On December 5, 2018, Washington, D.C., was announced as one of eight cities that would join the newly reformed XFL, as well as Seattle, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, St. Louis, Tampa Bay, and Dallas. On February 21, 2019, the team hired Pep Hamilton, who was most recently an assistant with the Michigan Wolverines football team, as its first head coach and general manager. The team name and logo were revealed on August 21, 2019, followed by the uniforms on December 3, 2019.
First ever XFL kickoff against the Seattle Dragons at Audi Field, in 2020DC hosting the St. Louis BattleHawks at Audi Field, in 2023Former logo for the DC Defenders used in 2020
On October 15, 2019, the Defenders announced their first player in team history, being assigned former Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Cardale Jones. Later that day, the 2020 XFL draft took place. The Defenders selected wide receiver Rashard Davis with the first overall pick, but he did not play for the team and later signed with the Tennessee Titans.
On February 8, 2020, the Defenders won the first game in modern XFL history, defeating the Seattle Dragons by a score of 31–19. On February 15, 2020, the Defenders beat the New York Guardians by a score of 27–0, which was the first shutout in modern XFL history. On March 12, 2020, the XFL announced that the remainder of the 2020 XFL season had been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On April 10, 2020, the XFL suspended operations and terminated all employees, players, and staff.
Dwayne Johnson and Dany Garcia era (2023–present)
On August 3, 2020, it was reported that a consortium led by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Dany Garcia, and Gerry Cardinale (through Cardinale's fund RedBird Capital Partners) purchased the XFL for $15 million just hours before an auction could take place; the purchase received court approval on August 7, 2020. In March 2022, a report emerged that Reggie Barlow would become the new head coach of the D.C. XFL franchise, confirming that Washington, D.C., would return as an XFL city. Barlow's hire was official on April 13, 2022, as well as the return of the D.C. franchise on July 24, 2022. On October 31, 2022, the XFL announced that the Defenders name would be returning, this time with a brand new logo.
In September 2023, Axios reported that the XFL was in advanced talks with the USFL to merge the two leagues prior to the start of their 2024 seasons. On September 28, 2023, the XFL and USFL announced their intent to merge with details surrounding the merger to be announced at a later date. The merger would also require regulatory approval. In October 2023 the XFL filed a trademark application for the name "United Football League". On November 30, 2023, Garcia announced via her Instagram page that the leagues had received regulatory approval for the merger and were finalizing plans for a "combined season" to begin March 30, 2024. The merger was made official on December 31, 2023.
On March 22, 2025, head coach Reggie Barlow departed the Defenders and quarterback coach Shannon Harris took over in an interim role for the 2025 season. Three days later, Harris also appeared to resign to join Barlow at Tennessee State but later clarified that such a change would not take place until at least the end of the season. Harris would be named the UFL Coach of the Year after leading the team to a 6–4 record, culminating in a 58–34 victory over the Michigan Panthers in the 2025 UFL championship game. Harris accepted the DC head coaching position permanently on July 23; he will join Tennessee State's staff for the 2025 season and will return to DC for 2026.
Head coach Head coach – Shannon Harris Offensive coaches Offensive coordinator – Fred Kaiss Quarterbacks – Davis Johnson Wide receivers – Andre Simmons Offensive line – Brian Braswell
Defensive coaches Defensive coordinator – Blake Williams Linebackers/special teams – Jerod Kruse Defensive backs – Vernon Dean
The Defenders' main rivalry is against the St. Louis Battlehawks. At the end of their first meeting of the 2023 season, three players were ejected after a brawl broke out. A week later, the Battlehawks' quarterback, A. J. McCarron, called their competition the "first XFL rivalry." DC leads the overall series 6–3 and leads the playoff series 1–0.
Arlington/Dallas Renegades
The Defenders also have a rivalry with the Arlington/Dallas Renegades. The rivalry stems from the two teams being founded in the 2020 iteration of the XFL and both being members of the UFL's XFL Conference, as well as there being a Dallas/Washington rivalry in the NFL. The rivalry picked up steam when the Renegades upset DC in the 2023 XFL Championship Game. DC leads the overall series 5–2 while the Renegades lead the playoff series 1–0.
Defenders fans have taken up a tradition of assembling beer snakes out of empty beer containers. The snake constructed at the March 8, 2020, game vs the St. Louis Battlehawks ended up spanning several rows, including a contribution from then-Commissioner Oliver Luck.
In the 2023 season opener against the Seattle Sea Dragons, fans threw lemons onto the field after stadium security personnel confiscated several attempts at making a beer snake, delaying the game for a few minutes. This prompted the Defenders to discuss the issue with Audi Field security and set new guidelines that allowed the beer snake to return during the next home game on March 5.
Despite playing in the UFL's smallest stadium by capacity, the Defenders have the second-highest attendance in the league as of 2024, regularly playing to at-capacity or near-capacity crowds at Audi Field.
