XFL to NFL Halfway Point of 2023 NFL Season
November 8, 2023 - XFL (XFL) News Release
With the National Football League season at its midpoint, XFL alumni have made significant impacts with a number of teams.
Below is a look at four XFL alumni from this past season who have made their marks on NFL rosters so far this season.
Daniel Whelan, D.C. Defenders - Green Bay Packers
Whelan won the Green Bay Packers' starting punter job out of training camp and the NFL rookie has done a great job in the role so far this season.
A native of Ireland, Whelan has punted the ball 33 times for 1580 yards, which equates to an average of 47.8 yards per punt. In three of his last five games, he has had a punting average of 51.7 yards or better. He has seven punts inside the 20-yard line and has forced 12 fair catches.
"A lot of people told me not to do the XFL because it's not gonna do anything for me," Whelan said in an XFL to NFL Conversation. "But you get paid. You get viewership. You get your name out there. You get to play football and meet new people. Probably one of the greatest experiences I've had, honestly. I had so much fun."
LaCale London, St. Louis Battlehawks - Atlanta Falcons
London started the season on the Atlanta Falcons practice squad before getting promoted to the active roster ahead of Week 8.
The move came after two impressive games in Week 6 and Week 7 when he was elevated from the practice squad. Against the Washington Commanders, he only played 10 snaps but he then played 32 snaps versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. London notched three tackles and recovered a fumble against Tampa Bay.
Unfortunately, London was placed on injured reserve Wednesday after three games. The exact nature of the knee injury isn't fully known, but London will miss at least four weeks.
"He's got a great chance to return," Falcons head coach Arthur Smith said Nov. 1.
Brad Wing, San Antonio Brahmas - Pittsburgh Steelers
Nearly a decade ago, Wing was the starting punter for the Pittsburgh Steelers. But Wing returned to the franchise this season for a two-game stint when Pressley Harvin III was out with a hamstring injury.
Wing punted in Week 4 against the Houston Texans and Week 5 versus the Baltimore Ravens. He had his work cut out for him in both games, totaling 11 punts for 495 yards with three downed inside the 20.
The Week 4 game in Houston was the first time Wing played in an NFL game since 2017.
"It's just surreal," Wing said of being back in Pittsburgh. "I love this place. I've always loved this place even when I went to play elsewhere. This is a special place."
A.J. McCarron, St. Louis Battlehawks - Cincinnati Bengals
Much like Wing, McCarron made a grand return to an old home this season when the Cincinnati Bengals signed him to their practice squad in September.
McCarron was originally a fifth-round pick of the Bengals in the 2014 NFL Draft and played four seasons with the franchise. His best run with the team came in 2015 when he replaced an injured Andy Dalton for the final games of the season. McCarron nearly led Cincinnati to a playoff win, but the Bengals fell to Pittsburgh.
The 33-year-old McCarron has not been activated off the practice squad. But he is enjoying the chance to be with an NFL franchise once again.
McCarron has previously played for Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan and quarterbacks coach Dan Pitcher. While he feels his previous relationships with them helped him get the opportunity, McCarron also believes his time in the XFL played a big role too.
"Being able to throw and show that I've played at a high level in the spring, that I can still play at a high level, play well and distribute the ball around," McCarron said after he was signed. "I'd like to think that has something to do with it."
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