Twenty-six years after being released by the Calgary Stampers, Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson is looking at re-establishing his CFL ties.
Both the CFL and XFL revealed Wednesday they’re poised to begin serious discussions about a potential partnership. Neither side would say who initiated talks first, only that they’ve agreed to collaborating on ways to grow football.
Johnson, an actor and former pro wrestler, is a co-owner of the American-based XFL.
“It’s an exciting moment for us to really start talking about how do we collaborate,” CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie said. “That’s a great word and it’s at the heart of this.
“Where that leads we don’t know, but it’s going to be exciting. Sometimes we over-use the phrase world class but they are world-class people.”
Bigger challenge ahead
In a statement Wednesday, the XFL put its plans to return in the spring of 2022 on hold, “pending the outcome of our conversations with the CFL.”
The timing of the talks is curious, given the CFL has a bigger, more immediate challenge before it — resuming play in 2021 after being forced to cancel the ’20 campaign due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Look, we’re full speed ahead on our return-to-play plan for the 2021 CFL season,” Ambrosie said. “All of this is about what will happen in the future.
“So 2021 is our absolute focus and then you use this conversation we’re kicking off to talk about the future beyond 2021.”
It’s a fact not lost upon Hamilton Tiger-Cats owner Bob Young, whose city is scheduled to host this years Grey Cup.
“While there was some interesting news [Wednesday] from the Canadian Football League office, rest assured that our singular focus now is getting back on the field in 2021 and putting on the best Grey Cup in CFL history,” he said in a statement. “Our commitment to our fans is that we will accomplish both.”
Bringing the two together
Johnson purchased the XFL last year with business partner Dany Garcia and RedBird Capital for $15 million US. The expectation was it would resume play in the spring of 2022.
Johnson played football collegiately at Miami. The former defensive lineman aspired to play in the NFL but upon graduation in 1995 joined the Calgary Stampeders before being released from the practice roster.
Afterward, Johnson followed in the footsteps of his late Canadian-born father, Rocky and entered professional wrestling. He joined WWE in 1996, becoming The Rock, before embarking on a successful acting career.
Johnson was unavailable for comment Wednesday. But Garcia, Johnson’s ex-wife, said the CFL and XFL share similar values on and off the field.
“The wonderful thing [is] Dwayne’s personal experience is symptomatic of what lives in the CFL and we already seek those things out,” said Garcia, the XFL’s chairwoman. “I’d say everything aligned beautifully.
“If you’re looking at Dwayne and myself and the career we’ve built, it always has a global reach, community reach, an expansive entertainment media reach. This collaboration, this dialogue, fits right into that approach.”
On her Instagram account Wednesday, Garcia posted a picture of herself holding a cup of coffee beside a bookshelf that featured a CFL book and XFL football. Below, it said: “The perfect cup of coffee when you’re about to shake things up.”
Ambrosie, Garcia and XFL president/CEO Jeffrey Pollack were emphatic that nothing has been decided and all options will be examined. They also agreed that any talk of a merger involving the two leagues was very premature.
Like Ambrosie, Pollack said these talks are aimed at the future.
“This is about possibility and potential in a wonderful form,’ Pollack said. “That’s a nice place to start a conversation from.
“There’s still a lot to discuss and explore and learn about each other but we’re excited to be in these conversations and excited to see where it goes.”
Ambrosie said he planned to bring the CFL Players’ Association up to speed on the talks Wednesday.
“We want to make sure they know we’re just at the beginning of the beginning,” Ambrosie said. “But we do want the players to know that this discussion is happening and that it’s about growth.
“It’s about opportunity and it’s about entertainment and those things can benefit everybody.”
If the CFL and XFL look at how to play games together or against each other, there’ll be no shortage of challenges to overcome, given the many differences between the Canadian and American games. And there’d also be the question of if or how the CFL ratio (at least 21 Canadians on a roster, including a minimum of seven starters) would apply.
