After leading the XFL in rushing, DC Defenders star running back Abram Smith has landed an opportunity in the NFL. Smith’s agent, Murphy McGuire, announced his client signed with the Minnesota Vikings. The XFL also announced the signing.

The Vikings turned to Alexander Mattison as its lead back after releasing Dalvin Cook this offseason. However, Mattison limped off the field after team drills on Tuesday. While he expects to be OK, the Vikings appear to be adding depth.

Abram Smith went undrafted out of Baylor in 2022. Smith flipped from running back to linebacker after being seldom used at Baylor. Yet, he returned to running back in 2021 and led the Big 12 with 1,601 rushing yards through 14 games. Only Breece Hall, currently with the New York Jets, averaged more rushing yards per game in the conference.

Smith signed with the Saints as an undrafted rookie. The Saints waived Smith during the final cuts after the preseason. He landed with the DC Defenders in the XFL and emerged as a star.

Smith led the XFL with 788 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns. He was named to the All-XFL team. He rushed for 90 yards on 13 carries and two touchdowns in the Defenders’ 35-26 loss to the Arlington Renegades.

The Vikings also have Ty Chandler, Kene Nwangwu, and DeWayne McBride at running back on the roster.

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Former Washington Commanders wide receiver Kelvin Harmon may be going the XFL route to continue his professional career. The DC Defenders claimed the rights to Harmon adding to their roster heading into the 2024 season, per XFL analyst Mike Mitchell. Harmon has yet to officially sign.

Harmon was part of the famed 2019 wide receiver draft class that included Washington teammate Terry McLaurin. Together, McLaurin and Harmon flashed promise as a formidable wideout duo. The sky appeared the limit following their rookie season. Harmon had 30 catches for 365 yards.

Unfortunately, his career hit a snag when he tore his ACL training ahead of the 2020 season. He sat out the year on the reserved/non-football injury list. He rehabbed and spent the next two years in Washington’s training camp, but he got released in both instances.

He had a brief stint with the USFL’s Philadelphia Stars in the spring.

Kelvin Harmon was a standout in college at NC State, making All-ACC in 2017 and 2018 before Washington selected him in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. At 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds, Harmon has a big frame and sure hands.

He ran a 4.60 in the 40-yard dash before getting drafted. His draft class was loaded with talent at wide receiver. He had an opportunity to complement McLaurin, but his ACL injury stopped his momentum. He’s been trying to get back ever since. Hopefully, if he chooses to sign with the DC Defenders, this will give him the chance to rejuvenate his career.

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Former NFL safety DJ Swearinger made his presence felt in his second game playing with the DC Defenders of the XFL. Swearinger ignited the sell-out crowd of 18,864 at DC’s Audi Field with a momentum-changing pick-six.

DC led 20-9 in the third quarter over the Arlington Renegades. However, the Renegades’ offense was marching down the field, looking to close the gap. Arlington faced a 3rd-and-5 after crossing midfield. Swearinger was lined up against the slot and came off jam coverage to jump a pass from Renegades quarterback Luis Perez.

Swearinger intercepted the pass before rolling to the end zone to complete a 62-yard pick-six.

Swearinger played two of his eight years in the NFL with the Washington Commanders franchise. He was a fan favorite in Washington. He had eight interceptions in 31 games.

Washington released Swearinger late in the 2018 season after he criticized defensive coordinator Greg Manusky. Swearinger bounced around three teams — Arizona, Oakland, and New Orleans. He last played in the NFL in 2020.

DJ Swearinger yearns to get back into the NFL. He signed with the Defenders less than two weeks ago. The XFL and the Defenders provide him with a path toward his goal. Sunday, he displayed his skill set, beating the receiver with a jam, breaking off his coverage to jump the pass, and then blazing untouched into the end zone.

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DJ Swearinger is back in Washington, DC. The XFL’s DC Defenders signed the former NFL safety Wednesday, the team announced.

