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2024 DC Defenders season

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2023}}

{{short description|American professional football season}}

{{Infobox NFL team season

| logo = DC Defenders wordmark new.png

| team = DC Defenders

| teamcolor =

| year = 2024

| previous = 2023

| record = 4–6

| conference_place = 3rd in XFL Conference

| coach = Reggie Barlow

| general manager = Von Hutchins

| owner = Alpha Acquico, LLC

| stadium = Audi Field

| playoffs = Did not qualify

| uniform = DC Defenders UFL Uniform (2024).svg

}}

The 2024 DC Defenders season was the third season for the DC Defenders as a professional American football franchise and their first as a member of the United Football League (UFL). The Defenders played their home games at Audi Field and were led by head coach Reggie Barlow.

Following an upset loss to the Arlington Renegades in the 2023 XFL Championship, the franchise looked to return the playoffs. However, the team would be troubled with injuries to key players and poor defensive play. This resulted in the team going on a poor 3–3 start by Week 6 in which they would never recover. They were officially eliminated from playoff contention following a Week 8 loss to the St. Louis Battlehawks.

Roster

{{NFL final roster|Year=2024|TeamName=DC Defenders|Active=50

|Quarterbacks=

{{UFLplayer|11|Mike DiLiello|link=no}}

{{UFLplayer|17|Jalan McClendon}}

{{UFLplayer|10|Jordan Ta'amu}}

|Running Backs=

{{UFLplayer|27|Darius Hagans|link=no}}

{{UFLplayer| 3|Cam'Ron Harris|link=no}}

|Wide Receivers=

{{UFLplayer|81|Keke Coutee}}

{{UFLplayer|12|Chris Rowland}}

{{UFLplayer|19|Ty Scott}}

{{UFLplayer| 2|Brandon Smith|d=wide receiver|link=no}}

{{UFLplayer|86|Vyncint Smith}}

{{UFLplayer|82|Monroe Young|link=no}}

|Tight Ends=

{{UFLplayer|87|Ben Bresnahan|link=no}}

{{UFLplayer|18|Alex Ellis|d=American football}}

{{UFLplayer|88|Briley Moore}}

{{UFLplayer|89|Kaden Smith}}

|Offensive Linemen=

{{UFLplayer|59|William Barnes|link=no|T}}

{{UFLplayer|70|Yasir Durant|G}}

{{UFLplayer|75|Liam Fornadel|link=no|G}}

{{UFLplayer|76|Greg Long|link=no|T}}

{{UFLplayer|51|Mike Maietti|link=no|C}}

{{UFLplayer|56|David Satkowski|link=no|T}}

{{UFLplayer|62|Jarrid Williams|T}}

{{UFLplayer|66|John Yarbrough|link=no|G}}

|Defensive Linemen=

{{UFLplayer|97|Kevin Atkins|link=no|DT}}

{{UFLplayer|72|T. J. Barnes|DT}}

{{UFLplayer| 7|Davin Bellamy|DE}}

{{UFLplayer|92|Malik Fisher|link=no|DE}}

{{UFLplayer|33|Trent Harris|d=American football|OLB}}

{{UFLplayer|91|Dennis Johnson|link=no|DT}}

{{UFLplayer|48|Andre Mintze|DE}}

{{UFLplayer|50|Derick Roberson|DE}}

{{UFLplayer|90|Niles Scott|DT}}

|Linebackers=

{{UFLplayer| 6|Ferrod Gardner|link=no|ILB}}

{{UFLplayer|57|Anthony Hines|link=no|ILB}}

{{UFLplayer|49|Mikel Jones|ILB}}

{{UFLplayer| 5|Reggie Northrup|ILB}}

{{UFLplayer|55|MoMo Sanogo|link=no|ILB}}

|Defensive Backs=

{{UFLplayer| 9|Deontay Anderson|link=no|SS}}

{{UFLplayer|25|Deandre Baker|CB}}

{{UFLplayer| 1|Kentrell Brice|SS}}

{{UFLplayer|20|Gareon Conley|CB}}

{{UFLplayer|32|Isaiah Johnson|d=cornerback|CB}}

{{UFLplayer|15|Michael Joseph|d=American football|CB}}

{{UFLplayer|24|Anthoula Kelly|link=no|CB}}

{{UFLplayer|21|Montae Nicholson|FS}}

{{UFLplayer|39|Santos Ramirez|link=no|SS}}

{{UFLplayer|38|Nydair Rouse|link=no|CB}}

|Special Teams=

{{UFLplayer|80|Trae Barry|link=no|LS}}

{{UFLplayer|47|Paxton Brooks|link=no|P}}

{{UFLplayer|16|Matt McCrane|K}}

|Reserve Lists=

{{UFLplayer|43|Francis Bernard|ILB|d=American football|Susp.}}

{{UFLplayer|82|Shaun Beyer|link=no|TE|IR}}

{{UFLplayer|73|Tommy Champion|link=no|T|IR}}

{{UFLplayer| 8|Deondre Francois|QB|IR}}

{{UFLplayer|53|Lamont Gaillard|C|IR}}

{{UFLplayer|13|Kelvin Harmon|WR|IR}}

{{UFLplayer|37|Sam Kidd|link=no|SS|IR}}

{{UFLplayer|26|DeJuan Neal|link=no|CB|Susp.}}

{{UFLplayer| 4|Abram Smith|d=American football|RB|IR}}

{{UFLplayer|99|Joseph Wallace|d=American football|link=no|DT|IR}}|Inactive=10}}

Signees to the NFL

class="wikitable sortable"

! Player

! Position

! Date

! NFL team

! class=unsortable|Ref.

