Former BYU quarterback Tanner Mangum was spotted at the XFL summer showcase on June 8 in Houston, Texas.
Mangum received minicamp invitations from the Oakland Raiders and Detroit Lions after being passed on during the 2019 NFL draft. The BYU alumnus now sets his sights on the XFL as one of just a handful of quarterbacks to participate in the Houston XFL showcase.
The XFL was originally created in 2000, with current WWE CEO Vince McMahon heading many of the operations. Known as a hard-hitting league, it was originally a joint venture between the WWF and NBC. It was created for players that no longer played in college but were not signed to an NFL team. The one and only XFL season started soon after the NFL season in 2001 to shorten the football offseason for football viewers.
During its inaugural season, it was apparent that changes would need to be made to the XFL in order for the league to progress — changes that would help secure the integrity and safety of the game. Some of the details of the revamped 2020 XFL include:
- Players with criminal records or those who commit crimes while on an XFL roster will not be permitted to participate.
- Rosters will comprise 40 players, as opposed to the NFL’s 53-man roster.
- The league will comprise eight teams.
- The XFL will feature a 10-week regular season schedule and a four-team playoff.
Set to make its reunion tour in 2020, the XFL has been holding summer showcases for prospective players while also looking to hire team personnel to control communications, operations and other team-related duties. Each team will be owned by the league rather than by separate investors.
Commish feeling right at home in Houston. #XFLShowcase pic.twitter.com/XRsCOHeuDW
— XFL (@xfl2020) June 8, 2019
Oliver Luck, the current CEO and commissioner of the XFL, stated that around 800 players would participate in the summer showcase with roughly 300 players being signed to the XFL. There will be a draft that is set to take place on Sept. 2, just days after NFL rosters are finalized.
Players chosen in the draft are eligible to receive up to $200,000 in a season, much higher than that of a player in the AAF who was eligible to receive $250,000 over a three year period. In the NFL, the minimum contract that can be given to a player on a practice squad is $129,200, so there is a large upside to signing in the XFL if players are willing to shed their NFL team tag.
Eight cities have been chosen as homes to the XFL teams — Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Seattle, St. Louis, Tampa Bay and Washington, D.C.
