SPORTS TEAM HISTORY

Sports Team HistorySports Logo History
  • Sports History
    • Baseball History – MLB
    • Basketball History – ABA, NBA, WNBA
    • College History – Divison I Conferences
    • Football History – AAF, CFL, NFL, USFL, XFL
    • Hockey History – NHL
    • Soccer History. – MLS, Premier League
  • Hall of Fame
    • MLB
    • NBA
    • NFL
    • NHL
  • Greatest Player Polls
    • CFL Greatest Player
    • MLB Greatest Player
    • MLS Greatest Player
    • NBA Greatest Player
    • NFL Greatest Player
    • NHL Greatest Player
    • Premier League Greatest Player
    • WNBA Greatest Player
  • More…
    • Sports Team News
    • Latest Sports Videos
      • General Sports Videos
      • MLB Sports Videos
      • NBA Sports Videos
      • NCAA Sports Videos
      • NFL Sports Videos
      • NHL Sports Videos
      • Soccer Sports Videos
      • WNBA Sports Videos
    • YouTube Channel
    • Sports Team History Products
Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
Search in posts
Search in pages

DC Defenders Team History

DC Defenders
Defenders Primary Logo
Defenders Alternate Logo
Defenders Wordmark Logo

Established
2020

City
Washington D.C.

League History
2024 - Present / UFL
2020 - 2024 / XFL

Team History
2020 - Present / DC Defenders

Nickname
Defenders – Football fans in the nation's capital are gearing up for a new era of football as the DC Defenders join the XFL. But what is their story? How did they come to be known as 'Defenders'?

The DC Defenders name has its roots in Washington, D.C.'s rich history and culture. The city was founded on July 16th, 1790, by President George Washington, who believed that it should serve as a “federal district” where all citizens could feel safe and secure from outside forces or threats—a notion that still resonates today with many Americans living within our nation’s borders. In addition to this concept of safety and security being at the core of America’s founding principles, it also serves as an apt metaphor for how we view sports teams: We want them to protect us from losing streaks or bad performances while providing us with entertainment value when they succeed on game day!

As such, when choosing a nickname for their XFL team based out of Washington D.C., ownership decided upon ‘DC Defenders' – paying homage both to our country's founders (and defenders) while also conveying strength & resilience through sport-specific language like "defender" which implies protection against opposing offenses/teams throughout each season's matches!

We can only hope that these same values will carry over into success on the field during upcoming games. Still, regardless of whether wins happen right away, one thing remains certain: The DC Defender name carries deep meaning rooted in American history & tradition - making them more than just another professional sports organization vying for attention amidst other competitors...they're part of something larger!

Championship
UFL Championships 0
XFL Championships 0

Stadium
2020 - Present / Audi Field

Owner
2003 - Present / RedBird Capital Partners
2020 - 2022 / Alpha Entertainment, LLC

Coach
2023 - Present / Reggie Barlow
2020 - 2022 / Pep Hamilton

  • 2018
  • 2019
  • 2020
  • 2021
  • 2022
  • 2023
  • DC-Defenders

    DC Defenders team was founded

    In 2018: The team was founded by Vince McMahon’s Alpha Entertainment and joined the newly reformed XFL
    See Full Story
  • DC_Defenders_kickoff_against_the_Seattle_Dragons_at_Audi_Field

    Defenders Team Formation

    The DC Defenders are a professional American football team based in Washington, D.C. The team is an owned-and-operated member of the new XFL founded by Vince McMahon’s Alpha Entertainment and plays its home games at Audi Field, a soccer-specific stadium owned and originally built by Major League Soccer’s D.C. United, who leases the land from the District of Columbia. At ...
    Read More
    See Full Story
  • XFL Covid-19

    XFL and Defenders Covid-19 Shutdown

    The Defenders inaugural season was cut short due to the 2019 – 2020 coronavirus pandemic and the XFL officially suspended operations for the remainder of the season on March 20, 2020.
    See Full Story
  • XFL was acquired by Dwayne Johnson’s Alpha Acquico

    XFL was acquired by Dwayne Johnson’s Alpha Acquico

    In 2021: The XFL was acquired by Dwayne Johnson’s Alpha Acquico and announced plans to relaunch in 2023
    See Full Story
  • Reggie Barlow

    Reggie Barlow was hired as the new head coach and general manager of the team

    In 2022: Reggie Barlow was hired as the new head coach and general manager of the team. The team drafted new players and signed free agents to form its roster for the 2023 season
    See Full Story
  • dc defenders 2023 xfl win

    Team played its second season in the XFL, winning the North Division title

    In 2023: The team played its second season in the XFL, winning the North Division title with a 9-1 record and advancing to the championship game against the Arlington Renegades. The team lost to the Renegades 35-26 in a close game at Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
    See Full Story

Who is the greatest DC Defenders?
  • Add your greatest player

To qualify as the greatest player for this team, the player must have played one season for this team. If not, we will remove the player.
* verifies that player has played for this team as an added player by a fan.

