XFL

The XFL announced Monday that it has entered into a partnership agreement with the NFL that will see the XFL test out potential NFL rule changes and player safety measures.

According to ESPN's Kevin Seifert, former Buffalo Bills and current XFL President Russ Brandon said the following regarding the relationship between the leagues:

"People would ask, 'What are the opportunities to look at the game through a different lens from a player development standpoint? How can you be an incubator or an accelerant in many different verticals, from officiating to rules innovations to playing surfaces, to player development?' You can go on and on.

"Any opportunity that the NFL has to advance the game of football, I think they've always been open to, and we've had some really good dialogue, led by our ownership group."

The XFL, which is owned by WWE legend and Hollywood star Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Dany Garcia and RedBird Capital Partners, is set to relaunch in February 2023.

In what was a precursor to the announcement of the XFL-NFL partnership, The Rock appeared on the field at SoFi Stadium prior to Super Bowl LVI against the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals just over a week ago.

As he did so often during his time as a WWE Superstar, Johnson pumped up the crowd with a fiery and passionate speech.

While the XFL and NFL will be working together in certain areas moving forward, Garcia made it clear that there is no goal or intention to make the XFL a developmental league for the NFL.

Regarding the XFL possibly becoming a minor league system of sorts for the NFL like NFL Europe once was, Garcia said: "That's a no. We are a spring league. We will play at the highest level in the spring. There is not the anticipation of any player sharing that changes the dynamic. That's not how we're executing our vision."

The XFL had been in search of a strategic partnership since it was purchased by Johnson, Garcia and RedBird Capital Partners in 2020.

At one point, the XFL and CFL held discussions about working together in some way, but things were ultimately tabled, and no deal was reached.

Working with the NFL potentially puts the XFL in an advantageous position as far as spring football leagues are concerned.

The revived USFL is scheduled to begin play in April, and it has significant television deals with both Fox and NBC. The USFL is shaping up to be the XFL's biggest competition if it can make it beyond one season, but having some backing from the NFL could be what the XFL needs to establish itself as the preeminent spring league.

The XFL originally launched in 2001 under the ownership of WWE chairman Vince McMahon. The league folded after one season, but McMahon brought it back in 2020.

While the revived XFL had TV deals with Fox and ABC and received some positive reviews, it folded before the 2020 season could be completed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

With Johnson and Co. purchasing the league, however, another chapter in the unique story of the XFL will be written next year.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson wears a lot of different hats as an entertainer and movie star, but one of the roles he's most proud of is being co-owner of the XFL.

During Monday's Manning Cast of the NFC Wild Card Game between the Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Rams, Johnson explained why it was so important to him to be a key part of reviving the XFL.

"As you guys know, you have a love and a passion for the game of football. Man, I love football. And my dream in the NFL, making it to the NFL, that dream never came true," Johnson told Peyton and Eli Manning during the second quarter. "So for me, this is a real full-circle moment for me. ... I worked so hard down at the University of Miami to make it, and I didn't make it."

Johnson went on to say that it was a goal of his to create an alternative for players who want to continue their football careers but don't get the chance to play in the NFL.

"But now, years later, to be able to be the owner of the XFL, a league that we've galvanized with great leadership teams, great organization, a lot of passion," he continued. "But to be able to, I think, create opportunities for players to play the game that they love, play the game that we love, pay their bills, take care of their families and keep their dream alive, it's a full-circle moment for me."

Along with his business partner Dany Garcia, Johnson formed a consortium with Gerry Cardinale's RedBird Capital to purchase the XFL for $15 million in August 2020.

Johnson stressed that his main focus will be on creating a league that is catered to its players.

"As an XFL owner, my No. 1 goal and my No. 1 priority will always be the player and to take care of the players and create these opportunities for them," he said.

The XFL is expected to launch in 2023. The league recently announced six additions to its football operations team.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and business partner Dany Garcia announced Monday night training camp for the latest edition of the XFL will begin on Jan. 3, 2023.

Johnson posted a message on Instagram:

In exactly 365 DAYS, we will officially kick off our 2023 XFL TRAINING CAMPS.

As an XFL owner and a man who has put his callused, dinosaur hands in the dirt—I can guarantee you that our XFL PLAYERS will be the hardest and hungriest workers in the room.

Our message to the FOOTBALL NATION—we are building our one of kind XFL CULTURE for you.

Garcia also confirmed the news on Twitter:

Johnson, Garcia and RedBird Capital Partners purchased the XFL in August 2020.