Daniel Whelan

|P

|May 17

|Green Bay Packers

|{{cite web |last1=Burke |first1=Aidan |title=Daniel Whelan becomes the first D.C. Defender to sign with NFL team |url=https://xflboard.com/news/daniel-whelan-becomes-the-first-d-c-defender-to-sign-with-nfl-team/ |website=XFL Board |access-date=June 26, 2023}}

Ferrod Gardner

|LB

|May 22

|Washington Commanders

|{{cite web |last1=Manning |first1=Bryan |title=Commanders sign XFL linebacker |url=https://commanderswire.usatoday.com/2023/05/23/washington-commanders-sign-xfl-linebacker-ferrod-gardner-dc-defenders/ |website=Commanders Wire |access-date=June 26, 2023}}

Lucky Jackson

|WR

|May 23

|Minnesota Vikings

|{{cite magazine |title=Vikings sign XFL star wide receiver Lucky Jackson |url=https://www.si.com/fannation/bringmethesports/vikings/vikings-sign-xfl-star-wide-receiver-lucky-jackson |magazine=Sports Illustrated |access-date=June 26, 2023}}

Brandon Smith

|WR

|June 12

|Arizona Cardinals

|{{cite web |last1=Root |first1=Jess |title=Cardinals sign former XFL WR Brandon Smith |url=https://cardswire.usatoday.com/2023/06/12/cardinals-sign-former-xfl-wr-brandon-smith/ |website=Cards Wire |access-date=June 26, 2023}}

Chris Blair

|WR

|June 16

|Atlanta Falcons

|{{cite web |last1=Paolantonio |first1=Christian |title=DC Defenders WR Chris Blair Signs With Atlanta Falcons |url=https://xflnewsroom.com/news/dc-defenders-wr-chris-blair-signs-with-atlanta-falcons/ |website=XFL Newsroom |access-date=June 26, 2023}}

Liam Fornadel

|OG

|June 18

|New England Patriots

|{{Cite web |title=Patriots Sign Guard Liam Fornadel |url=https://www.patriots.com/news/patriots-sign-guard-liam-fornadel |access-date=2024-06-19 |website=www.patriots.com |language=en-US}}

Schedule

All times Eastern

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size: 95%;"
rowspan="2" width="40" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|DC Defenders|border=2}}" | Week

! rowspan="2" width="80" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|DC Defenders|border=2}}" | Day

! rowspan="2" width="90" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|DC Defenders|border=2}}" | Date

! rowspan="2" width="90" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|DC Defenders|border=2}}" | Kickoff

! rowspan="2" width="60" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|DC Defenders|border=2}}" | TV

! rowspan="2" width="200" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|DC Defenders|border=2}}" | Opponent

! colspan="2" width="200" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|DC Defenders|border=2}}" | Results

! rowspan="2" width="200" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|DC Defenders|border=2}}" | Location

! rowspan="2" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|DC Defenders|border=2}}"| Attendance

width="60" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|DC Defenders|border=2}}" | Score

! width="60" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|DC Defenders|border=2}}" | Record

style="background:#ffcccc"

! 1

| Sunday

| March 31

| 12:00 p.m.

| ESPN

| at San Antonio Brahmas

| 12–27

| 0–1

| Alamodome

| 13,164

style="background:#ccffcc"

! 2

| Sunday

| April 7

| 4:00 p.m.

| Fox

| Houston Roughnecks

| 23–18

| 1–1

| Audi Field

| 15,052

style="background:#ccffcc"

! 3

| Saturday

| April 13

| 1:00 p.m.

| ESPN

| at Arlington Renegades

| 29–28

| 2–1

| Choctaw Stadium

| 8,411

style="background:#ffcccc"

! 4

| Saturday

| April 20

| 7:00 p.m.

| Fox

| at Birmingham Stallions

| 18–20

| 2–2

| Protective Stadium

| 7,262

style="background:#ffcccc"

! 5

| Sunday

| April 28

| 12:00 p.m.

| ESPN

| St. Louis Battlehawks

| 12–45

| 2–3

| Audi Field

| 16,058

style="background:#ccffcc"

! 6

| Sunday

| May 5

| 4:00 p.m.

| Fox

| San Antonio Brahmas

| 18–12

| 3–3

| Audi Field

| 14,303

style="background:#ffcccc"

! 7

| Sunday

| May 12

| 12:00 p.m.

| ESPN

| Michigan Panthers

| 9–22

| 3–4

| Audi Field

| 12,222

style="background:#ffcccc"

! 8

| Sunday

| May 19

| 12:00 p.m.

