DC Defenders facts for kids
Quick facts for kids DC Defenders |
|||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Current season |
|||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||
| General information | |||||||||||||
| Founded | December 5, 2018 | ||||||||||||
| Stadium | Audi Field Washington, D.C. |
||||||||||||
| Colors | Red, white, silver |
||||||||||||
| Mascot | Monty | ||||||||||||
| Personnel | |||||||||||||
| Owner | League owned | ||||||||||||
| Head coach | Shannon Harris | ||||||||||||
| Team history | |||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||
| Home fields | |||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||
| League / conference affiliations | |||||||||||||
XFL (2020–2023)
United Football League (2024–present)
|
|||||||||||||
| Championships | |||||||||||||
League championships: 1
|
|||||||||||||
Conference championships: 1
|
|||||||||||||
Division championships: 1
|
|||||||||||||
| Playoff appearances (3) | |||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||
.png)
Script error: No such module "Check for conflicting parameters".
The DC Defenders are a professional American football team. They are based in Washington, D.C.. The Defenders play in the United Football League (UFL). This team was started by Vince McMahon's Alpha Entertainment. Today, it is owned by Dwayne Johnson's Alpha Acquico and Fox Corporation. The Defenders play their home games at Audi Field. They won the UFL championship in 2025.
Contents
The DC Defenders Football Team
How the Team Started
On December 5, 2018, Washington, D.C., was chosen as one of eight cities for a new football league called the XFL. Other cities included Seattle and Houston. On February 21, 2019, Pep Hamilton became the team's first head coach and general manager. The team's name and logo were shown on August 21, 2019. Their uniforms were revealed on December 3, 2019.
.jpg)
On October 15, 2019, the Defenders announced their first player. He was Cardale Jones, a quarterback from Ohio State. Later that day, the 2020 XFL draft happened. The Defenders picked wide receiver Rashard Davis first overall. However, he did not play for the team. He later joined the Tennessee Titans.
The First XFL Season (2020)
On February 8, 2020, the Defenders won their first game in the modern XFL. They beat the Seattle Dragons 31–19. A week later, on February 15, 2020, they beat the New York Guardians 27–0. This was the first time a team kept their opponent from scoring any points in modern XFL history. On March 12, 2020, the XFL announced that the rest of the 2020 XFL season was canceled. This was due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On April 10, 2020, the XFL stopped its operations. All players and staff were let go.
A New Era for the Team (2023-Present)
On August 3, 2020, Dwayne Johnson (also known as "The Rock"), Dany Garcia, and Gerry Cardinale bought the XFL. They paid $15 million. This purchase was approved by the court on August 7, 2020. In March 2022, news came out that Reggie Barlow would be the new head coach for the D.C. XFL team. This confirmed that Washington, D.C., would have an XFL team again. Barlow's hiring was made official on April 13, 2022. The return of the D.C. team was announced on July 24, 2022. On October 31, 2022, the XFL said the Defenders name would return with a new logo.
In September 2023, the XFL and another league called the USFL talked about joining together. On September 28, 2023, they announced they planned to merge. More details would come later. The merger needed government approval. In October 2023, the XFL applied for a trademark for the name "United Football League." On November 30, 2023, Dany Garcia announced the merger was approved. They planned for a combined season to start on March 30, 2024. The merger officially happened on December 31, 2023.
On March 22, 2025, head coach Reggie Barlow left the Defenders. Quarterback coach Shannon Harris became the interim coach for the 2025 season. Harris was named the UFL Coach of the Year. He led the team to a 6–4 record. They won the 2025 UFL championship game 58–34 against the Michigan Panthers. Harris accepted the DC head coaching job permanently on July 23, 2025. He joined Tennessee State's staff for the 2025 season and returned to DC for the 2026 season.
Who Plays for the Defenders?
Here you can see the players currently on the DC Defenders team.
Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends
|
Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen
|
Linebackers
Defensive backs
Special teams
|
Reserve lists
Roster updated June 2, 2026 50 active, 4 reserve(s) |
Important Players
Many talented players have been part of the DC Defenders. Some have even gone on to play in the NFL.
| Season | Pos | Name | NFL team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | CB | Elijah Campbell | Miami Dolphins |
| 2023 | P | Daniel Whelan | Green Bay Packers |
| 2023 | WR | Chris Blair | Atlanta Falcons |
| 2024 | WR | Kelvin Harmon | Dallas Cowboys |
| 2025 | OT | Yasir Durant | New England Patriots |
| 2023–2025 | G | Liam Fornadel | New York Jets |
Some other notable players have also played for the Defenders.