WWE chairman Vince McMahon originally launched the alternative football league with NBC in 2001. It was promoted as an old-school, hard-hitting brand of football with several gimmicks to differentiate it from the NFL, but it lasted just one season.

McMahon gave the idea another try in 2020 with a focus on forward-thinking ideas, including a reimagined kickoff, more options after touchdowns and various officiating alterations. The league showed promise, but it was forced to shut down amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Johnson, Garcia and Co. secured ownership via bankruptcy proceedings.

Garcia told ESPN's Kevin Seifert following the purchase the plan was to build off the foundation McMahon's second XFL attempt put in place.

I think there was a lot to build on and not so much a matter of changing it. Any format change would be because of COVID-19. That would be the reason. The roots and the bones of what were there were excellent. I like the speed of play. I loved the access. I think there is probably some elegance that can be added so that maybe it's not as disruptive. But being in the box when they're reviewing the calls, and reviewing the penalties? Those were moments when you really felt that you were with and knew the players. So that was amazing to bond with that football experience. There was a lot of great, great work. It's the opportunity to say, 'OK, that was fantastic. How do we make it 10 times better?'

The XFL conducted talks with the Canadian Football League in mid-2021 about potentially working together, but no deal was finalized.

"Our talks with the XFL, exploring the potential for collaboration and innovation, have been positive and constructive," the CFL said in a July statement. "While we remain open to finding new ways to work together in the future, we and our XFL counterparts have jointly decided to not pursue any formal arrangements at this time."

So the XFL has moved forward with plans to operate independently beginning in early 2023. With training camps set to begin late in the NFL season, the campaign will likely kick off during the final stages of the NFL playoffs or shortly after the Super Bowl.

It'll once again be a chance for players on the NFL fringe to prove themselves. Quarterback P.J Walker, the XFL MVP favorite when play was halted in 2020, is now a member of the Carolina Panthers.

Cardale Jones is three years removed from being on an NFL roster, but he hasn't given up the dream of continuing to play professional football.

Jones told TMZ Sports he hopes to get back on the field soon—whether it's with the XFL or NFL.

"XFL, NFL—whatever it may be, if the opportunity is there, I'm definitely going to take advantage of it," Jones said.

Jones last played professional football in 2020 for the DC Defenders of the XFL. He threw for 674 yards and four touchdowns against seven interceptions in five starts before the league shut its doors amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The XFL has since been purchased by an investment group led by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson with plans to relaunch in 2023. 

Jones will be in his 30s by the time the XFL relaunches, and he's shown little aptitude as a professional quarterback at any level. That said, he still has name value dating back to his time at Ohio State that could help lend some headlines to the XFL when things get restarted. 

A potential partnership between the CFL and the XFL appears to be dead, at least for the moment. 

"Our talks with the XFL, exploring the potential for collaboration and innovation, have been positive and constructive," the CFL announced in a statement Wednesday. "While we remain open to finding new ways to work together in the future, we and our XFL counterparts have jointly decided to not pursue any formal arrangements at this time."

The two leagues released a joint statement in March announcing they had "agreed to work together to identify opportunities for the leagues to collaborate, innovate, and grow the game of football."

And Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports reported in April that the CFL and XFL were exploring the possibility of interleague games, an interleague championship and a shared All-Star Game, with a future merger the "long-term objective."

The leagues would play their own schedule, with the possibility of interspersing some interleague games throughout their respective seasons before the two champions of each league would meet for an interleague championship game. 

But those ambitions appear to now be on the backburner. 

The XFL's future is now in question. The league has folded twice, first in 2001 after just one season and again in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, just five games into its reprisal. 

"It's done," a prominent XFL staffer told ESPN's Kevin Seifert and Field Yates at the time. "It's not coming back."

But an investment group headlined by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson agreed to buy the league in August, setting up yet another potential revival. 

The CFL also canceled its 2020 season amid the pandemic, though it is set to return on Aug. 5.

As for the XFL's future, it released a statement on Wednesday: "While our discussions with the CFL did not ultimately lead to a collaboration, the effort reinforced our belief and commitment to developing the XFL for international spring football.  We look forward to seeing everyone for kickoff in spring of 2023." 

The XFL and CFL could be headed for a long-term merger. In the short term, the two leagues are discussing interleague games and a potential championship game.

According to Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports, "Both leagues would play their regular seasons—there could be 'interleague' games, similar to MLB — and once the respective XFL and CFL champions are crowned, they'd face off in an interleague championship game."

That followed a press release from the CFL and XFL that the leagues have "agreed to work together to identify opportunities for the leagues to collaborate, innovate, and grow the game of football."

