Former Gamecock D. J. Swearinger Set To Play In XFL Championship Game

Former South Carolina Football Safety and NFL Pro-bowler D. J. Swearinger will look to bring a Championship Home with the DC Defenders later today.

Saturday, May 13th, the DC Defenders will play the Arlington Renegades for the second-ever XFL championship game under the new management of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. The DC Defenders will have a very familiar face playing in the game that most South Carolina football fans will remember, and that's former Gamecock star safety D. J. Swearinger, who signed with the Defenders on April 5th of this year.

D.J, a former second-round pick drafted by the Houston Texans in 2013, enjoyed a very long and prosperous NFL career, becoming one of the top safeties in the NFL and a pro bowler with "Washington Redskins" at the time now known as the Washington Commanders

DJ's Career NFL statistics as of 2020

425 Tackles, 9 Forced fumbles, 14 Interceptions and 43 Pass Deflections

He hasn't been on an NFL team since 2021 but decided to give the XFL a shot after his five-year-old son Dayday asked if he could do something for him.

"He told me, 'Da-da, I want you to play football again. I hope you're going to play football again because I want to come see you play,'" he told the local D.C news. "He just finished his football season, so he understands the game now," he continued. "I told Dayday if I get another opportunity, I'll definitely do that," Swearinger said. "They [the Defenders] called me the same exact day, and I told them if y'all want to make it happen, we can do it."

D.J took the opportunity to play Pro football again for his son and the chance to show the NFL that he still has what it takes to play at a high level. In just three games with the Defenders, D.J has 15 total tackles and one interception. His presence on the field alone is impacting this DC defense, which will depend on D. J. Swearinger making plays to win the XFL Championship.

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