The 2023 Seattle Sea Dragons season was the second season for the Seattle Sea Dragons as a professional American football franchise. They played as charter members of the XFL, one of eight teams to compete in the league for the 2023 season. The Sea Dragons played their home games at the Lumen Field and were led by head coach Jim Haslett.[1][2]
2023 Seattle Sea Dragons season | |
---|---|
Owner | Alpha Acquico, LLC |
General manager | Jim Haslett |
Head coach | Jim Haslett |
Home field | Lumen Field |
Results | |
Record | 7–3 |
Division place | 2nd XFL North |
Playoff finish | Lost Division Finals (at DC Defenders) 21–37 |
The Sea Dragons had changed their franchise name from Seattle Dragons to Seattle Sea Dragons prior to the 2023 season.[2]
Earning their first playoff berth and clinching second place in the North Division, the Sea Dragons were eliminated by the DC Defenders in the North Division title game in the playoffs.[3]
On January 1, 2024, it was announced that the 2023 season was the last season for the Sea Dragons.[4]
Final Roster edit
Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
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Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen
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Linebackers
Defensive backs
Special teams
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Reserve lists
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* Defensive end Chris Smith died on April 17, 2023, eight days after he played in an XFL game against the D.C. Defenders.[5][6]
Background edit
The 2020 season was the inaugural season for the Seattle Dragons as a professional club. They were playing as charter members of the rebooted XFL, one of eight teams to compete in the league for the season. The Dragons played their home games at CenturyLink Field and were led by head coach Jim Zorn.
Their inaugural season was cut short after 5 weeks due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the XFL suspended operations for the remainder of the season on March 20, 2020. The Dragons finished the season with a 1–4 record.
Schedule edit
All times Pacific
Week | Day | Date | Kickoff | TV | Opponent | Results | Location | Attendance | |
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Score | Record | ||||||||
1 | Sunday | February 19 | 5:00 p.m. | ESPN | at DC Defenders | 18–22 | 0–1 | Audi Field | 12,438 |
2 | Thursday | February 23 | 6:00 p.m. | FX | St. Louis BattleHawks | 18–20 | 0–2 | Lumen Field | 10,386 |
3 | Saturday | March 4 | 4:00 p.m. | FX | at Vegas Vipers | 30–26 | 1–2 | Cashman Field | 6,037 |
4 | Saturday | March 11 | 7:00 p.m. | FX | San Antonio Brahmas | 15–6 | 2–2 | Lumen Field | 15,103 |
5 | Thursday | March 16 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN | Houston Roughnecks | 21–14 | 3–2 | Lumen Field | 9,231 |
6 | Saturday | March 25 | 10:00 a.m. | ABC | at Orlando Guardians | 26–19 | 4–2 | Camping World Stadium | 7,832 |
7 | Friday | March 31 | 4:00 p.m. | FX | at Arlington Renegades | 24–15 | 5–2 | Choctaw Stadium | 11,032 |
8 | Sunday | April 9 | 4:00 p.m. | ESPN2 | DC Defenders | 33–34 | 5–3 | Lumen Field | 11,874 |
9 | Sunday | April 16 | 12:00 p.m. | ESPN | at St. Louis BattleHawks | 30–12 | 6–3 | The Dome at America's Center | 33,142 |
10 | Sunday | April 23 | 4:00 p.m. | ESPN2 | Vegas Vipers | 28–9 | 7–3 | Lumen Field | 15,046 |
Game summaries edit
Week 1: at DC Defenders edit
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sea Dragons | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 18 |
Defenders | 0 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 22 |
- Date: February 19
- Game time: 5:00 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: 56 °F (13 °C)
- Game attendance: 12,438
- Referee: Jeff Heaser
- TV announcers (ESPN): John Schriffen, Tom Luginbill, and Stormy Buonantony
- [1]
Game information | ||
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Week 2: vs. St. Louis BattleHawks edit
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
BattleHawks | 0 | 8 | 3 | 9 | 20 |
Sea Dragons | 3 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 18 |
Game information | ||
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Week 3: at Vegas Vipers edit
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sea Dragons | 6 | 3 | 6 | 15 | 30 |
Vipers | 6 | 3 | 11 | 6 | 26 |
at Cashman Field, Las Vegas, Nevada
- Date: March 4
- Game time: 4:00 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: 64 °F (18 °C)
- Game attendance: 6,037
- Referee: Reggie Smith
- TV announcers (FX): Matt Barrie, Joey Galloway, and Tiffany Blackmon
- [3]
Game information | ||
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Week 4: vs. San Antonio Brahmas edit
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Brahmas | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
Sea Dragons | 0 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 15 |
Game information | ||
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Week 5: vs. Houston Roughnecks edit
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Roughnecks | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 14 |
Sea Dragons | 6 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 21 |
Game information | ||
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Week 6: at Orlando Guardians edit
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sea Dragons | 3 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 26 |
Guardians | 0 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 19 |
