XFL's DB Deatrick Nichols Signs With Saints

The New Orleans Saints bolster their young defensive backfield by signing the XFL's leader in interceptions, Deatrick Nichols.

Author:
Brendan Boylan
Publish date:
Mar 23, 2020 5:11 PM EDT

The XFL re-birthed itself in 2020 after a short-lived single season back in 2001. The league’s revival began with eight total teams that focused around the United States’ largest media markets according to the latest census. The XFL behind the leadership of commissioner Oliver Luck found early success within their seasons, including sponsorships from Gatorade and Television deals with ESPN and Fox that had viewership at over 3 million in the leagues opening week.

While the success of the XFL was far superior to the AAF, the XFL’s season came to and early end amid concerns of COVID-19 after only five weeks of play. Although teams only played five games, the league announced it would pay all players their base salary for the rest of the season; it would allow players who receive legitimate offers from the NFL or CFL to sign with those teams but with a clause requiring them to return to their XFL squads if the league can hold its championship game per NBC Sports’ Mike Florio.

The Saints became one of the latest NFL teams to take a chance on a Houston Roughnecks star, signing DB Deatrick Nichols to a contract just hours after Nichols’ Houston teammate QB P.J Walker signed with the Carolina Panthers.

Nichols, 25, played collegiately at the University of South Florida from 2013 to 2017, earning All-AAC honors the final three years of his college career. After going undrafted in the 2018 NFL Draft, Nichols signed with the Arizona Cardinals, bouncing up and down between the active roster and practice squad. The Cardinals waived Nicholas as a part of final roster cuts in August 2019.

In October 2019, the Houston Roughnecks selected Nichols in the 39th round (Round nine of phase four) of the 2020 XFL Draft. Prior to the cancellation of the 2020 XFL season, Nichols recorded 24 tackles, 1 sack, 6 passes defended, and a league-high 3 interceptions in five weeks. His excellent play earned him another shot in the NFL, this time with the New Orleans Saints.