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XFL Assigns Coaches to Franchises for 2023 Season, per Report
The eight XFL teams have officially been assigned coaches for the 2023 season, per Pro Football Network.
The eight coaches were chosen in April, but now they know where they will be leading franchises.
Former NFL coach Wade Phillips, who coached the Cowboys and Texans, will be heading back to Texas to coach the Houston team.
The two other Texas teams will be coached by former Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops (Dallas) and former Steelers Pro Bowl wide receiver Hines Ward (San Antonio).
The final five coaches are all former players turned coaches. Some have coaching experience heading into their XFL stunts.
Reggie Barlow, a former wide receiver who coached at Virginia State and his alma mater Alabama State, will coach in Washington, D.C. Hall of Famer cornerback Rod Woodson will coach in Las Vegas. He previously worked as an assistant for the Raiders and as an NFL broadcaster. Former linebacker and longtime NFL assistant coach Jim Haslett will coach the Seattle team.
There are also two former first round picks working as coaches for the XFL: Anthony Becht (Jets in 2000) and Terrell Buckley (Packers in 1992). Becht is headed to St. Louis, while Buckley will coach in Orlando.
XFL owner Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson released a statement after the coaches were initially hired expressing his excitement for the upcoming season.
“This is yet another huge moment for the XFL," Johnson said. "I have experienced first-hand the positive influence and impact that coaches can have on a player’s life, and with our group of smart, accomplished and motivating head coaches, I expect nothing less. Not only will these coaches be mentors to our players, but they will be a big part of the cities in which we will operate. Stay tuned."
The league will make its return in February 2023, while a specific date is has not yet been announced.
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Madison Williams is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated, where she specializes in tennis but covers a wide range of sports from a national perspective. Before joining SI in 2022, Williams worked at The Sporting News. Having graduated from Augustana College, she completed a master’s in sports media at Northwestern University. She is a dog mom and an avid reader.