2020 DC Defenders season
OwnerAlpha Entertainment, LLC
General managerPep Hamilton
Head coachPep Hamilton
Home fieldAudi Field
Results
Record3–2
League placeTie 1st XFL East

The 2020 DC Defenders season was the first season for the DC Defenders as a professional American football franchise. They were playing as charter members of the XFL, one of eight teams to compete in the league for the 2020 season. The Defenders played their home games at Audi Field and were led by head coach Pep Hamilton.

Their inaugural season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the XFL officially suspended operations for the remainder of the season on March 20, 2020.[1]

Standings

First ever XFL kickoff between the Defenders and Seattle Dragons at Audi Field
2020 XFL standings
East Division[2]
Team W–L PCT TD+/- TD+ TD- DIV PF PA DIFF STK
DC Defenders 3–2.600-39122–18289-7W1
St. Louis Battlehawks 3–2.60031181–1977720L1
New York Guardians 3–2.600-1891–27985-6W2
Tampa Bay Vipers 1–4.200-411151–198115-17L1
West Division[2]
Team W–L PCT TD+/- TD+ TD- DIV PF PA DIFF STK
Houston Roughnecks 5–01.000721143–015811147W5
Dallas Renegades 2–3.400-39122–190102-12L2
Los Angeles Wildcats 2–3.400418140–21291227W1
Seattle Dragons 1–4.200-312150–287119-32L3
(x)–clinched playoff berth; (y)–clinched conference; (e)–eliminated from playoff contention

Schedule

All times Eastern

Week Day Date Kickoff TV Opponent Results Location
Score Record
1 Saturday February 8 2:00 p.m. ABC Seattle Dragons W 31–19 1–0 Audi Field
2 Saturday February 15 2:00 p.m. ABC New York Guardians W 27–0 2–0 Audi Field
3 Sunday February 23 6:00 p.m. FS1 at Los Angeles Wildcats L 9–39 2–1 Dignity Health Sports Park
4 Sunday March 1 7:00 p.m. ESPN2 at Tampa Bay Vipers L 0–25 2–2 Raymond James Stadium
5 Sunday March 8 3:00 p.m. FS1 St. Louis BattleHawks W 15–6 3–2 Audi Field
6 Sunday March 15 4:00 p.m. FS1 Dallas Renegades Not played Audi Field
7 Sunday March 22 6:00 p.m. FS1 at Houston Roughnecks TDECU Stadium
8 Saturday March 28 2:00 p.m. ABC Tampa Bay Vipers Audi Field
9 Saturday April 4 2:00 p.m. ABC at New York Guardians MetLife Stadium
10 Sunday April 12 2:00 p.m. ABC at St. Louis BattleHawks The Dome at America's Center

[3]

Final roster

2020 DC Defenders final roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

 Offensive linemen
  • 69 Cole Boozer T
  • 75 Chris Brown G
  • 78 Malcolm Bunche T
  • 74 Rishard Cook G
  • 62 Randall Harris T
  • 70 Terronne Prescod G
  • -- Bunchy Stallings G
  • 72 Logan Tuley-Tillman T
  • 79 De'Ondre Wesley T

Defensive linemen

 Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

 Reserve lists
  • 77 James O'Hagan C (IR)
  • 64 Jon Toth C (IR)


57 active, 2 inactive

Staff

2020 DC Defenders staff
Front office
  • President – Erik Moses
  • Director of player personnel – Greg Gabriel
  • Manager of Football Operations/Scout – Jeff Bauer

Head coaches

  • Head coach/general manager – Pep Hamilton
  • Assistant – Brent Battle

Offensive coaches

 Defensive coaches
  • Defensive coordinator/Secondary – Louie Cioffi
  • Defensive line – Ray Hamilton
  • Linebackers – Kurt Gouveia
  • Defensive assistant – Mike Gillhamer

Special teams coaches


Season summary

During the first two weeks of the XFL season, the Defenders got off to a hot start, beating the Seattle Dragons in the first XFL game by a score of 31–19 at home, and dominating the New York Guardians at home 27–0. However, Cardale Jones and the Defenders got into a slump the next two weeks, falling to 2-2 and losing back to back games on the road; first to the Los Angeles Wildcats 39–9, and then to the Tampa Bay Vipers 25–0. The Defenders were able to rebound in week 5 thanks to Tyree Jackson, winning against the St. Louis Battlehawks at home 15-6 and improving their record to 3-2 before the XFL officially suspended operations 12 days later.

