Despite the fact that it lasted only one season, the XFL is impossible for sports fans to forget. The league, which was supposed to be an offseason complement to the NFL, was started by WWE founder Vince McMahon in 2001. Guess when it ceased operations? Yep, 2001.
The XFL lasted just one season, but enough went into it that ESPN is reportedly working on a “30 for 30” documentary about the football league. Jonathan Coachman, a SportsCenter anchor and ESPN radio host who spent nine years as a commentator in the WWE, revealed the news on “The Ross Report” with Jim Ross this week, via Black Sports Online.
Coachman says he recently sat down for an “in-depth interview” to discuss the XFL for the “30 for 30” special.
Could a football league that lasted just one season before fizzling out really be interesting enough for a documentary? Coachman and Ross laughed about their XFL days, with Coach saying he made $1,000 per game to do commentary and J.R. saying he took home $1,500. That’s incredibly low for a nationally-televised sporting event. Clearly there was a lot of behind-the-scenes stuff with the XFL that is worth exploring.
And then there are the rules. The XFL infamously had no fair catch. There was also a 20-yard sprint to recover a fumble before games to determine who got possession of the ball. Perhaps more entertaining, certain rules were changed a few games into the season to speed up and improve play.
Some players, like former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Tommy Maddox and Rod “He Hate Me” Smart, went on to play in the NFL. We’d love to hear what those guys have to say about their lone season in the XFL.