Swearinger played two seasons with the Washington Commanders franchise from 2017-2018, with Jay Gruden as head coach. He became a fan favorite. With eight interceptions in 31 games, he appeared set as a fixture in Washington’s defensive backfield like his idol, the late Sean Taylor.

However, Swearinger grew tiresome of Washington’s defensive playcalling. He called out defensive coordinator Greg Manusky after a late-season loss to the Tennessee Titans during the 2018 season. Washington released Swearinger shortly afterward. Gruden called the release the “right decision” after Swearinger repeatedly voiced his frustration.

Swearinger later fired back with criticism of Gruden. He played for three teams the following season in 2019 — the Arizona Cardinals, Oakland Raiders, and the New Orleans Saints.

DJ Swearinger last played in the NFL in 2020 for the Saints. He also played for the Houston Texans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Cardinals in a previous stint before coming to Washington. He will wear the jersey number 36 that he wore in the NFL, per Mike Mitchell.

The Defenders are coming off a 37-36 upset to Orlando for their first loss of the XFL season. DC still has the best record in the league at 6-1. However, they were in need of roster moves this week. DC also signed cornerback Isaiah Johnson and re-signed running back Pooka Williams. The team placed center Mike Maietti and defensive back KJ Sails on the reserved ist.

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The fans of the XFL’s DC Defenders may be one of the most raucous crowds in North American pro sports. Sunday, the Defenders played their second home game of the 2023 regular season against the St. Louis Battlehawks. The Defenders fans put on a show much like Week 1.

This week their traditional beer snake was permitted. The team issued a code of conduct for the beer snake. Those fans took full advantage. They created a snake that consisted of an estimated 1,200 cups.

The Defenders fans maintained another tradition, tossing lemons on the field. Officials momentarily halted the game, and some fans got ejected while others chanted, “We want lemons!”

But the highlight of the fans’ afternoon may have been their unflattering and NSFW chant toward the owner of the NFL’s Washington Commanders, Daniel Snyder.

Snyder has been unpopular among DC football fans for quite some time. The numerous off-the-field drama and the lack of on-field success contributed to Snyder falling out of favor with fans.

Fans are hoping that his days as the Commanders’ owner are ending with reports of a potential sale. The waning interest in the Commanders has led to the excitement of the Defenders. The experience at Audi Field seems more enjoyable than trips to FedEx Field to watch the Commanders.

Sunday’s chant was just about the overall fan experience at a Defenders’ game as much as the fans’ displeasure for Snyder.

Meanwhile, a scuffle broke out in the final moments of the game. Two Defenders players and one Battlehawks player got ejected.

The Defenders jumped out to a 14-0 lead and held on for a 34-28 win. DC improved to a perfect 3-0 record with the win.

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The first week of the 2023 XFL season is complete. There were several highlights for the opening week, including the finish between San Antonio and St. Louis. But the atmosphere inside DC Defenders’ home stadium, Audi Field, maybe the talk of the league.

The Defenders’ fans were jacked for Sunday night’s game against the Seattle Sea Dragons. The fans had plans of re-engaging with a tradition started during the 2020 version of the XFL, the beer snake.

However, stadium security had other plans, stopping the crowd of more than 12,000 from the traditional celebration.

That sparked outrage within the stadium and even on social media. Thus, the fans raucous crowd responded by throwing lemons on the field.

The visiting Sea Dragons matched the intensity of the fans in D.C. Sea Dragons defensive back intercepted Defenders quarterback Jordan Ta’amu. Then he proceeded to celebrate in the faces of the fans in the rowdy north end zone. He was met by flying lemons from the fans.

A Twitter account got created as the Defenders Lemon in the process.

The Defenders rallied to a 22-18 win. Despite efforts by stadium security, fans prevailed and ultimately got the beer snake going.

While no one wants to encourage objects to get thrown onto the field, Defenders fans are becoming part of the essence of the XFL. If anything, it’s a positive that gives onlookers something to talk about related to the league. It’s a win-win.

