Former NFL head coach and longtime defensive coordinator Gregg Williams is leading the XFL’s first batch of assistant coaches, the league announced Wednesday.
Williams will serve as the defensive coordinator for head coach Reggie Barlow’s team. Williams, a former Buffalo Bills and Cleveland Browns head coach who was suspended for a year in 2012 for his role in the New Orleans Saints’ Bountygate scandal, last coached with the New York Jets in 2020.
The XFL has yet to announce team names as it continues negotiations with local markets. It has hired seven defensive coordinators and seven offensive coordinators, leaving two hires across its eight teams. Two of the offensive coordinators — June Jones and Jonathan Hayes — served as XFL head coaches during the 2020 season. Other notable names among the coaches include former college head coach and NFL assistant Ron Zook, former NFL quarterback Bruce Gradkowski, longtime NFL defense coordinator Brian Stewart, and Hayes’ brother Jay.
Also included in Wednesday’s announcement were the directors of player personnel for each team. As part of the XFL structure, these directors will work with the head coaches on final personnel decisions for the team. The coaches have the final say over the squads on match day.
Four of the directors worked with the XFL in 2020: Randy Mueller, Joey Clinkscales, Dave Boller and Will Lewis. The XFL will begin hosting player presentations this summer. The regular season will open on February 18, 2023 under the exclusive broadcast agreement with ESPN and Disney.
Here are the full team organizations announced on Wednesday:
head coach: Reggie Barlow
Staff: From Hutchins
OK / RB: Fred Kaiss
direct current: Gregory Williams
head coach: Anton Becht
Staff: David Boeller
OK: Bruce Gradkowski
direct current: Nathaniel “Donnie” Abraham
head coach: Terrell Buckley
Staff: Larry Lee
OK: Robert Ford
direct current: Tony Carter
head coach: Jim Haslett
Staff: Randy Mueller
OK: June Jones
direct current: Ron Zook
head coach: Wat Phillips
Staff: Marc Lilibridge
OK: AJ Smith
direct current: Brian Stewart
head coach: Bob Stops
Staff: Rick Mueller
OK: Jonathan Hayes
direct current: Jay Hayes
head coach: Hines Ward
Staff: Will Lewis
OK: Jaime Elizondo
direct current: Jim Herrman
head coach: Rod Woodson
Staff: Joey Clinkscales
OK: TBA
direct current: TBA