You might have forgotten all about the St. Louis BattleHawks after the abrupt end to the XFL season, but they are soon going to be on your radar again. The XFL is planning on making a return, and the city of St. Louis can once again fall in love with the talented team.
NFL picks against the spread are dominating the football betting industry at this time, but the XFL proved to be a strong betting market as well. When the St. Louis BattleHawks are back in action, you can expect plenty of bets to be placed.
Since the league abruptly ended, a number of former BattleHawks players have had a shot at finding a job in the NFL. Quarterback Jordan Ta’Amu has gotten the best look in the NFL and it’s no surprise after what he did in St. Louis.
Ta’Amu led St. Louis to three wins during his short tenure with the BattleHawks and it didn’t take long for people to notice in the NFL. The Kansas City Chiefs actually signed the quarterback before the XFL season ended, but he was waived just before the 2020 season.
Ta’Amu wasn’t a free agent for long as the Baltimore Ravens were able to snatch him up and add him to the practice squad. While the “Throwing Samoan” didn’t get into any real game action, his work on the practice squad allowed Baltimore to prepare for other games.
It’s unclear if Ta’Amu will be back with the BattleHawks when the XFL returns or if he will continue to seek opportunities in the NFL. He clearly left his mark on the fans in St. Louis, and he would be welcomed back.
What About the Kickers?
Punter Marquette King and kicker Taylor Russolino were two of the other big stars with the BattleHawks, which is impressive since they both play on special teams. Both King and Russolino have had some NFL opportunities since the end of the XFL season, but they weren’t able to really stick.
King has made it clear that he doesn’t intend to return to the XFL as he believes that he belongs in the NFL. Russolino had some chances with the Denver Broncos, but it appears that he could be an option in the XFL again at some point.
XFL Announces Big Moves
The XFL isn’t planning on making a return until 2023, but the league has already put together a new leadership team to prepare. Russ Brandon has been named the new XFL President, League and Football Operations.
Instead of going with a commissioner, the XFL is simply going to have a leadership team in place to make all of the important decisions. A total of nine new executives were hired, and the goal is to keep the league on the field in 2023 and beyond.
Dany Garcia, Dwayne Johnson, and Redbird Capital Partners continue to form the ownership group of the XFL, and that group chose the new executives. This announcement was made on November 8 and more information will be announced in 2022.