Game summaries

Week 1: vs. Seattle Dragons

Week 1 — Seattle at DC
Period 1 2 34Total
Dragons 6 7 6019
Defenders 3 9 13631

at Audi Field, Washington, D.C.

Game information

This was the first-ever XFL game, and the Defenders would have the first score (although Seattle had the first touchdown) and the first win of the XFL.

Week 2: vs. New York Guardians

Week 2 — New York at DC
Period 1 2 34Total
Guardians 0 0 000
Defenders 6 6 6927

at Audi Field, Washington, D.C.

  • Date: Saturday, February 15
  • Game time: 2:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: Partly cloudy • Temperature: 36 °F (2 °C) • Wind: S 9 mph
  • Game attendance: 15,031
  • Referee: John O'Neill[5]
  • TV announcers (ABC): Steve Levy (play-by-play), Greg McElroy (analyst), Tom Luginbill and Dianna Russini (sideline)
Game information

In the fourth quarter, the Defenders tried for a three-point conversion, the first three-point attempt in the XFL.[6]

Week 3: at Los Angeles Wildcats

Week 3 – DC at Los Angeles
Period 1 2 34Total
Defenders 0 3 069
Wildcats 6 21 6639

at Dignity Health Sports Park, Los Angeles, CA

  • Date: Sunday, February 23
  • Game time: 6:00 p.m. EST / 3:00 p.m. PST
  • Game weather: Sunny • Temperature: 65 °F (18 °C) • Wind: N 3 mph
  • Referee: Tra Blake[7]
  • TV announcers (FS1): Curt Menefee (play-by-play), Greg Olsen (analyst), Jenny Taft (sideline)
Game information

Week 4: at Tampa Bay Vipers

Week 4 — DC at Tampa Bay
Period 1 2 34Total
Defenders 0 0 000
Vipers 7 9 6325

at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida

  • Date: Sunday, March 1
  • Game time: 7:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: Mostly cloudy • Temperature: 60 °F (16 °C) • Wind: NNE 3 mph
  • Referee: Jeff Heaser[8]
  • TV announcers (ESPN2): Tom Hart (play-by-play), Joey Galloway (analyst), Pat McAfee (sideline)
Game information

Week 5: vs. St. Louis BattleHawks

Week 5 — St. Louis at DC
Period 1 2 34Total
BattleHawks 3 3 006
Defenders 6 0 6315

at Audi Field, Washington, D.C.

Game information

References

  1. ↑ "A THANK YOU TO OUR FANS". Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  2. 1 2 "XFL Standings". XFL.com. February 9, 2020. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
  3. ↑ "XFL 2020 Schedule Released, First Game Dragons @ Defenders". Retrieved October 22, 2019.
  4. ↑ Filipe, Cameron (6 February 2020). "XFL Week 1 referee assignments". Football Zebras. Retrieved February 8, 2020.
  5. ↑ Filipe, Cameron (13 February 2020). "XFL Week 2 referee assignments". Football Zebras. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
  6. ↑ Smith, Michael David (February 15, 2020). "DC Defenders try XFL's first three-point conversion". NBCSports. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
  7. ↑ Filipe, Cameron (20 February 2020). "XFL Week 3 referee assignments". Football Zebras. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
  8. ↑ Filipe, Cameron (27 February 2020). "XFL Week 4 referee assignments". Football Zebras. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
  9. ↑ Filipe, Cameron (5 March 2020). "XFL Week 5 referee assignments". Football Zebras. Retrieved March 7, 2020.
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