After a three-year hiatus, the XFL is back for another go in 2023 with Dwayne Johnson as the commissioner.
While it’s a far cry from Jacksonville Jaguars football in the fall, it is still football. And for the diehard Jaguars fans, there might even be a few names that ring a bell.
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Across the eight XFL rosters and coaching staffs, there are more than two dozen players and coaches who were once with the Jaguars:
Arlington Renegades
- T.J. Barnes: The former Georgia Tech defensive tackle signed with the Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2013, but didn’t make the final roster in August. Three years later, after stints with the Jets and Bills, Barnes again spent part of training camp with the Jaguars, but was cut once again before the regular season.
- Doug Costin: The former Miami (Ohio) defensive tackle signed with the Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2020 and made the final roster. He appeared in 12 games as a rookie, recording 32 tackles, and appeared in one game a year later in 2021.
- Alex Ellis: After getting cut by the Titans, Ellis spent time on the Jaguars’ practice squad as a rookie and appeared in six games late in the 2016 season. The tight end recorded three receptions for 11 yards during his time in Jacksonville.
- Garrett McGhin: The Jaguars scooped up the offensive lineman off waivers in 2020 during his second NFL season and he spent a couple months on the team’s practice squad. McGhin was waived before the start of the 2021 season.
- Donald Payne: Payne started his NFL career as a special teams ace with the Jaguars in 2017 and 2018. After a brief stint with the Ravens, Payne returned to the Jaguars in October 2019 and saw a lot of time on defense at linebacker, recording one sack, one fumble recovery, and three tackles for loss.
- Kyle Sloter: The veteran quarterback made stops with seven NFL teams before his current XFL stint. The Jaguars were the last of those stops and it was just for two weeks in July and August of 2022.
- LuJuan Winningham: The former Central Arkansas wide receiver signed with the Jaguars as an undrafted free agent and made an early impression in training camp, but was cut near the end of August.
- Rick Mueller: The Renegades’ Director of Player Personnel was part of the team that put together the inaugural Jaguars roster. Mueller was a scout for Jacksonville from 1994 to 1998 and was then promoted to director of college scouting for three more seasons.
DC Defenders
- Ryquell Armstead: A fifth-round pick in 2019, Armstead recorded 252 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns as a rookie with the Jaguars. But a nasty battle with COVID cost him the entire 2020 season and Armstead was waived in May 2021. He rejoined the Jaguars late in the 2021 season and appeared in two games, but was cut in August 2022.
- Josh Hammond: The former Florida wide receiver signed with the Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2020 and spent his rookie year on the team’s practice squad. He spent most of the 2021 season there too, and was elevated to the active roster for two games late in the year, but didn’t record a catch.
- Caraun Reid: Over eight seasons in the NFL, Reid spent time with 10 teams. That included a season-long stint with the Jaguars in 2020 which included the defensive tackle appearing in seven games.
- Ethan Wolf: The former Tennessee tight end spent most of training camp with the Jaguars in 2019, but didn’t make the final roster.
- Gabe Wright: The Lions drafted Wright in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL Draft and played for several teams before signing to the Jaguars’ practice squad in December 2020. Jacksonville cut the defensive tackle in March 2021.
- Kahale Warring: The former Texans third-round pick was signed by the Jaguars off the Bills practice squad late in the 2021 season. He appeared in just one game with Jacksonville, but the tight end didn’t record a reception.
- Reggie Barlow: The Defenders’ head coach was once a star returner for the Jaguars. From 1997 to 2000, Barlow handled punt and kick return duties for Jacksonville and took three to the house. Since retiring from his playing career, Barlow has been the head coach at Alabama State and Virginia State before his current job with the XFL.
- Gregg Williams: The veteran coach was once the head coach of the Bills and made several stops as an assistant across the NFL. That included a defensive coordinator position with the Jaguars in 2008.
Houston Roughnecks
John Estes: The Roughnecks are without any ex-Jaguars on the roster, but their running backs coach once played in Jacksonville. Estes spent three seasons with the team from 2010 to 2012 and appeared in two games during the 2011 season.
Orlando Guardians
Despite being the closest to Duval County, this is one of two XFL teams without a Jaguars connection.
San Antonio Brahmas
- Luq Barcoo: The 2020 undrafted free agent made the final roster as a rookie and appeared in three games, recording 10 tackles. However, the cornerback was unable to hold his spot in 2021 and was waived in training camp.
- Norman Price: The 6’4 guard made a few NFL and CFL stops before his current XFL stint. One of those stops was an 11-day stretch on the Jaguars’ practice squad in October 2017.
- Paul Spicer: One of the best defensive ends in Jaguars history is set to coach the Brahmas’ defensive line. Over nine seasons in Jacksonville, Spicer played in 115 games and recorded 28.5 sacks and eight forced fumbles.
- Corey Chamblin: The Brahmas’ defensive backs coach played for the Jaguars during their 14-2 season in 1999. He mostly played on special teams and blocked a punt during Jacksonville’s 62-7 beatdown of the Dolphins in the playoffs.
Seattle Sea Dragons
- Shabari Davis: The former Southeast Missouri State defensive back signed with the Jaguars after the 2022 NFL Draft, but was cut by the team in training camp.
- Ryan Pope: The offensive tackle joined the Jaguars as a practice squad player in December 2019, but missed all of training camp in 2020 while on the Reserve/COVID-19 list. When he finally got cleared, the Jaguars released him.
- Cameron Nizialek: The former Georgia punter spent the last couple weeks of the 2020 season on the Jaguars’ practice squad, but was cut in March 2021.
- Jordan Veasy: The Jaguars are one of eight teams that briefly rostered Veasy. He spent the final weeks of 2018 on the team’s practice squad, but wasn’t given a reserve/futures deal after the season ended.
- Damion Willis: The former Troy receiver spent December 2020 on the Jaguars practice squad and left when the season ended in January 2021.
St. Louis Battlehawks
- Nate Meadors: The Jaguars added the former UCLA safety to their practice squad in October 2020 and elevated him to the active roster for a stretch, but he never saw on-field action in Jacksonville.
- Tory Woodbury: It isn’t much of a connection, but the Battlehawks’ special teams coordinator was once an intern with the Jaguars in 2012.
Vegas Vipers
The Vipers are the other XFL team with no Jaguars ties on the roster or coaching staff.