The CFL expanded into the U.S. between 1993-95, adding franchises in Baltimore, Las Vegas, Sacramento, Calif., Shreveport, La., Birmingham, Ala. and Memphis, Tenn. But the experiment — which included American clubs not requiring to have Canadians on their rosters — ended after the ’95 season with the Grey Cup-champion Baltimore Stallions relocating to Montreal.
Creating intrigue
Aligning with a huge star like Johnson would undoubtedly interest the CFL and its quest to appeal to a younger demographic. The last time it had such star power was in 1991 when Los Angeles Kings owner Bruce McNall, actor John Candy and hockey great Wayne Gretzky purchased the Toronto Argonauts, then signed Raghib (Rocket) Ismail en route to winning the Grey Cup that year.
But three years later, McNall, Gretzky and Candy’s estate sold the Argos to TSN and Labatt Breweries for $4.7 million.
“It’s less about why is this the time and more about where we both were at as we’re looking to grow and expand our league,” Garcia said. “Take advantage of entertainment properties, which communities, create an advantages for athletes and players in the game of gridiron football.
“It was a like-minded process of two leagues coming together to discuss.”
Not all CFL supporters shared that sentiment Wednesday. Many took to social media to voice their displeasure.
“I’m going to bet on optimism, I’m going to bet on all of those fans who we love that want to see us grow our game,” Ambrosie said. “They know that in our biggest markets we need to re-energize.
“I’m going to bet on the idea they’re going to see the passion Dany, Jeffrey and Dwayne and their partners at RedBird have for the CFL and what we represent. I’m just going to bet that the best of our fans is going to surface here and they’re going to say, ‘Great. The CFL is talking to these world-class operators who can help us realize the full potential of football in Canada.”‘
XFL history
The XFL has enjoyed a brief, troubled history.
It was first introduced in February 2000 by wrestling executive Vince McMahon and Dick Ebersol, then the chairman of NBC Sports, as a fun alternative to the NFL. But the league lasted only one year (2001).
McMahon resurrected the XFL in 2020 with eight teams. But it ceased operations after just five weeks of play due to the COVID-19 pandemic and filed for bankruptcy April 13.
The league has always had a CFL flavour to it. In 2001, longtime CFL head coach/GM Jim Barker was the offensive co-ordinator of the champion L.A. Xtreme, its roster featuring quarterback Scott Milanovich — who would become a head coach in the CFL with Toronto and Edmonton — and longtime punter Noel Prefontaine.
And in 2020, it had two former CFL head coaches with Tampa Bay’s Marc Trestman (Grey Cup champion head coach with Montreal and Toronto) and Houston’s June Jones (Hamilton).
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The Miami Dolphins will bring in another quarterback while starter Tua Tagovailoa deals with his latest concussion, coach Mike McDaniel said Friday.
For now, Skylar Thompson will be considered the Dolphins’ starter while Tagovailoa is sidelined. Tagovailoa left Thursday night’s 31-10 loss to Buffalo in the third quarter with the third known concussion of his NFL career, all of them coming in the last 24 months.
“The team and the organization are very confident in Skylar,” McDaniel said.
McDaniel said the team has not made any decision about whether to place Tagovailoa on injured reserve. Tagovailoa was expected at the team facility on Friday to start the process of being evaluated in earnest.
“We just have to operate in the unknown and be prepared for every situation,” McDaniel said, noting that the only opinions that will matter to the team will be the ones from Tagovailoa and the medical staff.
McDaniel added that he doesn’t see Tagovailoa playing in Miami’s next game at Seattle on Sept. 22.
“I have no idea and I’m not going to all of a sudden start making decisions that I don’t even see myself involved in the most important parts of,” McDaniel added. “All I’m telling Tua is everyone is counting on you to be a dad and be a dad this weekend. And then we’ll move from there. There won’t be any talk about where we’re going in that regard … none of that will happen without doctors’ expertise and the actual player.”
