5 former NFL stars who could return to the league with stellar XFL campaigns ft. Josh Gordon

The XFL got underway last weekend, as football fans look for their fix after the NFL season came to a conclusion earlier this month.

The newly reformed league features teams from eight cities across the continental US, featuring plenty of talented players. Many former NFL stars feature in this new league, which was relaunched by Dwanye ‘The Rock’ Johnson.

The DC Defenders, Seattle Sea Dragons, St. Louis BattleHawks, Vegas Vipers, Arlington Renegades, Houston Roughnecks, Orlando Guardians, and San Antonio Brahmas will all be vying for success in 2023, with many NFL-calibre players.

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While winning the title with their teams would be the main goal of the players, some will have an added motivation to do well. A few players would look to bolster their chances of returning to the NFL with an impressive outing in the current XFL season.

Here, we take a look at five such players.

#5 - Marquette King

Long-time Oakland Raiders punter Marquette King was amongst the best in the league during his tenure but has been out of the NFL since 2018.

King recently signed with the Arlington Renegades for the 2023 XFL season. But if he’s able to prove that he’s still got his monster leg, some NFL franchises may be tempted to take a 'punt' on the 34-year-old.

#4 - Ben DiNucci

Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Ben DiNucci will be back in action in 2023, representing the Seattle Sea Dragons in the newly relaunched league.

DiNucci was a backup to Dak Prescott and Andy Dalton between 2020 and 2021, making his NFL debut on SNF against the Philadelphia Eagles. He failed to deliver, however, but he’s still only 26, so an impressive stint in the XFL could lead to an NFL team taking a chance on him.

#3 – AJ McCarron

Ex-Cincinnati Bengals QB AJ McCarron was drafted by the St. Louis BattleHawks for the 2023 XFL season, having spent the best part of a decade bouncing around the NFL.

McCarron also spent time with the Bills, Raiders, Texans, and Falcons in the NFL, and looked solid on his debut in the new league last week, passing for a pair of touchdowns.

If McCarron can continue to impress, don’t be surprised to see him back on an NFL roster.

#2 – Vic Beasley

Many NFL fans were shocked when they saw Vic Beasley being selected first overall in the XFL Defensive Front Seven Draft. Beasley was a solid starter in the NFL, even tallying up 15.5 sacks back in 2016.

Beasley is only 30 years old, so there’s a legitimate chance the defensive end may wind up back in the NFL, where he last played back in 2020.

#1 – Josh Gordon

If Josh Gordon could stay out of trouble off the field, there’s no chance he’d be in the XFL. As a Cleveland Brown, Gordon was amongst the best receivers in the NFL, leading the league in receiving yards back in 2013.

He also won a Super Bowl with the New England Patriots in 2018 but has had multiple suspensions from the league throughout his career.

He now finds himself with the Seattle Sea Dragons in the XFL, but with an impressive showing, could make it back to the NFL in no time.

About the author

Matthew David Wear is an NFL writer for Sportskeeda based in Manchester with a Bachelor’s degree in Sports Journalism from the University of Sunderland. He has a total work experience of 10 years, having previously worked for the likes of FourFourTwo, World Soccer, Soccer AM, Sunderland Echo and ALS Fanzine.

Matthew follows the Cincinnati Bengals since he feels that they have been underdogs without achieving much success just like his native Sunderland AFC. If he could ever go back in time, he would want to change the 'holding' call on Logan Wilson that led to the Rams winning the game.

His favorite NFL players are Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, Logan Wilson and Trey Hendrickson, while his favorite coach is Andy Reid for his unparalleled offensive tactics. His favorite Super Bowl is the LII edition where the Philadelphia Eagles beat the New England Patriots and Nick Foles was declared MVP.

To stay at the top of his craft, Matthew keeps himself updated with stats, plays fantasy football, and makes sure all the data in his work are from reputed sources. When not working, Matthew likes to stay outdoors and engage in running and hiking.

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Edited by Akshay Saraswat