McCarthy added that the two leagues could potentially combine for an All-Star Game and that a merger is reportedly the "long-term objective."

More than a few leagues have attempted to carve a niche into the football space, though the NFL and NCAA haven't left much room for those leagues to succeed. The XFL was attempting its second go-around last year when the COVID-19 pandemic forced it to suspend operations in April 2020, with no plans at the time to return in 2021. 

"It's done," a prominent XFL staffer told ESPN's Kevin Seifert and Field Yates at the time. "It's not coming back."

The league filed for bankruptcy in April 2020, though an investment group led by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson agreed to buy the XFL in August.

The CFL has had a longer run, operating since 1954. But like every other professional football league since the formation of the NFL, it hasn't truly been a competitor or attracted the world's top players. The route to upper echelon football has remained playing college football before being drafted to the NFL. 

Or as McCarthy noted, "During a non-pandemic year, the nine-team CFL generates revenue of $240 million vs. $12 billion for the NFL."

An XFL-CFL merger would be unlikely to take a bite out of the NFL's monopoly, though it would be interesting to see if a more prominent league might convince younger players to consider bypassing college, as the debate over whether the NCAA should pay its athletes rages on. 

Basketball prospects, for example, have increasingly chosen to bypass college to play overseas or in the NBA's G-League. It wouldn't be surprising if a similar option eventually opened up to young football prospects, regardless of a CFL-XFL merger.

The Canadian Football League and XFL announced Wednesday they plan to work together for a potential collaboration.

"We look forward to exploring how we might work with one of the most innovative sports brands in the world to grow the game, engage fans in new ways, and reach new audiences," CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie said in a joint statement. "We look forward to seeing what possibilities our discussions might uncover, and to sharing those with our fans as the process unfolds."

Neither side referenced the possibility of a merger, but each confirmed interest in combining their efforts moving forward.

"We are honored and excited to be in discussions with the CFL," XFL president and CEO Jeffrey Pollack said. "It's clear through our early conversations that we share a passion for football, an expansive sense of possibility, and a deep desire to create more opportunity for players and fans across North America and around the world."

Both leagues were forced to cancel their 2020 seasons amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The XFL was five weeks into the season before declaring bankruptcy. 

Dwayne Johnson, Dany Garcia and RedBird Capital Partners purchased the XFL from Vince McMahon after the league declared bankruptcy in 2020.

Per Seifert, the league paused its planning for the 2022 season.

The CFL is set to return in 2021 and has already announced a league-wide schedule. Preseason games are set to begin on May 23 with the regular season slated to start on June 10.

Former XFL commissioner Oliver Luck claims that ex-XFL owner and current WWE chairman and CEO Vince McMahon fired him for "sinister" reasons per a memorandum of law filing in Connecticut federal district court.

According to Michael McCann of Sportico, the brief reads as follows:

"McMahon violated his duty of good faith ... to ensure that Alpha did not manufacture spurious or dishonest grounds on which to terminate Mr. Luck for the sinister purpose of avoiding payment of all compensation to which he was entitled upon a termination without cause." 

Alpha is in reference to Alpha Entertainment, the McMahon-owned former parent company of the XFL.

Per ESPN's Kevin Seifert, Luck was fired on April 9, three days before the league filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

The XFL reboot started strong in February, but the league suspended play (before calling the season off entirely) amid the COVID-19 pandemic following five weeks of action.

McMahon and Alpha claim they fired Luck "for cause," citing three reasons. McCann outlined them briefly:

"Last Friday, attorneys for Alpha told Judge Victor Bolden that Luck had made unauthorized emails containing sensitive XFL information to his brother-in-law and NFL agent, William Wilson. Currently the CEO and secretary general of U.S. Soccer, Wilson had co-led the football division at Wasserman Media Group. Alpha also contends that Luck misused his company iPhone and failed to a release a player, Antonio Callaway, who had a 'bad reputation' in violation of XFL policies."

Luck, who signed a five-year, $35 million contract to be the XFL's commissioner, is looking for a $23.8 million judgment to recoup the remaining monies owed.

McMahon and Alpha contend they do not have to pay the eight-figure amount because of the "for cause" firing, which Luck disputes.

The ex-XFL commissioner, who is the father of retired NFL quarterback Andrew Luck, states that McMahon or Alpha did not give him written notice of any concerns regarding "wrongdoing" or a chance to fix those "alleged violations."

Luck also said that McMahon "made a personal and binding guarantee" he would get his money, per McCann.

Vince McMahon was adamant Johnny Manziel would not be part of the XFL, ordering the league's Commissioner and CEO Oliver Luck to keep him out of the football league, per Daniel Kaplan of The Athletic.

