Since joining the IFL in 2021 the Massachusetts Pirates have established themselves as one of the top teams in indoor football. After back-to-back 11-win seasons, the Pirates currently have a record of 22-9 in the IFL winning 70.1% of their games.
The Pirates won the 2021 United Bowl Championship in their first year in the IFL. So it is no surprise that the players of the Pirates have benefitted from this success by getting opportunities to play at higher levels of professional football. With the personnel development partnership between the XFL and IFL, many Pirates players have been selected to take the next step in their professional careers and get the opportunity to return to outdoor football.
Since the start of 2023, seven Pirates players have been selected to play in the XFL and this may the first of many opportunities to build their brand. Four of the Massachusetts players to move on to the XFL are offensive linemen, one is a defensive lineman, and there are also skilled players with a defensive back and running back/wide receiver.
The offensive lineman moving onto the XFL are 6’2″ 335 pound Jordan McCray (San Antonio Brahmas), 6’3″ 300 pound Jarod Thomas (Seattle Sea Dragons), 6’5″ 320 pound Larry Williams (Las Vegas Vipers), and 6’7″ 320 pound Barry Wesley (Seattle Sea Dragons).
On the defensive line, 6’4″ 225-pound Da’Sean Downey will be joining the San Antonio Brahmas, and 6’2″ 195-pound Debione Renfro has been selected to play with the Arlington Renegades. The final player in this crew of Pirates joining the XFL is running back/wide receiver Deddrick Thomas will be getting an opportunity with the Orlando Guardians.
While on the surface it may appear that the Pirates are losing a large number of talented players to the XFL, what they are gaining in return, is the reputation and the Massachusetts franchise will get players to a higher level of football. If a player is attempting to choose between multiple indoor football teams to play for it makes sense to play for a proven team.
As the Pirates continue to build their roster for the 2023 season, it will be interesting to see how Massachusetts fills these gaps in their roster. The track record of the Pirates shows that they will find high-quality talent, and will most likely continue to assist players in their effort to find success in their professional football careers.
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