| ABC

| at St. Louis Battlehawks

| 21–26

| 3–5

| The Dome at America's Center

| 32,403

style="background:#ccffcc"

! 9

| Sunday

| May 26

| 2:30 p.m.

| Fox

| at Memphis Showboats

| 36–21

| 4–5

| Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium

| 6,387

style="background:#ffcccc"

! 10

| Sunday

| June 2

| 12:00 p.m.

| ABC

| Arlington Renegades

| 31–32

| 4–6

| Audi Field

| 13,080

{{cite web |title=2024 DC Defenders Schedule |url=https://fbschedules.com/2024-dc-defenders-schedule/ |website=FBS Schedules |access-date=June 26, 2023}}

Game summaries

= Week 1: at San Antonio Brahmas =

{{Americanfootballbox

|titlestyle={{NFLPrimaryStyle|DC Defenders|year=2024|border=2}};text-align:center;

|state=autocollapse

|title=Week 1: DC Defenders at San Antonio Brahmas – Game summary

|date=March 31

|time=12:00 p.m. EDT/11:00 a.m. CDT

|road=Defenders

|R1=3|R2=6|R3=3|R4=0

|home=Brahmas

|H1=7|H2=13|H3=0|H4=7

|stadium=Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas

|attendance=13,164

|weather=None (Indoor stadium)

|referee=Bryan Banks

|TV=ESPN

|TVAnnouncers=Mike Monaco, Sam Acho, Cole Cubelic and Stormy Buonantony

|reference=[https://www.theufl.com/teams/san-antonio/news/2024/march/31/phillips-debuts-a-new-look-san-antonio-brahmas-team-in-27-12-season-opening-win-over-the-dc-defenders Recap], [https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=520635 Game Book]

|scoring=

First quarter

  • SA – Anthony McFarland Jr. 28-yard pass from Chase Garbers (John Lovett one-point run), 9:08. Brahmas 7–0. Drive: 11 plays, 60 yards, 5:52.
  • DC – Matt McCrane 50-yard field goal, 0:22. Brahmas 7–3. Drive: 7 plays, 19 yards, 3:06.

Second quarter

  • SA – Jontre Kirklin 4-yard pass from Chase Garbers (Chase Garbers-Justin Smith one-point pass), 11:21. Brahmas 14–3. Drive: 8 plays, 54 yards, 4:01.
  • DC – Matt McCrane 34-yard field goal, 6:16. Brahmas 14–6. Drive: 9 plays, 42 yards, 5:05.
  • DC – Matt McCrane 48-yard field goal, 2:00. Brahmas 14–9. Drive: 6 plays, 11 yards, 3:23.
  • SA – Alex Mollette 40-yard pass from Brad Wing (two-point pass failed), 0:03. Brahmas 20–9. Drive: 7 plays, 70 yards, 1:57.

Third quarter

  • DC – Matt McCrane 28-yard field goal, 2:54. Brahmas 20–12. Drive: 10 plays, 47 yards, 5:39.

Fourth quarter

  • SA – Chase Garbers 5-yard run (John Lovett one-point run), 7:16. Brahmas 27–12. Drive: 3 plays, 6 yards, 1:29.

|stats=

Top passers

  • DC – Jordan Ta'amu – 25/45, 235 yards, INT
  • SA – Chase Garbers – 19/25, 158 yards, 2 TD

Top rushers

  • DC – Cam'Ron Harris – 8 rushes, 21 yards
  • SA – Anthony McFarland Jr. – 9 rushes, 47 yards

Top receivers

  • DC – Ty Scott – 4 receptions, 87 yards
  • SA – Jontre Kirklin – 8 receptions, 61 yards, TD

}}

Standings

{{2024 UFL standings}}

Staff

The 2024 coaching staff was announced on February 21, 2024.{{Cite news|url=https://www.foxsports.com/stories/ufl/ufl-announces-2024-coaching-staffs-for-every-team|title=UFL announces 2024 coaching staffs for all eight teams|website=Fox Sports|access-date=February 23, 2024|date=February 21, 2024|language=en-US}}

class="toccolours" style="text-align: left;"

|+ colspan="7" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|DC Defenders|border=2}};font-weight:bold;"|DC Defenders staff

colspan=7 style="text-align:right;" |
style="vertical-align:top;" |

| style="font-size: 95%;vertical-align:top;" |

;Front office

;Head coach

Head coach – Reggie Barlow

;Offensive coaches

  • Offensive Coordinator – Fred Kaiss
  • Wide Receivers – Sean Anderson
  • Offensive Line – Sean Kugler
  • Quarterbacks – Shannon Harris

|width="35"| 

| style="vertical-align:top;" |

| style="font-size: 95%;vertical-align:top;" |

;Defensive coaches

  • Defensive Backs – Vern Dean
  • Linebackers – Deion Harris
  • Defensive Line – Jeremy Watkins
  • Defensive Coordinator – Gregg Williams

Offensive Line coach Russ Ehrenfeld was replaced by Sean Kugler Week 6.

References

{{reflist|30em}}

{{DC Defenders}}

{{2024 UFL season}}

DC

DC Defenders

Category:DC Defenders seasons