Tagovailoa was 17 for 25 passing for 145 yards, with one touchdown and three interceptions — one of which was returned for a Buffalo score — when he got hurt. Thompson completed eight of 14 passes for 80 yards.
Thompson said he feels “fully equipped” to run the Dolphins’ offense.
“What’s going to lie ahead, who knows, but man, I’m confident, though,” Thompson said after Thursday’s game. “I feel like I’m ready for whatever’s to come. I’m going to prepare and work hard and do everything I can to lead this team and do my job.”
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa sustained a concussion for the third time in his NFL career, leaving his team’s game Thursday night against Buffalo after running into defensive back Damar Hamlin and hitting the back of his head against the turf.
Tagovailoa remained down for about two minutes before getting to his feet and walking to the sideline after the play in the third quarter. He made his way to the tunnel not long afterward, looking into the stands before smiling and departing toward the locker room.
The Dolphins needed almost no time before announcing it was a concussion. The team said he had two during the 2022 season, and Tagovailoa was diagnosed with another concussion when he was a college player at Alabama.
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said Tagovailoa would get “proper procedural evaluation” and “appropriate care” on Friday.
“The furthest thing from my mind is, ‘What is the timeline?’ We just need to evaluate and just worry about my teammate, like the rest of the guys are,” McDaniel said. “We’ll get more information tomorrow and take it day by day from here.”
Some players saw Tagovailoa in the locker room after the game and said they were encouraged. Tagovailoa spoke with some players and then went home after the game, McDaniel said.
“I have a lot of love for Tua, built a great relationship with him,” said quarterback Skylar Thompson, who replaced Tagovailoa after the injury. “You care about the person more than the player and everybody in the organization would say the same thing. Just really praying for Tua and hopefully everything will come out all right.”
Tagovailoa signed a four-year, $212 million extension before this season — a deal that makes him one of the highest-paid players in the NFL — and was the NFL’s leading passer in Week 1 this season. Tagovailoa left with the Dolphins trailing 31-10, and that was the final score.
“If you know Tua outside of football, you can’t help but feel for him,” Bills quarterback Josh Allen said on Amazon following the game. “He’s a great football player but he’s an even greater human being. He’s one of the best humans on the planet. I’ve got a lot of love for him and I’m just praying for him and his family, hoping everything’s OK. But it’s tough, man. This game of football that we play, it’s got its highs and it’s got its lows — and this is one of the lows.”
Tagovailoa’s college years and first three NFL seasons were marred by injury, though he positioned himself for a big pay bump with an injury-free and productive 2023 as he led the Dolphins into the playoffs. He threw for 29 touchdowns and a league-best 4,624 yards last year.
When, or if, he can come back this season is anyone’s guess. Tagovailoa said in April 2023 that the concussions he had in the 2022 season left him contemplating his playing future. “I think I considered it for a time,” he said then, when asked if he considered stepping away from the game to protect himself.
McDaniel said it’s not his place to say if Tagovailoa should return to football. “He’ll be evaluated and we’ll have conversations and progress as appropriate,” McDaniel said.
Tagovailoa was hurt Thursday on a fourth-down keeper with about 4:30 left in the third. He went straight ahead into Hamlin and did not slide, leading with his right shoulder instead.
Hamlin was the player who suffered a cardiac arrest after making a tackle during a Monday night game in January 2023 at Cincinnati, causing the NFL to suspend a pivotal game that quickly lost significance in the aftermath of a scary scene that unfolded in front of a national television audience.
Tagovailoa wound up on his back, both his hands in the air and Bills players immediately pointed at him as if to suggest there was an injury. Dolphins center Aaron Brewer quickly did the same, waving to the sideline.
Tagovailoa appeared to be making a fist with his right hand as he lay on the ground. It was movement consistent with something that is referred to as the “fencing response,” which can be common after a traumatic brain injury.
Tagovailoa eventually got to his feet. McDaniel grabbed the side of his quarterback’s head and gave him a kiss on the cheek as Tagovailoa departed. Thompson came into the game to take Tagovailoa’s spot.