McMahon is currently countersuing Luck over breach of contract, claiming the commissioner disobeyed orders to not allow players with bad backgrounds. Though the lawsuit is focused on receiver Antonio Callaway, the pursuit of Manziel was highlighted as another example of the two sides' disagreements. 

“How long R U going to play this game Oliver? U know there is NO CHANCE IN HELL for Manziel to play for us," McMahon sent in a text. "I will NOT change my mind. So what’s Ur plan??"

As Luck later revealed, the public discussion was a marketing ploy.

"Vince—we have no intention of signing him, none whatsoever. We’re just milking the story to stay in the news," he responded.

When McMahon restarted the XFL, he instituted strict rules on player behavior that included no players with a criminal record and no kneeling for the national anthem.

Manziel pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor in 2012 after being arrested following a fight in College Station, Texas.

He also was investigated for alleged domestic battery against his girlfriend in 2016 but reached an agreement to have the charges dismissed once he completed an anger management course, attended a domestic violence impact panel and participated in a substance-abuse program.

The Heisman Trophy winner initially showed excitement for the XFL, saying it would be a "great opportunity" if he could reunite with coach June Jones. He also supported the league on Twitter:

Luck indicated at the time Manziel was eligible for the league but it was up to the coaches to put him on their rosters.

"If eight guys say, ‘we’d like that guy in the league,’ we’ll put him in the league. Or put him in the draft pool," the commissioner told Tom Schad of USA Today in 2019. "Whether teams draft him, that’s up to the individual head coaches."

It now appears the quarterback never had an opportunity to join the league.

Luck was fired and later filed a lawsuit against McMahon for the remaining $23.8 million on his contract. McMahon has since sold the XFL to a group led by Dwayne Johnson.

Manziel signed on to play for Fan Controlled Football last month.

Former XFL owner Vince McMahon and the league's former commissioner, Oliver Luck, are locked in a dispute about whether Luck's iPhone passcode should be turned over as part of the $23.8 million lawsuit he filed against McMahon's Alpha Entertainment for wrongful termination.

Daniel Kaplan of The Athletic reported Monday the sides' legal teams have already met four times to discuss the contentious issue, and a discovery conference with a federal district court judge is set for Dec. 17.

McMahon argued in a court filing the information on Luck's league-issued phone is central to the case and can be handled over to the defense based on Connecticut law:

"The full contents of Alpha's iPhone are relevant to showing that Luck was properly terminated for cause under his Employment Contract because he grossly neglected his duties after March 13, 2020—when Luck effectively abandoned his responsibilities as XFL Commissioner and CEO and returned home to Indiana despite the existential threat to the league posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Examination of the data on the iPhone will show Luck's activities during this critical time period when he was not in the office and demonstrate that he failed to 'devote substantially all of his business time to the performance of his duties to the XFL' as required by his Employment Contract."

Luck's lawyers have argued they hired a forensic expert to evaluate the phone for work-related activity and provided it to Alpha Entertainment, per Kaplan. They described the defense's continued efforts to acquire the passcode as a "fishing expedition designed to harass and embarrass Mr. Luck and invade his privacy":

"Despite Defendants' arguments to the contrary, neither Defendant (Luck is suing both McMahon and Alpha) has any statutory right to the passcode, as they are not employers of Mr. Luck nor is he their employee. These narrowly defined terms are used throughout the statute's text, but neither the statute nor the bill's analysis mentions former employees or former employers nor is their definition ever expanded."

U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden of Connecticut will determine the fate of the passcode, per Kaplan.

McMahon took on a less front-facing role in the second reincarnation of the XFL after a similar effort to create a secondary football league ended after one season in 2001. He hired Luck as commissioner in June 2018 based on his experience as an NCAA executive.

Luck, a former NFL quarterback, guided the league through its development stages, and it got off to a promising start in early 2020 before the coronavirus pandemic cut its debut season short.

McMahon fired Luck in early April citing "gross neglect" of his duties at the onset of the pandemic less than a week before the league filed for bankruptcy.

Luck filed the lawsuit a short time later saying he "wholly disputes and rejects the allegations set forth in the Termination Letter and contends they are pretextual and devoid of merit."

In August, the XFL was sold to a group featuring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, his business partner Dany Garcia and RedBird Capital as part of the bankruptcy proceedings.

Johnson previously worked for McMahon as a WWE Superstar. McMahon is the longtime WWE chairman.

The new ownership group has announced the XFL plans to resume play in the spring of 2022.