XFL 2038 MID-SEASON REPORT

We have reached the halfway point of the 21st season of XFL football. With the new rules this season (version 4.6), we have just 1 quarterback on pace for 4,000 yards passing after having 5 last season including 1 5,000 yard passer. In fact, we have just 3-5 quarterbacks that have a chance to eclipse 3,000 yards passing after having 16 last season. Passing TDs are also down this season as we have just 1 QB on pace to throw at least 30 TD passes after having 3 last season. We only have 3 quarterbacks on pace to reach 20 TD passes after 10 QBs hit that mark last season.

The new rules have opened up the running game and we have 17 players on pace for 1,000 yards rushing including 3 players on pace to break the single season rushing record (1,633 yards) set in 2021 by Joe Lukasik. Only 7 players eclipsed 1,000 yards rushing last season. We also have 4 players on pace to reach 10 rushing TDs this season after having 8 rushing TDs leading the league last season. In fact, in the 20 year history of the XFL, only 13 players have reached at least 10 rushing TDs in a season with the last player to accomplish the feat occurred in 2031.

Common sense will tell you that if passing numbers are down then receiving numbers will follow. We have just 1 player on pace to reach 1,000 yards receiving with 2-3 others with an outside chance. This comes a season after 6 players hit the 1,000 yard plateau and 2 seasons removed from 16 players hitting the mark. Receptions continue to decline as no player is on pace for 100 Receptions for the 2nd consecutive season after 2 reached the century mark in 2036 and 3 reached the century mark in 2035. Only 3 players are on pace for at least 10 TD receptions after 6 hit the mark in 2037 and 8 hit that mark in both 2035 & 2036. Ironically, Jeff Weir (BUF) is on pace for 28 TD receptions which would be 3rd Alltime in a season tying Joe Narvaez (VAN) who had 28 in 2036 and just behind both Derek Looney (DAK) and Clifford Mays (VBA) who had 30 TD receptions in 2031 & 2034 respectively.

The return game has produced 10 players with a kickoff return TD including Darrell Bassingame (IND) who has 2 KO return TDs. We had 8 players in 2037 and 7 players in 2036 with a KO return TD including 1 player with 2 KO return TDs in both seasons. In the 20 year history of the XFL, only 5 players have reached 3 KO return TDs in a season with the last occurring in 2035. We also have 2 players with a punt return TD this season and never have we had a player have 2 in a season. In the 20+ year history of the XFL, we have only had 25 punt return TDs and 3 combined in a season only happened twice in 2024 & 2027.

The kicking game has gained some significance with the passing game and scoring overall being down. We have 3 kickers on pace to hit at least 40 fieldgoals this season. This includes Nathan McCall (PHI) who is on pace to hit 54 fieldgoals which would be 1 off the Alltime record of 55 held by Daniel Jones (PHI) established in 2028. In 2023, Robert Casillas (PRI) had a perfect season, going 38/38 on fieldgoal attempts which is the Alltime mark for perfect seasons. We have had other kickers with perfect seasons going 37/37, 35/35 (x2), 34/34, 33/33 and 31/31 (x2) in the past. This season, Carl Charles (CIN) is 19/19 and has a chance to become just the 9th kicker to have a perfect season with at least 30 attempts. We currently have 9 kickers on pace to have at least 10 50+ yard fieldgoals. In the 20 year history of the XFL, 67 kickers have reached that mark with 16 being the record held by Jarvis Tidwell (SPP) in 2027. Jeffrey Moreno (NEC) is currently 9/11 on 50+ yard fieldgoals and is on pace to break the record. Nothing shows how much scoring is down more then XPs. We have only 3 kickers on pace to reach 30 XPs thus season after having 9 reach that mark last season. In fact, Robert Combs (DAK) leads the league this season at 16/16 which is on pace for 32 XPs. In 2037, 6 kickers exceeded that mark while 8 exceeded it in 2036 & 2035. The league leader in XPs for the past 5 seasons are 2037 (46), 2036 (64), 2035 (65), 2034 (68) and 2033 (66) with this season the projected leader will have 32!