“I love Tua on and off the football field,” Bills edge Von Miller said. “I’m a huge fan of him. I can empathize and sympathize with him because I’ve been there. I wish him the best.”
Tagovailoa’s history with concussions — and how he has since worked to avoid them — is a huge part of the story of his career, and now comes to the forefront once again.
He had at least two concussions during the 2022 season. He was hurt in a Week 3 game against Buffalo and cleared concussion protocol, though he appeared disoriented on that play but returned to the game.
The NFL later changed its concussion protocol to mandate that if a player shows possible concussion symptoms — including a lack of balance or stability — he must sit out the rest of the game.
Less than a week later, in a Thursday night game at Cincinnati, Tagovailoa was concussed on a scary hit that briefly knocked him unconscious and led to him being taken off the field on a stretcher.
His second known concussion of that season came in a December game against Green Bay, and he didn’t play for the rest of the 2022 season. After that, Tagovailoa began studying ways where he may be able to fall more safely and protect himself against further injury — including studying jiu-jitsu.
“I’m not worried about anything that’s out of my hands,” McDaniel said. “I’m just worried about the human being.”
TORSBY, Sweden (AP) — David Beckham and former England coach Roy Hodgson were among the soccer dignitaries who attended the funeral of Sven-Goran Eriksson on Friday in the Swedish manager’s small hometown of Torsby.
Eriksson’s wooden coffin was covered in white flowers and surrounded by six tall candles and other floral wreaths as the ceremony began inside the 600-seat Fryksande church.
“It is a day of grief but also a day of thankfulness,” the priest, Ingela Älvskog, told those in attendance.
Beckham, who arrived by private jet on Thursday, greeted Eriksson’s 95-year-old father Sven and other family members with hugs inside the church before the funeral started.
Eriksson became England’s first foreign-born coach when he led the national team from 2001-06, and made Beckham his captain.
Eriksson, who also won trophies at club level in Italy, Portugal and Sweden, died on Aug. 26 at the age of 76, eight months after he revealed he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and had at most one year to live.
Some 200 seats in the neo-Gothic church from 1898 were reserved for his family, friends and players from his career in the football world, according to his agent. The remaining seats were open for the public, according to Eriksson’s wish, with a big screen set up outside the church where hundreds more gathered to watch the ceremony. The funeral was also broadcast live on some Swedish media websites.
The wooden coffin was wheeled in by pallbearers at the church Friday morning as fog wrapped Torsby — a town of about 4,000 people located about 310 kilometers (193 miles) west of Stockholm. Next to the casket was a photo of Eriksson on a small table. The floral wreaths included ones sent by FIFA and Lazio, the Italian team that Eriksson led to the Serie A title in 2000.
The ceremony began with somber piano and organ music, but later took on a more upbeat note with Swedish singer Charlotta Birgersson performing Elton John’s song “Candle In The Wind” and then “My Way” in a duet with Johan Birgersson, who later intoned the popular Italian song “Volare” after the family had gathered around the casket to lay flowers.
Beckham also visited Eriksson in Sweden in June to say goodbye. Others attending the funeral included the Swedish coach’s longtime partner Nancy Dell’Olio. Eriksson’s agent had said that guests from England, Italy and Spain were expected.
After the funeral, the casket was carried out of the church by eight men to the hearse. The guests then walked in a procession accompanying the coffin to a nearby museum where speeches and eulogies to the coach fondly known as “Svennis” were planned on an outdoor stage. A brass band played during the procession through Torsby, including the tune “You never walk alone” from the musical “Carousel” which has become the anthem of Liverpool, the club Eriksson supported since childhood.
The local soccer club Torsby IF, where Eriksson started his career in the 1960s, wrote on its webpage that “you also showed your greatness by always being yourself, the caring Svennis who talked to everyone and took the time, for big and small, asking how things were and how the football was going. We will miss you.”