| Season | Pos | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | QB | Cardale Jones | Former Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback |
| 2020 | WR | Eli Rogers | Former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver |
| 2020 | S | Matt Elam | Former Baltimore Ravens safety, 2013 1st round pick |
| 2020 | S | Rahim Moore | Former Denver Broncos safety, 2011 2nd round pick |
| 2024 | WR | Preston Williams | Former Miami Dolphins wide receiver |
| 2024 | LB | Jordan Evans | Former Cincinnati Bengals linebacker, 2017 6th round pick |
| 2023–2024 | S | D. J. Swearinger | Former Houston Texans safety, 2013 2nd round pick |
| 2023–2025 | S | Montae Nicholson | Former Washington Redskins safety, 2017 4th round pick |
| 2024–present | CB | Gareon Conley | Former Oakland Raiders cornerback, 2016 1st round pick |
| 2024–present | CB | Deandre Baker | Former New York Giants cornerback, 2019 1st round pick |
| 2024–present | WR | Keke Coutee | Former Houston Texans wide receiver, 2018 4th round pick |
| 2025 | WR | Lynn Bowden | Former New Orleans Saints wide receiver, 2020 3rd round pick |
| 2025 | WR | Jaydon Mickens | Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver |
| 2025 | CB | Kelvin Joseph | Former Dallas Cowboys cornerback, 2021 2nd round pick |
| 2025 | OT | D. J. Fluker | Former Los Angeles Chargers offensive tackle, 2013 1st round pick |
| 2026–present | DE | Boogie Basham | Former Buffalo Bills defensive end, 2021 2nd round pick |
Top Awards for Players
Some Defenders players have won special awards for being the best in the league.
| Defenders XFL OPOY winners | |||
| Year | Player | Position | Selector |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Jordan Ta'amu | QB | XFL |
| Defenders UFL Championship MVP winners | |||
| Year | Player | Position | Selector |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Jordan Ta'amu | QB | UFL |
The Coaching Staff
The coaches help the team play their best. Here are the main coaches for the DC Defenders.
|
|
|||||
Here's a look at the head coaches who have led the Defenders.
| # | Coach | Term | Regular season | Playoffs | Awards | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GC | W | L | Win % | GC | W | L | ||||
| DC Defenders | ||||||||||
| 1 | Pep Hamilton | 2020 | 5 | 3 | 2 | .600 | – | – | – | |
| 2 | Reggie Barlow | 2023–2024 | 20 | 13 | 7 | .650 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2023 XFL Coach of the Year |
| 3 | Shannon Harris | 2025–present | 20 | 11 | 9 | .550 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2025 UFL Coach of the Year |
Big Wins and Championships
The DC Defenders have won several important championships in their history.
North Division Champions
| Year | Coach | Stadium | Location | Opponent | Score | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Reggie Barlow | Audi Field | Washington, D.C. | Seattle Sea Dragons | 37–21 | 9–1 |
| Total North Division championship games won: | 1 | |||||
XFL Conference Champions
| Year | Coach | Stadium | Location | Opponent | Score | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Shannon Harris | The Dome at America's Center | St. Louis, Missouri | St. Louis Battlehawks | 36–18 | 6–4 |
| Total XFL Conference championship games won: | 1 | |||||
UFL Champions
| Year | Coach | Stadium | Location | Opponent | Score | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Shannon Harris | The Dome at America's Center | St. Louis, Missouri | Michigan Panthers | 58–34 | 6–4 |
| Total UFL championship games won: | 1 | |||||
Team Rivalries
Rivalries make football games even more exciting! The Defenders have a few strong rivals.
Battling the St. Louis Battlehawks
The Defenders' main rival is the St. Louis Battlehawks. In their first game in 2023, a fight broke out between players. A week later, the Battlehawks' quarterback called it the "first XFL rivalry." DC has won 6 out of 9 games against them. They also lead 1–0 in playoff games.
Facing the Arlington/Dallas Renegades
The Defenders also have a rivalry with the Arlington/Dallas Renegades. Both teams started in the 2020 XFL. They are also both in the UFL's XFL Conference. This rivalry is similar to the one between the NFL's Commanders and Cowboys. The rivalry grew when the Renegades beat DC in the 2023 XFL Championship Game. DC has won 5 out of 7 games against them. However, the Renegades lead 1–0 in playoff games.
Here's how the Defenders have played against other teams:
| Team | Record | Pct. |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham Stallions | 2–1 | .667 |
| Columbus Aviators | 1–0 | 1.000 |
| Dallas Renegades | 6–2 | .750 |
| Houston Gamblers | 2–1 | .667 |
| Houston Roughnecks (2020) | 1–0 | 1.000 |
| Los Angeles Wildcats | 0–1 | .000 |
| Louisville Kings | 0–3 | .000 |
| Memphis Showboats | 2–0 | 1.000 |
| Michigan Panthers | 1–2 | .333 |
| Orlando Guardians | 1–1 | .500 |
| Orlando Storm | 1–2 | .333 |
| San Antonio Brahmas | 3–2 | .600 |
| Seattle Sea Dragons | 4–0 | 1.000 |
| St. Louis Battlehawks | 6–4 | .600 |
| Vegas Vipers | 2–1 | .667 |
- Defunct teams are shown in light gray.