at Camping World Stadium, Orlando, Florida
- Date: March 25
- Game time: 10:00 a.m. PDT
- Game weather: 83 °F (28 °C)
- Game attendance: 7,832
- Referee: Francisco Villar
- TV announcers (ABC): Roy Philpott, Joey Galloway, and Tiffany Blackmon
- [6]
Game information | ||
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Week 7: at Arlington Renegades edit
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sea Dragons | 3 | 18 | 0 | 3 | 24 |
Renegades | 3 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 15 |
at Choctaw Stadium, Arlington, Texas
- Date: March 31
- Game time: 4:00 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: 81 °F (27 °C)
- Game attendance: 11,032
- Referee: Mike Vandervelde
- TV announcers (FX): Roy Philpott, Joey Galloway, and Tiffany Blackmon
- [7]
Game information | ||
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Week 8: vs. DC Defenders edit
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Defenders | 8 | 8 | 6 | 12 | 34 |
Sea Dragons | 0 | 6 | 9 | 18 | 33 |
at Lumen Field, Seattle, Washington
- Date: April 9
- Game time: 4:00 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: 58 °F (14 °C)
- Game attendance: 11,874
- Referee: Jason Autrey
- TV announcers (ESPN2): Roy Philpott, Eric Mac Lain, Tiffany Blackmon
- [8]
Game information | ||
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Week 9: at St. Louis BattleHawks edit
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sea Dragons | 8 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 30 |
BattleHawks | 3 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 12 |
at The Dome at America's Center, St. Louis, Missouri
- Date: April 16
- Game time: 12:00 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: 47 °F (8 °C)
- Referee: Reggie Smith
- TV announcers (ESPN): Matt Barrie, Eric Mac Lain, and Tiffany Blackmon
- [9]
Game information | ||
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Week 10: vs. Vegas Vipers edit
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Vipers | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 9 |
Sea Dragons | 0 | 6 | 14 | 8 | 28 |
at Lumen Field, Seattle, Washington
- Date: April 23
- Game time: 4:00 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: 53 °F (12 °C)
- Game attendance: 15,046
- Referee: Jeff Heaser
- TV announcers (ESPN2): John Schriffen, Tom Luginbill, and Stormy Buonantony
- [10]
Game information | ||
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Standings edit
North Division[8] | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Team | W | L | PCT | GB | TD+/- | TD+ | TD- | DIV | PF | PA | DIFF | STK | ||
(y) DC Defenders | 9 | 1 | .900 | 0 | -2 | 33 | 35 | 6–0 | 298 | 240 | 58 | W3 | ||
(x) Seattle Sea Dragons | 7 | 3 | .700 | 2 | +10 | 30 | 20 | 3–3 | 243 | 177 | 66 | W2 | ||
(e) St. Louis Battlehawks | 7 | 3 | .700 | 2 | +9 | 32 | 23 | 3–3 | 249 | 202 | 47 | W1 | ||
(e) Vegas Vipers | 2 | 8 | .200 | 7 | 0 | 28 | 28 | 0–6 | 184 | 252 | -68 | L3 | ||
South Division[8] | ||||||||||||||
Team | W | L | PCT | GB | TD+/- | TD+ | TD- | DIV | PF | PA | DIFF | STK | ||
(y) Houston Roughnecks | 7 | 3 | .700 | 0 | +4 | 30 | 26 | 6–0 | 247 | 182 | 65 | W3 | ||
(x) Arlington Renegades | 4 | 6 | .400 | 3 | -8 | 15 | 23 | 3–3 | 146 | 194 | -48 | L2 | ||
(e) San Antonio Brahmas | 3 | 7 | .300 | 4 | -8 | 16 | 24 | 3–3 | 169 | 183 | -14 | L1 | ||
(e) Orlando Guardians | 1 | 9 | .100 | 6 | -5 | 32 | 37 | 0–6 | 204 | 310 | -106 | L3 | ||
(x)–clinched playoff berth; (y)–clinched division; (e)–eliminated from playoff contention |
Postseason edit
Schedule edit
Week | Day | Date | Kickoff | TV | Opponent | Results | Location | Attendance | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Score | Record | ||||||||
Division Finals | Sunday | April 30 | 12:00 p.m. | ESPN | at DC Defenders | 21–37 | 0–1 | Audi Field | 18,684 |
Game summaries edit
XFL North Division Finals: at (1) DC Defenders edit
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sea Dragons | 3 | 6 | 0 | 12 | 21 |
Defenders | 9 | 0 | 14 | 14 | 37 |
- Date: May 5
- Game time: 12:00 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: 61 °F (16 °C)
- Game attendance: 18,684
- Referee: Reggie Smith
- TV announcers (ESPN): Tom Hart, Greg McElroy, Cole Cubelic and Katie George
- [11]
Game information | ||
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Staff edit
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References edit
- ^ "Seattle Sea Dragons: XFL unveils team names and logos". KCPQ. October 31, 2022. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
- ^ a b Lantz, Shane (October 31, 2022). "Seattle's XFL team has a new name but familiar roots". The Seattle Times. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
- ^ "Sea Dragons see season end in XFL North Division title game". The Seattle Times. April 30, 2023. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
- ^ "Seattle Sea Dragons axed in XFL merger with USFL". KIRO-TV. January 1, 2024. Retrieved January 1, 2024.
- ^ "Chris Smith dies at 31: Former NFL player passes away just one week after playing in XFL game". CBS sports. 18 April 2023.
- ^ "Seattle Sea Dragons Defensive End Chris Smith Dead At 31-Years-Old". XFL news hub. 19 April 2023.
- ^ Hanson, Scott (January 5, 2023). "Check out Seattle Sea Dragons' 2023 XFL schedule". The Seattle Times. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
- ^ a b "XFL Standings". XFL.com. February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 21, 2023.