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Jack Coan is heading to the XFL.
The signal caller from Sayville will be part of the rebooted professional league that was purchased by a group of investors who include A-list actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, a former college football player at the University of Miami (1990-94).
Coan was picked by the San Antonio Brahmas on Thursday during the league’s two-day draft. The XFL selected over 440 players for its reboot season that will take place this February for a 10-week season.
The Brahmas are one of the eight teams that will participate this year.
For the uninitiated, the XFL was originally founded by WWE executive Vince McMahon in 2001, where it ran for one season as an over-the-top version of pro football. McMahon reimagined the league in 2018 to focus on playing football over the theatrics; its official relaunch season was 2020. However, the season only lasted five weeks before the pandemic shut down operations.
Johnson and his team swooped in a few months later to purchase the league that fell into bankruptcy. He said one of the league’s purposes is to help give players another shot at playing professional football.
“This is the fundamental core reason I wanted to acquire the XFL,” said the mega-movie star. “Create the opportunity for players to live their dreams and take care of their families.”
Coan fits that mold.
Following his transfer from Wisconsin, the 2017 Sayville High School graduate helped lead Notre Dame to an 11-2 record in 2021 and a berth in the Fiesta Bowl. From his college play, some football analysts believed Coan would get drafted in the mid-to-later rounds of the 2022 NFL Draft.
The call never came.
He would go on to sign an undrafted free-agent deal with the Indianapolis Colts, but would not make the team’s final roster cuts or practice team. During the pre-season, he shined in a matchup against Detroit, tossing a last-minute touchdown pass to fellow rookie Samson Nacua to bring the Colts within one point of the Lions.
He would go on to receive tryouts with two more NFL teams, the Seattle Seahawks and Las Vegas Raiders, but nothing materialized.
The competition to find a roster spot will continue in the XFL. He was picked by a team that has three other quarterbacks on the roster in Jawon Pass, Anthony Russo, and Reid Sinnett.
Here’s a little on his competition:
- Jawon Pass, a Louisville transfer, played his senior year at Prairie View A&M where he threw for 2,672 yards, 16 touchdowns with 12 interceptions. Pass also added 271 rushing yards and four scores from the ground. His play led his team to his league’s conference tournament but lost 27-10 to Jackson State.
- Anthony Russo played at Temple for two seasons before joining Michigan State for his final year. While he never earned the starting job at MSU, his career college stats include tossing 6,330 yards, 44 touchdowns with 32 interceptions.
- Reid Sinnett is the most accomplished pro QB of the group. After going undrafted in 2020, he would bounce around the NFL. Over three seasons, he played with four teams, mostly on their practice teams. He most recently spent time with the Miami Dolphins; he was cut by the team in November. In college, he totaled 3,844 passing yards, 33 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.
Here are Coan’s college stats:
- Jack Coan spent four years with Wisconsin before transferring to Notre Dame his final season. His total college stats include throwing 6,428 yards, 48 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. With the Fighting Irish, he broke the Fiesta Bowl passing record, tossing 509 yards in a 37-35 loss to Oklahoma State.
These QBs will go head-to-head for the starting gig when training camp kicks off on Jan. 4.
Check back with greaterlongisland.com for updates on Coan’s football career.
Related coverage
Top: Indianapolis Colts quarterback Jack Coan looks to the sideline during the second half of a preseason NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills in Orchard Park, N.Y., Saturday, Aug. 13, 2022. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