Team Performance Over the Years
This table shows how the DC Defenders have performed each season.
| UFL champions† (2024–present) | XFL champions§ (2023) | Conference champions* | Division champions^ | Wild Card berth# |
| Season | Team | League | Conference | Division | Regular season | Postseason results | Awards | Head coaches | Pct. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finish | W | L | |||||||||
| 2020 | 2020 | XFL | N/A | East | 1st | 3 | 2 | Season Suspended after 5 games due to COVID-19 | Pep Hamilton | .600 | |
| 2021 | — | ||||||||||
| 2022 | |||||||||||
| 2023 | 2023 | XFL | N/A | North ^ | 1st # | 9 | 1 | Won Division Finals (Sea Dragons) 37–21 Lost XFL Championship (vs. Renegades) 26–35 |
Jordan Ta'amu (OPOY) Reggie Barlow (COTY) |
Reggie Barlow | .650 |
| 2024 | 2024 | UFL | XFL | N/A | 3rd | 4 | 6 | ||||
| 2025 | 2025 | UFL † | XFL * | N/A | 2nd # | 6 | 4 | Won XFL Conference Championship (at Battlehawks) 36–18 Won UFL Championship (vs. Panthers) 58–34 |
Shannon Harris (COTY) Fred Kaiss (ACOTY) |
Shannon Harris | .550 |
| 2026 | 2026 | UFL | N/A | N/A | 4th # | 5 | 5 | Won Semifinals (at Storm) 28–22 Lost United Bowl (vs. Kings) 20–27 |
|||
| Total | 27 | 18 | All-time regular season record (2020–2026) | .600 | |||||||
| 4 | 2 | All-time postseason record (2020–2026) | .667 | ||||||||
| 30 | 20 | All-time regular season and postseason record (2020–2026) | .600 | ||||||||
Team Records and Star Players
Here are some of the all-time records for the DC Defenders.
All-Time Team Leaders
| All-time Defenders leaders | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leader | Player | Record | Years with Defenders | |
| Passing yards | Jordan Ta'amu | 7,400 passing yards | 2023–present | |
| Passing touchdowns | Jordan Ta'amu | 60 passing touchdowns | 2023–present | |
| Rushing yards | Abram Smith | 1,352 rushing yards | 2023–present | |
| Rushing touchdowns | Deon Jackson | 11 rushing touchdowns | 2025–present | |
| Receiving yards | Ty Scott | 981 receiving yards | 2024–present | |
| Receiving touchdowns | Ty Scott | 9 receiving touchdowns | 2024–present | |
| Receptions | Cornell Powell | 63 receptions | 2025–present | |
| Tackles | Anthony Hines III | 151 tackles | 2023–present | |
| Sacks | Derick Roberson | 18 sacks | 2024–present | |
| Interceptions | Michael Joseph Gareon Conley |
4 interceptions | 2023–2024 2024–present |
|
| Coaching wins | Reggie Barlow | 13 wins | 2023–2024 | |
Starting Quarterbacks
The quarterback is a very important player on a football team. Here are the starting quarterbacks for the Defenders.
Regular season – As of June 14, 2026
| Season(s) | Quarterback(s) | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Cardale Jones (3–2) | ||
| 2021–2022 | Suspended operations | ||
| 2023 | Jordan Ta'amu (9–1) | ||
| 2024 | Jordan Ta'amu (4–6) | ||
| 2025 | Jordan Ta'amu (6–3) / Mike DiLiello (0–1) | ||
| 2026 | Jordan Ta'amu (5–3) / Spencer Sanders (0–1) / Jason Bean (0–1) |
Postseason
| Season(s) | Quarterback(s) | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Jordan Ta'amu (1–1) | ||
| 2025 | Jordan Ta'amu (2–0) | Ta'amu won UFL Championship Game MVP |
Most games as starting quarterback
| Name | Period | GP | GS | W | L | Pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jordan Ta'amu | 2023–2026 | 35 | 35 | 24 | 11 | .686 |
| Cardale Jones | 2020 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 2 | .600 |
| Mike DiLiello | 2024–2026 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .000 |
Year by Year Performance
| Season | Head Coach | League | Avg. Crowd | Home Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Pep Hamilton | XFL | 16,179 | 3–0 |
| 2023 | Reggie Barlow | 14,269 | 5–0 | |
| 2024 | UFL | 14,143 | 2–3 | |
| 2025 | Shannon Harris | 13,026 | 3–2 | |
| 2026 | 9,000 | 3–2 |
The Defenders in Washington, D.C.
The Washington, D.C. area has a history of different professional football teams. The Defenders are one of many sports teams in the area. Other teams include the Washington Commanders (NFL) and the Washington Nationals (MLB).
Defenders fans have a fun tradition. They build "beer snakes" out of empty drink containers during games. At a game on March 8, 2020, against the St. Louis Battlehawks, a huge snake was built. Even the league's Commissioner, Oliver Luck, added to it!
In a 2023 game, fans threw lemons onto the field. This happened after security tried to stop them from building a beer snake. The game was delayed for a few minutes. After this, the Defenders worked with the stadium to create new rules. These rules allowed the beer snake tradition to continue at future games.
Even though Audi Field is the smallest stadium in the UFL, the Defenders have great attendance. They often play to full or nearly full crowds. This shows how much their fans love the team!
More to Explore
- Sports in Washington, D.C.
