In a wide-ranging interview on Tuesday, XFL Commissioner and CEO Oliver Luck told the Tampa Bay Times what happened to certain well know players in the XFL draft.
Why weren’t guys like Johnny Manziel, Colin Kaepernick and Trent Richardson on an XFL team? The answer from XFL coaches was simple. Teams are not interested.
“I would argue that the players we have are better than those guys, to be honest with you. Johnny has his own history, and we have coaches from the CFL (Canadian Football League) who have seen him close up. I watched Trent when he was with the Colts, and I watched him when he was with the AAF. He was in the draft pool. Coaches and scouts looked at him and didn’t think he was going to help their team. I think the guys we have on our teams are the best 560 that aren’t playing in the National Football League. “
Oliver Luck
As we know from our in-depth draft coverage, Manziel was not in the XFL draft pool but Trent Richardson was. Richardson was even featured in an XFL video. He was invited and attended one of the XFL Summer Showcases.
Age and a poor showing in the AAF could have played a factor in the XFL coaches’ decisions to pass on Richardson. He was basically a goalline back in the AAF.
Johnny Manziel was said to be on a lot of coaches lists as part of the tier one assigning of QB’s. June Jones had talked about XFL team’s interest in Manziel.
“Johnny Manziel is probably on five lists and was on one of mine.”
Phillip Walker was selected as the Roughnecks tier-one QB. Conner Cook was takin with their first pick in the XFL draft. We assume Jones will add another one or two QB’s before the January training camps begin for depth.
There is still one more shot for Manziel in early January. The league will do one more supplemental draft, we are hearing early January. But if he has not been picked up now, we highly doubt he would be then. That draft is more for cut NFL players and potential college guys.
As for Colin Kaepernick, it was clear from the beginning he was not an option.
” I think his salary demands are way out of our ballpark. He was never really a viable option. ”
So we here at XFL News Hub would like to formally announce that this will probably be the last time we mention Johnny Manziel or Colin Kaepernick in an article. Some of you are very happy about that.
The new XFL 2.0 is pretty clear on its objectives. They are about building names not rehashing old ones.
📢 Attention XFL News Hub community! We've got a quick 30-second survey and we need your thoughts. Your feedback will help us to bring you the XFL content you love even better. Just click the link in the description below to get started. Thanks for being a part of our team!
Unleash the Action: Sign up for XFL Insider and Fuel Your Passion for Football!
Mark Perry, a passionate sports journalist and the founder and editor of XFL News Hub, has been at the forefront of covering the XFL since its revival in 2018. Within days of the XFL's announced return, Mark initiated XFL News Hub to keep the fans abreast of every detail, game, and development of the league.
Mark's extensive knowledge of the sport, combined with his unwavering dedication to providing comprehensive and accurate reporting, has made XFL News Hub the go-to platform for all things related to the XFL. His work over the years has brought him recognition in the world of sports journalism, solidifying his place as a leading voice in XFL coverage.
Beyond just reporting, Mark believes in fostering a community around the XFL, engaging fans through his innovative content and discussions. If you have any inquiries, comments, or insights you'd like to share, Mark welcomes you to contact him directly at mark.perry@xflnewshub.com.
Nice piece. Would have to say that we don’t want the XFL to become the home for retreads looking for a paycheck. Sorry to put it so bluntly but we want players we can get excited about.
The off field antics of those two (and on field antics of Kaperneck) would hurt the xfl brand before the first game was ever played. those two should be avoided like the plague.
Good call not to mention those two losers again in an article.
Ryan
December 15, 2019 at 8:46 pm
Excellent article.
Bill
December 16, 2019 at 12:32 pm
I recall when Johnny Football exploded in college games and was practically unstoppable. Then his personality arrived more clearly……
John Johnson
December 16, 2019 at 9:27 pm
Nice piece. Would have to say that we don’t want the XFL to become the home for retreads looking for a paycheck. Sorry to put it so bluntly but we want players we can get excited about.
Larry
December 17, 2019 at 12:47 am
Still think Manziel would be a fun qb to watch.
Paul Dion
December 17, 2019 at 1:11 pm
But if Manzel doesn’t make it in I won’t be tuning in. The XFL needs attractions. And that’s the bottom line.
ManOnTheMoon
December 20, 2019 at 7:27 am
The off field antics of those two (and on field antics of Kaperneck) would hurt the xfl brand before the first game was ever played. those two should be avoided like the plague.
Good call not to mention those two losers again in an article.