# 2024 DC Defenders season

The 2024 DC Defenders season was the third season for the DC Defenders as a professional American football franchise and their first as a member of the United Football League (UFL). The Defenders played their home games at Audi Field and were led by head coach Reggie Barlow.
Following an upset loss to the Arlington Renegades in the 2023 XFL Championship, the franchise looked to return the playoffs. However, the team would be troubled with injuries to key players and poor defensive play. This resulted in the team going on a poor 3-3 start by Week 6 in which they would never recover. They were officially eliminated from playoff contention following a Week 8 loss to the St. Louis Battlehawks.

## Signees to the NFL

| Player | Position | Date | NFL team |
| Daniel Whelan | P | May 17 | Green Bay Packers |
| Ferrod Gardner | LB | May 22 | Washington Commanders |
| Lucky Jackson | WR | May 23 | Minnesota Vikings |
| Brandon Smith | WR | June 12 | Arizona Cardinals |
| Chris Blair | WR | June 16 | Atlanta Falcons |
| Liam Fornadel | OG | June 18 | New England Patriots |

## Schedule

All times Eastern
| Week | Day | Date | Kickoff | TV | Opponent | Results | Results | Location | Attendance |
| Week | Day | Date | Kickoff | TV | Opponent | Score | Record | Location | Attendance |
| 1 | Sunday | March 31 | 12:00 p.m. | ESPN | at San Antonio Brahmas | 12–27 | 0–1 | Alamodome | 13,164 |
| 2 | Sunday | April 7 | 4:00 p.m. | Fox | Houston Roughnecks | 23–18 | 1–1 | Audi Field | 15,052 |
| 3 | Saturday | April 13 | 1:00 p.m. | ESPN | at Arlington Renegades | 29–28 | 2–1 | Choctaw Stadium | 8,411 |
| 4 | Saturday | April 20 | 7:00 p.m. | Fox | at Birmingham Stallions | 18–20 | 2–2 | Protective Stadium | 7,262 |
| 5 | Sunday | April 28 | 12:00 p.m. | ESPN | St. Louis Battlehawks | 12–45 | 2–3 | Audi Field | 16,058 |
| 6 | Sunday | May 5 | 4:00 p.m. | Fox | San Antonio Brahmas | 18–12 | 3–3 | Audi Field | 14,303 |
| 7 | Sunday | May 12 | 12:00 p.m. | ESPN | Michigan Panthers | 9–22 | 3–4 | Audi Field | 12,222 |
| 8 | Sunday | May 19 | 12:00 p.m. | ABC | at St. Louis Battlehawks | 21–26 | 3–5 | The Dome at America's Center | 32,403 |
| 9 | Sunday | May 26 | 2:30 p.m. | Fox | at Memphis Showboats | 36–21 | 4–5 | Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium | 6,387 |
| 10 | Sunday | June 2 | 12:00 p.m. | ABC | Arlington Renegades | 31–32 | 4–6 | Audi Field | 13,080 |

## Game summaries
### Week 1: at San Antonio Brahmas

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Defenders | 3 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 12 |
| Brahmas | 7 | 13 | 0 | 7 | 27 |
at Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas
* Date: March 31
* Game time: 12:00 p.m. EDT/11:00 a.m. CDT
* Game weather: None (Indoor stadium)
* Game attendance: 13,164
* Referee: Bryan Banks
* TV announcers (ESPN): Mike Monaco, Sam Acho, Cole Cubelic and Stormy Buonantony
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
SA – Anthony McFarland Jr. 28-yard pass from Chase Garbers (John Lovett one-point run), 9:08. Brahmas 7–0. Drive: 11 plays, 60 yards, 5:52.
DC – Matt McCrane 50-yard field goal, 0:22. Brahmas 7–3. Drive: 7 plays, 19 yards, 3:06.
Second quarter
SA – Jontre Kirklin 4-yard pass from Chase Garbers (Chase Garbers-Justin Smith one-point pass), 11:21. Brahmas 14–3. Drive: 8 plays, 54 yards, 4:01.
DC – Matt McCrane 34-yard field goal, 6:16. Brahmas 14–6. Drive: 9 plays, 42 yards, 5:05.
DC – Matt McCrane 48-yard field goal, 2:00. Brahmas 14–9. Drive: 6 plays, 11 yards, 3:23.
SA – Alex Mollette 40-yard pass from Brad Wing (two-point pass failed), 0:03. Brahmas 20–9. Drive: 7 plays, 70 yards, 1:57.
Third quarter
DC – Matt McCrane 28-yard field goal, 2:54. Brahmas 20–12. Drive: 10 plays, 47 yards, 5:39.
Fourth quarter
SA – Chase Garbers 5-yard run (John Lovett one-point run), 7:16. Brahmas 27–12. Drive: 3 plays, 6 yards, 1:29.
Top passers
DC – Jordan Ta'amu – 25/45, 235 yards, INT
SA – Chase Garbers – 19/25, 158 yards, 2 TD
Top rushers
DC – Cam'Ron Harris – 8 rushes, 21 yards
SA – Anthony McFarland Jr. – 9 rushes, 47 yards
Top receivers
DC – Ty Scott – 4 receptions, 87 yards
SA – Jontre Kirklin – 8 receptions, 61 yards, TD :

## Standings

2024 UFL standingsvte :
| USFL Conference |||||||||||||||
| Team | W | L | PCT | GB | TD+/- | TD+ | TD- | DIV | PF | PA | DIFF | STK |
| (y) Birmingham Stallions | 9 | 1 | .900 | - | 11 | 31 | 20 | 6–0 | 265 | 180 | 85 | W1 |
| (x) Michigan Panthers | 7 | 3 | .700 | 2 | 5 | 27 | 22 | 4–2 | 228 | 189 | 39 | L1 |
| (e) Memphis Showboats | 2 | 8 | .200 | 7 | -19 | 20 | 39 | 2–4 | 188 | 290 | -102 | W1 |
| (e) Houston Roughnecks | 1 | 9 | .100 | 8 | -12 | 17 | 29 | 0–6 | 158 | 233 | -75 | L6 |
| XFL Conference |||||||||||||||
| Team | W | L | PCT | GB | TD+/- | TD+ | TD- | DIV | PF | PA | DIFF | STK |
| (y) St. Louis Battlehawks | 7 | 3 | .700 | - | 7 | 31 | 24 | 5–1 | 260 | 202 | 58 | W1 |
| (x) San Antonio Brahmas | 7 | 3 | .700 | - | 12 | 24 | 12 | 3–3 | 192 | 153 | 39 | L1 |
| (e) DC Defenders | 4 | 6 | .400 | 3 | -2 | 24 | 26 | 2–4 | 209 | 251 | -42 | L1 |
| (e) Arlington Renegades | 3 | 7 | .300 | 4 | -2 | 26 | 28 | 2–4 | 247 | 249 | -2 | W2 |
| (x)–clinched playoff berth; (y)–clinched division; (e)–eliminated from playoff contention |||||||||||||

## Staff

The 2024 coaching staff was announced on February 21, 2024.
Offensive Line coach Russ Ehrenfeld was replaced by Sean Kugler Week 6.