History of the Defenders

The DC Defenders are a professional American football team based in Washington, D.C., and part of the XFL. The franchise was established in 2019 as one of eight teams that began play during the inaugural season of the league’s relaunch. The Defenders have quickly become one of the most popular teams in all sports, with their passionate fan base eagerly cheering them on through thick and thin each week.

The DC Defenders have had a storied history since they started playing back in 2019, reaching new heights every year they've been active. They made it to their first championship game appearance just two years after being founded when they faced off against Tampa Bay Vipers for XFL Championship Game II, though unfortunately, coming up just short due to an impressive performance by Tampa Bay's defense late into the 4th quarter which sealed victory for them over DC defenders 26-23. But this wasn't enough to dampen fans' spirits too much; rather it only served as motivation for further success down the line.

In 2021, the team already made huge strides toward achieving greatness once again under head coach Pep Hamilton who has led his players through some difficult times amidst the pandemic but still managed to get results out from his squad, leading the team into playoffs where yet again he hopes that this time around luck will be on the side and bring home the long-awaited title! All eyes will be fixed on what happens next with this talented group of people hoping something special will happen soon!




Sports Fan Products

L.A. Raiders NFL Helmet Shadowbox w/Bo Jackson card
4.2 out of 5 stars(425101)
Buy on Amazon
Philadelphia Eagles NFL Helmet Shadowbox w/Jalen Hurts card
4.2 out of 5 stars(42536)
Buy on Amazon
Oakland Raiders NFL Helmet Shadowbox w/Charles Woodson card
4.2 out of 5 stars(42571)
Buy on Amazon
Pittsburgh Steelers NFL Helmet Shadowbox w/Franco Harris card
4.6 out of 5 stars(46520)
Buy on Amazon
San Francisco 49ers NFL Helmet Shadowbox w/Brock Purdy card
4.8 out of 5 stars(4857)
Buy on Amazon
Detroit Lions NFL Helmet Shadowbox w/Jahmyr Gibbs card
5.0 out of 5 stars(5052)
Buy on Amazon
Detroit Lions NFL Helmet Shadowbox w/Amon-Ra St. Brown card
4.8 out of 5 stars(4858)
Buy on Amazon
Philadelphia Eagles 2025 Super Bowl LIX Replica Championship Ring & mini Lombardi Trophy Shadowbox w/Jalen Hurts Card
3.0 out of 5 stars(3054)
Buy on Amazon
Miami Dolphins NFL Helmet Shadowbox w/Tyreek Hill card
4.5 out of 5 stars(45523)
Buy on Amazon
Philadelphia Eagles NFL Helmet Shadowbox w/Saquon Barkley card
3.5 out of 5 stars(3553)
Buy on Amazon
Cincinnati Bengals NFL Helmet Shadowbox w/Ja'Marr Chase card
4.5 out of 5 stars(4558)
Buy on Amazon
Minnesota Vikings Helmet Shadowbox w/Justin Jefferson card
4.7 out of 5 stars(47529)
Buy on Amazon
Green Bay Packers 2011 Super Bowl XLV Replica Championship Ring & mini Lombardi Trophy Shadowbox w/Aaron Rodgers Card
4.4 out of 5 stars(4454)
Buy on Amazon
San Francisco 49ers NFL Helmet Shadowbox w/Christian McCaffrey card
3.4 out of 5 stars(3458)
Buy on Amazon
Chicago Bulls Replica NBA 1998 Championship Ring Trophy Shadowbox w/MJ Card
4.4 out of 5 stars(4452)
Buy on Amazon
Kyle Hamilton Autographed Notre Dame Fighting Irish Mini Helmet Beckett
Buy on Amazon
Lawrence Taylor Autographed New York Giants Football Full-Size Helmet - Hand Signed with James Spence Authentication (JSA)
Buy on Amazon
Clay Matthews Sr. Signed Cleveland Browns Mini Helmet Beckett
Buy on Amazon
Tampa Bay Buccaneers NFL Helmet Shadowbox w/Baker Mayfield card
5.0 out of 5 stars(5055)
Buy on Amazon
Green Bay Packers NFL Helmet Shadowbox w/Jordan Love card
3.9 out of 5 stars(39512)
Buy on Amazon
San Francisco 49ers NFL Helmet Shadowbox w/Nick Bosa card
4.0 out of 5 stars(40525)
Buy on Amazon
Lynn Dickey Signed Packers Speed Mini Helmet w/83 NFL TD Leader-Beckett W Hologram Black
4.5 out of 5 stars(4552)
Buy on Amazon
Philadelphia Eagles NFL Helmet Shadowbox w/A.J. Brown card
4.0 out of 5 stars(4059)
Buy on Amazon
Autographed/Signed Joe Theismann SB XVII Champ Washington Commanders Mini Football Helmet JSA COA
Buy on Amazon
Dallas NFL Helmet Shadowbox w/Ceedee Lamb card
3.9 out of 5 stars(39523)
Buy on Amazon
Auto Amazon Links

