The 2020 The Spring League Fall season was the first Fall season, and the fifth overall in league history, which was played in San Antonio, Texas. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the league conducted the season in a Bio-secure bubble.
The Spring League (TSL) began its fall season on Oct 27 with six teams competing in a 12-game format over four weeks in a bubble environment, based out of the San Antonio Alamodome. The concept was first conceived as a partnership with Canadian Football League (CFL) for proposed September return in abbreviated season. Fox Sports 1 aired games on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The league stated that this time the players did not pay to attend, but Spring League CEO Brian Woods later explained that some players did pay, while select others did not.
In November 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, TSL announced that the league would be cancelling the final week of the season. The top two teams met in the final on December 15, at the Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida. The Generals beat the Aviators 37–14, and won the first TSL championship.
Teams All six teams had brands and names, including the returning Generals (originally from Austin), Aviators (re-branded from Las Vegas Hughes), and four new teams the Blues (modified from the FXFL Blacktips), Alphas (a wolf motif), Conquerors and Jousters.
TeamColorsOriginal locationFirst yearHead coachAlphas N/A2020 Steve FairchildAviators Las Vegas 2020 Terry SheaConquerors N/A 2020Jerry GlanvilleBlues N/A2020 Ted CottrellGenerals Austin 2019Bart AndrusJousters N/A 2020Chuck Bresnahan
Coaches All of the league teams were coached by coaches with vast experience in college or minor leagues and all, except Chuck Bresnahan, had head coaching experience, while all apart from Steve Fairchild were involved in the United Football League during its four-year existence: Steve Fairchild* (Alphas) Terry Shea* (Aviators) Ted Cottrell (Blues) Jerry Glanville (Conquerors) Bart Andrus* (Generals) Chuck Bresnahan (Jousters) Returning coach from previous seasons
Some of the more recognizable assistants were June Jones (Conquerors) who was later replaced by Kevin Gilbride, Mike Singletary and Jeff Reinbold (Generals), Art Valero and Drew Tate (Alphas), Robert Ford (Jousters) and Eric Hicks (Aviators).
Players With the cancellation of the XFL 2021 season and the CFL not playing in 2020, the Spring League featured more recognizable names from years past. Some of the bigger names were NFL veteran QB Zach Mettenberger (Generals), the CFL's 2019 passing touchdowns leader McLeod Bethel-Thompson (Aviators), former Ohio State Buckeyes QB J. T. Barrett (Alphas) and 2018 TSL MVP Bryan Scott (Generals). After the second week the Conquerors added 2020 NFL draft pick and former Hawaii QB Cole McDonald, while former North Texas QB Devlin Isadore was the first TSL to be traded when he joined Aviators after playing for the Alphas. The league also featured players from smaller schools that didn't get an NFL opportunity after the NFL draft with the cancellation of the preseason and mini-camps.
Games Week Date Team Score Opponent Score Site Notes TV Refs Stats Week 1 October 27 Alphas 0 Blues 19 Alamodome Aviators 28 Jousters 0 Conquerors 19 Generals 33 FS1 Week 2 November 4 Blues 17 Aviators 23* Alphas 22 Conquerors 17 November 5 Generals 18 Jousters 15 Week 3 November 10 Conquerors 42 Aviators 19 Originally scheduled for November 11 FS1 November 11 Jousters 0 Alphas 2 Forfeited(Originally scheduled for November 10 broadcast on FS1) Blues 28 Generals 42 FS1 Week 4 November 17 Jousters - Conquerors - Bob Benson '66' Stadium Cancelled Alphas - Blues - FS1 Aviators - Generals - Final December 15 Generals 37 Aviators 14 Camping World Stadium Championship Game Overtime
Standings Spring League Fall 2020 Team Generals 3 0 1.000 93 62 Aviators 2 1 .666 70 59 Alphas 2 1 .666 22 36 Conquerors 1 2 .500 78 74 Blues 1 2 .333 64 65 Jousters 0 3 .000 15 46
Controversy Before the week 3 games, rumors started to arise that the coaches discussed boycotting after not getting paid for their work, and agents of players had also come forward with allegations that in the past the Spring League failed to cover lodging costs as promised. The league's CEO Brian Woods would later argue that "the payroll system had to verify checking accounts before issuing the direct deposits, which delayed the payments".