Keep in mind the DC Defenders have yet to lose a game in the XFL. They started the 2020 season with a 3-0 record before the league shut down in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. Winning and the culture of fans create traditions. The Rock and XFL may have found its signature franchise.

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When Vince McMahon initially created the XFL, he yearned for an alternative from the NFL. Three versions in now one of McMahon’s signature superstars, The Rock, own the XFL and kept a similar vision for the league.

During ESPN’s broadcast Sunday between the Seattle Sea Dragons and DC Defenders, the four-letter network opted for a locker room interview at halftime with Defenders quarterback Jordan Ta’amu.

However, Ta’amu didn’t have his uniform pants on. ESPN analyst Harry Douglas finished his interview at Ta’amu’s locker. As he sent it back to announcers John Schriffen and Tom Luginbill, the cameraman stayed with Ta’amu.

The camera shot revealed Ta’amu pantsless and showed the QB putting his pants back on. Backup quarterback D’Eriq King watched on.

XFL wants to provide access and in-game insight for fans. Depending on how fans view it, interviewing a player without his pants on, maybe more access viewers aren’t comfortable with having.

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The third version of the XFL kicked off this weekend. Already the league had some magic created in Sunday’s early game thanks to the league’s 4th-and-15 alternative to the onside kick. Sunday’s nightcap produced some early magic thanks to Seattle Sea Dragons quarterback Ben DiNucci.

DiNucci put the Sea Dragons on the scoreboard with a Patrick Mahomes-like flip pass to wide receiver Josh Gordon for a touchdown. DiNucci danced around the pressure before getting outside the pocket to shovel the pass off to Gordon.

Ben DiNucci played one season in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys. He was a seventh-round draft pick in 2020 out of James Madison. He started one game for Dallas as a rookie. Meanwhile, football fans are familiar with Josh Gordon, who caught the football.

Gordon starred as a wide receiver with the Cleveland Browns. However, he has served multiple suspensions for violating NFL’s substance abuse policy. He is looking to get his football career back on track in the XFL.

The XFL is an opportunity for players to get exposure in hopes of a chance in the NFL. DiNucci re-introduced himself to the football world with a play that reminds onlookers of Mahomes.

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The XFL has suspended operations and laid off all of its employees with no plans to return in 2021. All indications point to this being the end of the second version of the XFL. Thus no more DC Defenders, who had gathered a decent following in the nation’s capital.

But before the DC Defenders’ existence ends, they fired off a burn tweet to Action Network business analyst Darren Rovell, formerly of ESPN.

Rovell is known for tweeting numeric responses that usually don’t sometimes does not include context. Friday’s tweet was no different, as he listed the number of games played in XFL and recently folded Alliance of American Football.

There will be a lot of people who will love the Defenders’ response, as Rovell hasn’t adored himself with many fans.

Lost in Rovell’s tweet is the differences in both leagues’ ending. AAF shut down due to a great deal of financial mismanagement. Meanwhile, the XFL seemingly thrived with a major TV deal with games on ABC/ESPN and FOX. Unfortunately, the league was forced to cancel their reboot season due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Given the XFL is a startup business, they could not withstand the financial strain of not having games due to the COVID-19 unlike the more established and wealthier NFL. Thus, it was best to cut their losses now, while founder Vince McMahon can turn his attention his breadwinner, the World Wrestling Entertainment, who just pulled off a successful makeshift “WrestleMania36.”

If this is the last we will hear from the DC Defenders, then they may have went out with a bang at least on social media.

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The XFL’s second go-round was a smashing success with football fans getting their fix shortly after the NFL season concluded. However, the coronavirus pandemic has complicated that with the entire sports world now on hold.

Unfortunately for the XFL, it’s likely getting hit harder than the larger, more profitable organizations, so Vince McMahon was forced to fire all of the league’s employees and suspend operations.

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