL. The team played their home games in Giants Stadium of the Meadowlands Sports Complex.
Patrick Joseph Sullivan was an American professional football player and college coach. An All-America quarterback for the Auburn Tigers, he won the Heisman Trophy in 1971 and then played six seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with the Atlanta Falcons and Washington Redskins. Sullivan was a head football coach at Samford University, a position he held from 2007 to 2014. He was previously the head football coach at Texas Christian University (TCU) from 1992 to 1997 and the offensive coordinator at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) from 1999 to 2006. Sullivan was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a player in 1991.
Gerard Paul DiNardo is a former American football player and coach. He played college football as a guard for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish where he was selected as an All-American in 1974. DiNardo served as the head football coach at Vanderbilt University (1991–1994), Louisiana State University (1995–1999), and Indiana University (2002–2004), compiling a career college football record of 59–76–1. In 2001, he was the head coach of the Birmingham Thunderbolts of the XFL.
William Casey Weldon is a former professional American football player. Weldon is best known for being the quarterback for Florida State in the late-1980s and early-1990s. During his senior season in 1991, Weldon finished runner-up in the Heisman Trophy balloting to Desmond Howard of Michigan. He also played in the National Football League (NFL), World League and for the Birmingham Thunderbolts of the XFL. He was drafted in the fourth round of the 1992 NFL Draft by the Eagles.
Harry Jerome “Jay” Barker is a former professional American football quarterback. He is currently a Birmingham radio personality.
James Edward Bostic is a former American football running back, played football at Auburn University, in the NFL for the Philadelphia Eagles, and the defunct XFL.
Reggie Devon Barlow is a former American football player and coach who is currently the head coach and general manager for the DC Defenders of the XFL. Barlow served as the head football coach at Alabama State University from 2007 to 2014 and at Virginia State University from 2016 to 2021. He played professionally as wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons, five for the Jacksonville Jaguars, two for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and one with the Oakland Raiders. He was used as a secondary wide receiver and punt returner. In 1997, Barlow led the NFL in punt return yards with 555 yards on 43 returns.
James Edward Willis III is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) and a former coach in the NCAA and in the NFL. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He played college football at Auburn. He played high school football at J.O. Johnson High School in Huntsville, Alabama. He was the defensive assistant/linebackers coach for the New Orleans Saints of the NFL until his termination on January 5, 2017.
Peter Vaas is an American football coach and former player. He served as the head football coach at Allegheny College from 1986 to 1989 and at the College of the Holy Cross from 1992 to 1995, compiling a career college football record of 43–41–1. He played football as a quarterback at Holy Cross from 1971 to 1973.
Curtis Alexander is a former gridiron football player. He played four years of college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide, from 1994 to 1997. He later played professional football in the XFL, NFL Europe, and Canadian Football League (CFL). During the 2002 Frankfurt Galaxy season, he set an NFL Europe single-game total yardage record with 279 yards against Barcelona.
ArDarius Stewart is a professional gridiron football wide receiver who is a free agent. He played college football at Alabama, and was drafted by the New York Jets in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft.
Jimmy Brumbaugh is a former American and arena football defensive tackle / offensive lineman who is the defensive line coach at Coastal Carolina. He played college football at Auburn. He was originally signed as an undrafted free agent in 2000 by the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL).
Quincy Jackson is a former gridiron football wide receiver. He played college football at Alabama Crimson Tide football. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL).
Steve Smith is an American former arena football offensive specialist. He played college football at Utah State. He was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL).
Anthony Blevins is a former American football player and current head coach for the Vegas Vipers of the XFL. Blevins played in the original XFL with the Birmingham Thunderbolts and had been a full-time coach in the NFL from 2013 to 2022 before being hired by the Vegas Vipers.
