Vic Beasley Headlines Falcons Exes Debuting in New XFL

Former Atlanta Falcons linebacker Vic Beasley hasn't played in the NFL since 2020. But the XFL is giving him another shot to play football.

Jeremy Brener | Feb 18, 2023

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Atlanta Falcons

Former Atlanta Falcons pass rusher Vic Beasley is returning to professional football.

After last playing in the NFL in 2020, Beasley is set to make his debut in the XFL season opener for the Vegas Vipers this afternoon.

Beasley, 30, was the eighth overall pick by the Falcons in the 2015 NFL Draft and made First-Team All-Pro in 2016, the same season Atlanta made it to the Super Bowl and lost to the New England Patriots.

Beasley recorded 39 tackles and a league-leading 15.5 sacks in 2016. However, his production dropped off tremendously after his incredible second season.

Beasley never lived up to those expectations he set in 2016 and the Falcons never signed him to a second contract, allowing him to walk after his fifth-year option expired following the 2019 season.

He signed with the Tennessee Titans in 2020, but was waived after seven games. He was picked up by the Las Vegas Raiders, but produced minimally there as well.

Now, he's back in Vegas to prove he still has more in the tank with the Vipers. He, along with eight other Falcons are debuting with the new XFL today. Those former Falcons also include quarterback A.J. McCarron, who plays for the St. Louis BattleHawks, among others.

The original XFL started in 2001, but poor viewership forced the league to fold after one season. The league returned in 2020, but was suspended in the middle of the season due to COVID-19. Now, three years later, the league is back, hoping to finally put together a successful product.

Beasley's Vipers face the Arlington Renegades at 3 p.m. on ABC.

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Published Feb 18, 2023

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.