After week 3, Bresnahan stepped down as head coach of the Jousters because of a miscommunication with the league resulting from an outbreak of COVID-19 in the team. The Jousters had several unspecified players test positive, resulting in a forfeited game against the Alphas,https://www.facebook.com/thespringleague/photos/a.2313705772241192/2844701899141574 and cancellation of the scheduled broadcast. Offensive assistant Robert Ford was supposed to take over the head-coach duties, but as some of the other coaches had to leave as they were considered at high-risk, the Jousters final game was cancelled, making them the only team whose games were not broadcast.
Before week 4, Jousters player Cory Johnson released a YouTube video accusing Woods (referred to as "the league owner") of mistreating Johnson's teammates (no insurance for players, no trainers on staff, and no guarantee that players who had paid to be there get a fair look), disregarding COVID-19 protocols and threatening to prevent them from getting use of or access to personal game film. Other players complained of poor meals and having to pay for treatment, parking and hotel rooms. Furthermore, according to several players accounts, they paid to play in the league but instead just participate in three-day "showcase" and were sent home. Following these reports, the league announced that the remaining scheduled games were to be cancelled due to new positive COVID-19 test results and all players were sent home immediately.
Brian Woods later rejected most complaints and said that the players did not stay at the hotel and are responsible for the COVID-19 outbreak. He stated that the sick players had an option to stay at the hotel if they wanted to. Woods stated he planned to go ahead with the Championship Game on a later date.
Signees to professional leagues After the TSL season some of the players signed or received opportunities with National Football League (NFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL) teams. Additionally, all participating players were invited to Fan Controlled Football tryouts for free.
NFL Player Position TSL team NFL teamRef. Cole McDonald QB Conquerors Arizona Cardinals Lirim Hajrullahu K Generals Carolina Panthers Bug Howard TE Alphas Jacksonville Jaguars Brian Khoury LS Aviators Baltimore Ravens Matthew Sexton WR/KR Aviators Pittsburgh Steelers Bryan Scott QB Generals Indianapolis Colts* Jordan Suell WR Generals New England Patriots* Sal Cannella TE Generals Indianapolis Colts*
CFL Player Position TSL team CFL teamRef. Blake Camper OL Generals Toronto Argonauts Matt Mengel K/P Conquerors Montreal Alouettes Matt Colburn II RB Blues Toronto Argonauts Jordan Moore LB Generals Toronto Argonauts DeWayne Hendrix DE Alphas Toronto Argonauts Damon Webb DB Alphas Saskatchewan Roughriders Kameron Kelly DB Jousters Hamilton Tiger-Cats TJ Rahming WR Alphas BC Lions DaShaun Amos DB Aviators Calgary Stampeders Marcelis Branch DB Alphas Calgary Stampeders Andrew Lauderdale OL Jousters Saskatchewan Roughriders Kalil Morris DL Alphas Calgary Stampeders Mason Bennett DE Blues Hamilton Tiger-Cats Qaadir Sheppard DE Jousters Calgary Stampeders Joe Walker WR Blues Ottawa Redblacks Davon Grayson WR Alphas Winnipeg Blue Bombers Jovon Durante WR Blues Ottawa Redblacks Cameron Jefferson OL Conquerors Saskatchewan Roughriders Rodney Randle DB Blues Montreal Alouettes Channing Stribling DB Generals Hamilton Tiger-Cats James Folston Jr. LB Jousters Edmonton Football Team Ervin Philips WR Jousters Ottawa Redblacks Cedric Wilcots II DE Blues Winnipeg Blue Bombers Jocquez Kalili DB Alphas Winnipeg Blue Bombers Kent Shelby II WR Aviators Toronto Argonauts De’Veon Smith RB Aviators BC Lions Tyler Roemer OL Blues BC Lions DeMarquis Gates LB Blues Saskatchewan Roughriders Ajene Harris DB Conquerors BC Lions Nick Holley WR Conquerors Calgary Stampeders Court Hammond DL Jousters BC Lions Austin Joyner DB Alphas BC Lions Kalil Morris DL Alphas Calgary Stampeders Qaadir Sheppard DL Jousters Calgary Stampeders Silas Stewart LB Alphas Calgary Stampeders
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