The XFL is returning once again, thanks to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Dany Garcia and RedBird Capital. The Rock explained on Monday why he was so interested in buying the XFL after the league filed for bankruptcy earlier this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Johnson was a defensive tackle at the University of Miami and was a member of the 1991 national championship team. Following his graduation in 1995, he headed north and joined the CFL’s Calgary Stampeders. He spent two months on the team’s practice roster before eventually being cut. Despite failing to make his professional football dreams a reality in the CFL, Johnson is still thankful for the experience. He says it helped shape him into the superstar he is today.
Johnson’s love for the XFL and the opportunities the league gives players looking to make a name for themselves was one of the primary reasons he purchased the league this year. He’s hoping he can create those opportunities for more players in coming years.
Johnson reaffirmed his reasoning for being part of the group that purchased the XFL on Twitter Monday afternoon. The Rock is determined to build a league which allows players to “live their dreams” and “take care of their families.”
This is the fundamental core reason I wanted to acquire the XFL.
Create the opportunity for players to live their dreams and take care of their families. @DanyGarciaCo, myself and our exec team are hungry to build this league out for the players and fans. #XFL#opportunity 🏈 https://t.co/z32GPT6F6x— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) September 7, 2020
Not only are we ecstatic that the XFL is returning, we’re looking forward to watching The Rock and the rest of the ownership team accomplish this mission. The XFL’s 2020 re-boot was on a successful path before Covid-19 forced the league to suspend. Even though we only saw five XFL games, we’ve seen multiple former XFL standouts make the cut in the NFL.
Now that the dust has settled, here are the #XFL players that made #NFL rosters and practice squads… #ForTheLoveOfFootball pic.twitter.com/UcMqlW8Eok
— XFL Newsroom (@XFLNewsroom) September 8, 2020
This proved that the XFL worked. The Rock looks to continue this success when the league returns, whenever that may be.
