Former NFL head coach and longtime defensive coordinator Gregg Williams heads the XFL’s first batch of assistant coach hires, the league announced Wednesday.
Williams will serve as the defensive coordinator for head coach Reggie Barlow’s team. Williams, a former head coach of the Buffalo Bills and Cleveland Browns who served a one-year suspension in 2012 for his role in the New Orleans Saints‘ Bountygate scandal, last coached with the New York Jets in 2020.
The XFL has not yet announced team names as it continues to work through negotiations with local markets. It has hired seven defensive coordinators and seven offensive coordinators, with two hires left to make for 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 coaching staffs include former college head coach and NFL assistant Ron Zook, former NFL quarterback Bruce Gradkowski, longtime NFL defensive coordinator Brian Stewart and Hayes’ brother, Jay.
Also included in Wednesday’s announcement were directors of player personnel for each team. Under the XFL structure, those directors will collaborate with head coaches on final team personnel decisions. Coaches will have the final say on game-day rosters.
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 showcases this summer. Its regular season will open Feb. 18, 2023, as part of its exclusive broadcast agreement with ESPN and Disney.
Here are the full team organizations announced Wednesday:
Head coach: Reggie Barlow
Personnel: Von Hutchins
OC / RB: Fred Kaiss
DC: Gregg Williams
Head coach: Anthony Becht
Personnel: Dave Boller
OC: Bruce Gradkowski
DC: Nathaniel “Donnie” Abraham
Head coach: Terrell Buckley
Personnel: Larry Lee
OC: Robert Ford
DC: Tony Carter
Head coach: Jim Haslett
Personnel: Randy Mueller
OC: June Jones
DC: Ron Zook
Head coach: Wade Phillips
Personnel: Marc Lillibridge
OC: AJ Smith
DC: Brian Stewart
Head coach: Bob Stoops
Personnel: Rick Mueller
OC: Jonathan Hayes
DC: Jay Hayes
Head coach: Hines Ward
Personnel: Will Lewis
OC: Jaime Elizondo
DC: Jim Herrmann
Head coach: Rod Woodson
Personnel: Joey Clinkscales
OC: TBA
DC: TBA
