Arlington Renegades Win XFL Championship


In an unlikely end to the reboot season of the XFL, the Arlington Renegades upset the D.C. Defenders 35-26 to win the XFL Championship in San Antonio's Alamodome.  

Arlington, which qualified for the playoffs despite losing four of its last five regular-season games, dominated the league’s best team on both sides of the ball. The Defenders, who entered the championship game with an impressive 10–1 record under coach Reggie Barlow, couldn't recover from a 20–6 halftime deficit.

Renegades quarterback Luis Perez was spectacular, completing 26 of 36 passes (72.2%) for 288 yards and three touchdowns.

The Renegades jumped to a 20-6 lead in the first half as they scored touchdowns on their first two drives. Their defense complemented the offense as it held the Defenders, who averaged 30.5 points per game, to six in the first half -- their second-lowest output of the season.  But in the third quarter, the Defenders scored 14 points, starting with running back Abram Smith sparking the offense as he rushed on fourth down for a 52-yard touchdown on the first drive. A couple of drives later, quarterback Jordan Ta'amu threw a 72-yard score to wide receiver Josh Hammond to cut the Renegades' lead to 26-20.

However, Perez threw a 30-yard touchdown to running back Leddie Brown to push the advantage to 32-20 as the quarter expired. In the fourth quarter, the Renegades held the Defenders to six points en route to capturing the title.

After starting the season 3-2, the Renegades won only one of their last five games but in the playoffs they beat the Houston Roughnecks 26-11 to clinch a spot in the championship game.

XFL Season Recap:

North Division
  1. DC Defenders (9-1)
  2. Seattle Sea Dragons (7-3)
  3. St. Louis Battlehawks (7-3)
  4. Vegas Vipers (2-8)
South Division
  1. Houston Roughnecks (7-3)
  2. Arlington Renegades (4-6)
  3. San Antonio Brahmas (3-7)
  4. Orlando Guardians (1-9)
XFL Semifinals
DC 37, Seattle 21
Arlington 26, Houston 11

XFL Championship
Arlington 35, DC 26

The XFL plans to return in 2024 as they have signed an extension on their television contract for next season.  Although the league eyes expansion in the future, they still want to continue to look for more stability with their current roster of teams.  The difference between the old version and new version of the XFL is the ownership's business strategies.  The league has been planning for the long haul since the idea reappeared on their doorstep, and that they already have the dates for their second showcases, future combine and overall season.


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