The XFL is making a splash as it looks to return for the 2023 season.
Former NFL head coach and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams has landed a job with the XFL, the league announced on Thursday. Williams heads the XFL’s first set of assistant coach hirings and will serve as the defensive coordinator for head coach Reggie Barlow’s team.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the XFL has not announced team names yet, as it continues to negotiate with local markets. There will be eight teams in total though, and some of the other notable names already tabbed to be head coaches include Wade Phillips, Bob Stoops, Hines Ward, and Rod Woodson. You can see the full list of the confirmed participants here.
The Vince McMahon-founded XFL was initially launched in 2001 but folded after just one season. It did make a return in 2020, having been rebooted by McMahon, but also lasted just one season. The start of the COVID pandemic that year led to financial difficulties for the XFL, resulting in them filing for bankruptcy. Now however, the league plans to return in spring 2023 and recently announced an interesting partnership with the NFL.
As for Williams, he coached in the NFL for many years, including as Buffalo Bills head coach from 2001 to 2003. He was also as a defensive coordinator for nearly two decades after that, most recently for the New York Jets from 2019 to 2020. He remains infamous though for his role in the New Orleans Saints’ “Bountygate” scandal. Now Williams will be getting a chance to make a new name for himself in the XFL.