STH Greatest Player Polls Banner NFL Logo Image

Retired Number

*Blue is this team’s history

Sports History Group Videos

Sports History Group Videos

Sports News History

Sports News Worth Knowing

RSS Headline News

  • Seattle Sounders FC vs. Minnesota United | Full Match Highlights | Tani Oluwaseyi Brace!
  • If I Could Time Travel to Watch ANY NBA game…
  • NHL Playoff Highlights | Oilers vs. Stars | Gm 5 | May 29, 2025
  • Braves vs. Phillies Game 1 Highlights (5/29/25) | MLB Highlights
  • This Trade Would Have BROKEN The NFL 🤯#nfl #raiders #nflfootball #football

Sports Store History

Sports Team Marketplace of Champions!

MLB Logo Battle

SLH Prodcut Sale

XFL Teams
Menu
  • Arlington Renegades
    • Dallas Renegades
  • DC Defenders
  • Houston Roughnecks
  • Orlando Guardians
    • New York Guardians
  • San Antonio Brahmas
  • Seattle Sea Dragons
    • Seattle Dragons
  • St. Louis Battlehawks
  • Vegas Vipers
    • Tampa Bay Vipers
  • Past Teams
    • Birmingham Thunderbolts
    • Chicago Enforcers
    • Las Vegas Outlaws
    • Los Angeles Wildcats
    • Los Angeles Xtreme
    • Memphis Maniax
    • New York-New Jersey Hitmen
    • Orlando Rage
    • San Francisco Demons
STH - SHG YT Videos Banner
STH - SHG Rumble Videos Banner




Greatest Player Poll 350
National Football League LogoNational Basketball Associations LogoMajor League Baseball Logo 2019National Hockey League LogoNCAA Primary Logo

Greatest Player Poll: Cast your vote!

Join the debate and help decide who stands tall in the annals of sports history. Whether it's a legendary NFL's powerful action, the NBA's athletic prowess, or the unyielding spirit of an MLB player, we want to hear your thoughts. Who, in your opinion, has left an indelible mark on their sport? Who has transcended the boundaries of their game to become a symbol of excellence? Who has inspired generations of athletes and fans with their performances, character, and legacy? This is your chance to have your say. Cast your vote, share your thoughts, and celebrate the greatest in sports history together.

NFL Greatest Player
NBA Greatest Player
NHL Greatest Player
MLB Greatest Player
MLS Greatest Player
WNBA Greatest Player
CFL Greatest Player
Premier Greatest Player
Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
Search in posts
Search in pages

STH News

Latest Sports Team History News

Philadelphia Phillies: 140 Years of Baseball History, Legends, and World Series Glory

June 19, 2025

The Great Bambino: The Hero of the Diamond

June 13, 2025

El Pibe: The Untold Story of Carlos Valderrama – From Colombian Legend to MLS Icon

June 12, 2025

A Ray of Sunshine Peaking Through the Dark Clouds in Cleveland

June 10, 2025

Sports History Group 350
Sports Logo History
Sports News History
Sports Store History 200
Image

Complete Histories of Your Favorite Sports Team!


  • About
  • Contact
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy




© 2013 - 2025 Sports History Group LLC - All Rights Reserved
  • Sports History
    • Baseball History – MLB
    • Basketball History – ABA, NBA, WNBA
    • College History – Divison I Conferences
    • Football History – AAF, CFL, NFL, USFL, XFL
    • Hockey History – NHL
    • Soccer History. – MLS, Premier League
  • Hall of Fame
    • MLB
    • NBA
    • NFL
    • NHL
  • Greatest Player Polls
    • CFL Greatest Player
    • MLB Greatest Player
    • MLS Greatest Player
    • NBA Greatest Player
    • NFL Greatest Player
    • NHL Greatest Player
    • Premier League Greatest Player
    • WNBA Greatest Player
  • More…
    • Sports Team News
    • Latest Sports Videos
      • General Sports Videos
      • MLB Sports Videos
      • NBA Sports Videos
      • NCAA Sports Videos
      • NFL Sports Videos
      • NHL Sports Videos
      • Soccer Sports Videos
      • WNBA Sports Videos
    • YouTube Channel
    • Sports Team History Products
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.OkPrivacy policy