The latest iteration of the XFL Spring Football League has just crowned their inaugural champions, with the Arlington Renegades bringing home the trophy. The Arlington Renegades (Formerly the Dallas Renegades) won in what is being called an upset win, as their opponents, the D.C. Defenders, were favored to win.

FROM 4-6 RECORD TO AN XFL CHAMPIONSHIP 🏆 @XFLRenegades | @XFL2023 pic.twitter.com/D0DaUp7X0i

— ESPN (@espn) May 14, 2023

The Renegades had a 4-6 record entering the postseason, but unexpectedly, the underdog in the fight came out on top with a 35-26 over the Defenders, who had a 9-1 record. The team was led to victory under Bob Stoops, former head coach for the University of Oklahoma from 1999 – 2016. He led the Oklahoma Sooners to a record 191-48 over his time as their coach.

The XFL has gone through three iterations. While the second iteration never held a championship due to the COVID-19 Pandemic of 2020, the last time the XFL had a true “champion” was in 2001 during their first iteration.

The first XFL champions were the Los Angeles Xtreme as they defeated the San Fransisco Demons 38-6 at what was then called “The Million Dollar Game.” The league folded shortly afterward due to NBC not renewing its contract due to declining ratings.



With the first XFL champion now crowned, some people have been wondering about the league’s future. Despite the XFL signing a multi-year partnership with Disney and ESPN to broadcast the games, the league has seen a steady decline in viewership. 

Not only has the league been seeing competition from other sports, such as the NBA Playoffs, MLB, and NASCAR, but a competing Spring Football League, the USFL, has also begun playing. Two USFL games took place on the same day as the XFL Championship.

While we will most likely see the XFL return for 2024, one question remains– what lies ahead in 2025 and beyond?

What do you think about the Renegades’ win over the Defenders? 

Source: Yahoo