The DC Defenders had a remarkable first season in the XFL in 2023. Reggie Barlow, served as the head coach, the Defenders showcased strong performance throughout the season. Playing their home games at Audi Field, they finished with an impressive 9-1 record, topping the XFL North division. In the playoffs, they secured a victory in the Division Finals against the Seattle Sea Dragons with a score of 37-21. However, their journey concluded in the XFL Championship game, where they faced a challenging match against the Arlington Renegades, ending with a 26-35 loss.
Defenders News
Mark Perry
February 11, 2026
Mark Perry
December 15, 2025
Mark Perry
August 3, 2025
Defenders Roster
Head Coach Reggie Barlow
General Manager Von Hutchins
Defensive Backs Vernon Dean
Offensive Coordinator Fred Kaiss
Wide Receivers Sean Anderson
Offensive Line Russ Ehrenfeld
Linebackers Deion Harris
Quarterbacks Shannon Harris
Defensive Line Jeremy Watkins
Defensive Coordinator Gregg Williams
Quarterback
| Player | Position | College | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mike DiLiello | Quarterback | Austin Peay | - |
| Spencer Sanders | Quarterback | Oklahoma State | - |
| Jordan Ta’amu | Quarterback | Ole Miss | Pearl City,HI |
Tight End
| Player | Position | College | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mason Fairchild | Tight End | Kansas | - |
| Ben Bresnahan | Tight End | Vanderbilt | - |
| Devin Asiasi | Tight End | UCLA | - |
| Briley Moore | Tight End | Kansas State | Blue Springs, MO |
Running back
| Player | Position | College | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Darius Hagans | Running back | Virginia State | - |
| Abram Smith | Running back | Baylor | Abilene,TX |
| Deon Jackson | Running back | Duke | - |
| Lynn Bowden | Running back | Kentucky | - |
Wide receiver
| Player | Position | College | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jacob Copeland | Wide receiver | Maryland | - |
| Shaq Davis | Wide receiver | South Carolina State | - |
| Joshua Matthews | Wide receiver | McNeese | - |
| Javon Antonio | Wide receiver | Colorado | - |
| Ty Scott | Wide receiver | Missouri State | - |
| Braylon Sanders | Wide receiver | Ole Miss | - |
| Cornell Powell#14QUESTIONABLE | Wide receiver | Clemson | - |
| Chris Rowland#12PROBABLE | Wide receiver | Tennessee State | - |
| Chris Rowland | Wide receiver | Tennessee State | - |
| Cornell Powell | Wide receiver | Clemson | - |
| Jaydon Mickens | Wide receiver | Washington | - |
Offensive tackle
| Player | Position | College | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|
| David Satkowski | Offensive tackle | Stonehill | - |
| Darrell Simpson | Offensive tackle | Tusla | - |
| Mason Brooks | Offensive tackle | Ole Miss | - |
| Liam Fornadel | Offensive tackle | James Madison | Wyckoff,NJ |
| Tykeem Doss | Offensive tackle | Southern Miss | - |
| Badara Traore | Offensive tackle | LSU | - |
| Jarrid Williams | Offensive tackle | Miami (FL) | - |
| Yasir Durant | Offensive tackle | Missouri | - |
| John Yarbrough | Offensive tackle | Richmond | , |
Defensive tackle
| Player | Position | College | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rayshad Nichols | Defensive tackle | Stephen F. Austin | - |
| Dennis Johnson | Defensive tackle | Grand Valley State | - |
| Devonnsha Maxwell | Defensive tackle | Chattanooga | - |
| Kevin Atkins | Defensive tackle | Fresno State | San Diego,CA |
| Joe Wallace | Defensive tackle | Sam Houston State | - |
| Niles Scott | Defensive tackle | Frostburg State | Elkton, MD |
Defensive end
| Player | Position | College | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andre Mintze | Defensive end | Vanderbilt | Philadelphia,PA |
| Malik Fisher | Defensive end | Villanova | New York,NY |
| Quincy Roche | Defensive end | Miami (FL) | - |
| Kyle Phillips | Defensive end | Tennessee | - |
| Derick Roberson | Defensive end | Sam Houston State | - |
| Fadol Brown | Defensive end | Ole Miss | Charleston,SC |
Middle linebacker
| Player | Position | College | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ralen Goforth | Middle linebacker | Washington | - |
| Shayne Simon | Middle linebacker | Pittsburgh | - |
| Brian Abraham | Middle linebacker | Albany | - |
| Momo Sanogo | Middle linebacker | Louisville | - |
| Anthony Hines III | Middle linebacker | Texas A&M | Plano, TX |
| Brandon Bouyer-Randle | Middle linebacker | UConn | - |
| Ferrod Gardner | Middle linebacker | Louisiana | , |
Cornerback
| Player | Position | College | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Willie Drew Jr. | Cornerback | Virginia State | - |
| Adam Sparks | Cornerback | Louisiana-Monroe | Baton Rouge,LA |
| Bryce Thompson | Cornerback | Tennessee | Irmo,SC |
| Kelvin Joseph | Cornerback | Kentucky | - |
| Sam Kidd | Cornerback | James Madison | - |
| Deandre Baker | Cornerback | Georgia | - |
| Michael Ojemudia | Cornerback | Iowa | - |
| Kiondre Thomas | Cornerback | Kansas State | - |
| Isaiah Johnson | Cornerback | Houston | , |
Safety
| Player | Position | College | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Josh Proctor | Safety | Ohio State | - |
| Tayler Hawkins | Safety | San Diego State | - |
| Deontay Anderson | Safety | Houston | Houston,TX |
| Montae Nicholson | Safety | Michigan State | , |
XFL Conference
| Pos | Team | W | L | T | Pct | PF | PA | Streak |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  STL | 7 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 260 | 202 | W1 |
| 2 |  SA | 7 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 192 | 153 | L1 |
| 3 | | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 209 | 251 | L1 |
| 4 |  ARL | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 247 | 249 | W2 |