The XFL and NFL are joining forces to further “expand the game of football” and “create increased opportunities for player development both on and off the field.”
XFL owner Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson announced the news on Monday.
“The XFL is officially collaborating with the NFL – the National Football League,” The Rock said. “The whole idea about the XFL/NFL collaboration is to grow the game of football. A game that we all love, a game that we are passionate about.”
“As an XFL owner, as you guys know, my number one priority will always be the players and creating more opportunities for them,” Johnson concluded. Adding, “… we’re just getting started.”
According to ESPN’s Kevin Seifert, former Buffalo Bills and current XFL President Russ Brandon said the following regarding the relationship between the leagues:
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“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 is set to relaunch in February 2023.
While the XFL and NFL will be working together in certain areas, Dany Garcia made it clear that there is no goal or intention to make the XFL a developmental league for the NFL.
“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 revived USFL is scheduled to begin play in April, and it has significant television deals with both Fox and NBC. They are looked at as being the XFL’s toughest competition going forward.
The XFL originally launched in 2001 under the ownership of WWE chairman Vince McMahon, but it folded after one year. It came back in 2020, but died out due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