Defensively, 43 players are on pace for 100 tackles this season after only 24 players hit the century mark last season. In fact, we are clearly gonna set a single season record for 100 tackle players. 63 players are on pace for double digit sack seasons including 8 players who have already reached at least 10 sacks. This comes a season removed where 2 players had 10+ sacks. Yes! You read that correctly, 63 players versus 2 last season which explains in a nutshell why passing numbers are down. In the 20 year history of the XFL, 8 players have had 20 sack seasons and this season we have 8 players on pace to reach 20 sacks. The single season sack record is 28 set by Robert Lapham (SPP) set in 2022 before Saint Paul had moved from Green Bay. Robert Healey (KCY) is currently on pace to reach 30 sacks! Pass defense has 43 players on pace for 20+ knockdowns which is close to the 41 players who reached that mark last season. In 2032, Fred Smoot (GCG) set the single season record with 47 knockdowns on 105 passes defended. Thus season, Jon Wright (NEC) is on pace to reach 42 knockdowns which would put him 5th Alltime. We have had 13 players in XFL history who had 10+ interceptions in a season with 13 being the record held by both Michael English (DAK) in 2028 and Rick Henry (BUF) in 2036. This season, we have 2 on pace to reach 10 interceptions and 14 players on pace to get at least 6 interceptions. Last season, we had 10 players with at least 6 interceptions.

Finally, a few more odds and ends. With the reliance on the running game due to the mutes passing, fumbles have become an issue. 5 players are on pace for at least 10 fumbles this season after having just 1 player in the past 2 seasons. You have to go back to 2035 when we had 7 players with at least 10 fumbles. Kevin "fumbles" Okane (TBY) holds the single season mark of 27 fumbles in a season. Okane had 6 seasons where he fumbled at least 10 times and ole fumbles Okane holds the Alltime mark with 118 career fumbles, hence his nickname. His 118 career fumbles is more then twice the next closest player, Hall of Fame RB Cornelius Gill and RB Brian Woodward who both finished with 53 career fumbles. This season, RB Adolph Warren and Daryl Charley are both on pace for just 12 fumbles.

Are teams running the ball more? Well the Alltime most run blocks in a season is held by Floyd Mills (BUF) set in 2025 at 729 run blocks. In fact, only 4 lineman have at least 700 run blocks in any season. This season, 9 players are on pace for at least 700 run blocks with C Brendan Murphy (CIN) on pace for just over 850 run blocks.

Passing is done due to the rushing attempts going to record levels. Only 6 players are on pace for at least 800 pass blocks this season with LG Robert Stanton on pace for the most at 842 pass blocks. Those 842 pass blocks would rank 86th Alltime in a season.

5 players are on pace for at least 2,000 total yards this season after we had just 1 player eclipse 2,000 last season. 8 players are on pace for at 10 total TDs this season after 10 players hit the milestone last season. WR Jeff Weir (BUF) has 21 total TDs this season and is on pace for 42 total TDs which would shatter the Alltime record of 30 total TDs held by both Derek Looney (DAK) and Clifford Mays (VBA) who had 30 total TDs in 2031 & 2034 respectively.

In the AXC, 3 of the 4 division leaders are the same as last season with Cincinnati (8-0) replacing Toronto (5-3) as the leader in the North while Vancouver (4-4) and Kansas City (4-4) are tied. The teams in the Wildcard hunt are Michigan (6-2), Texas (5-3), Toronto (5-3) and Houston (5-3). New England (4-4), Miami (4-4) and Kansas City (4-4) are all within range for a 2nd half run with New England being a playoff team last season. It looks like 13 teams are battling for the 7 playoff spots with 3 teams out of it at 2-6, 2-6 & 0-8.

In the NXC, Saint Paul (7-1) and Tampa Bay (5-3) are in 1st place in their divisions again after winning them last season. In the East, Philadelphia (7-1) leads the division after finishing 5-11 last season when Brooklyn (2-6) won the division last season with a losing 7-9 record. In the west, Vegas (6-2) is in first place after finishing 1/2 game behind Los Angeles (5-3) last season. The teams currently in the Wildcard hunt are LA (5-3), Gem City (5-3), Montana (5-3) and Carolina (5-3). It looks like 9 teams are battling for 7 playoff spots while 8 teams are fighting for draft seeding already as those 8 teams are 2-6 or 1-7.