TAMPA, Fla. — The XFL officially announced Marc Trestman as the head coach and general manager of the league’s new Tampa Bay team.
XFL Commissioner and CEO Oliver Luck introduced Trestman at a news conference Tuesday.
“We're going to have the best climate in all the league for families and their fans to watch quality football, affordably,” Trestman said.
Tampa Bay is among eight teams in the league, which will begin play in February 2020. The Tampa Bay team does not have a name yet and will play its home games at Raymond James Stadium.
The XFL will have a 10-game regular season.
Trestman, 63, began his coaching career in Florida as a quarterbacks coach for Bernie Kosar and the 1983 Miami Hurricanes. The team won a national championship.
"For me personally, I'm excited to be in Tampa,” Trestman said. “I began my coaching career in Florida working for coach [Howard] Schnellenberger."
Trestman also served as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterbacks coach in 1987.
Luck said the league was “thrilled” to be at Raymond James Stadium.
Trestman, Luck, Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan and Chairman of the Board for the Tampa Sports Authority Tony Muniz spoke Tuesday.
“The combination of the enthusiasm from Ken’s team and the local folks here at the Tampa Sports Authority, the combination of this marvelous venue and the support from the community really made it a fairly easy decision for us to chose Tampa as a community,” Luck said. “This is a great sports town. This is a marvelous sports town.”
The XFL has already announced several other coaches for its other teams: Jim Zorn will coach in Seattle, Bob Stoops in Dallas and Pep Hamilton in Washington, D.C. The teams in Houston, Los Angeles, New York and St. Louis have yet to announce their head coaches.
The XFL considered about 45 different cities for its eight-team league, according to Luck.
Luck said the XFL would announce its television broadcasting agreement “soon.”
“The closer for me was Oliver,” Trestman said. “He’s a man of great integrity, and he’s got experience with these startup type endeavors.”
Trestman, 63, was fired as head coach of the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League after compiling a 4-14 record in the 2018 season. The year before he won the Grey Cup, the equivalent of the Super Bowl in the CFL.
Trestman also was the head coach of the Montreal Alouettes from 2008-2012. He led the Alouettes to consecutive Grey Cup championships in 2009 and 2010.
From 2013-2014, Trestman was the head coach of the Chicago Bears. He was also the offensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens from 2015-2016.
"We're going to see players who have a desire to play in the NFL,” Trestman said. “Right here they're going to have the opportunity to show you that they deserve to be there."
Trestman said there will be groups of players who have played in the NFL and are hoping for another shot in the league. The new Tampa Bay coach said there will be some XFL players who know their NFL careers are over but still love the game of football.
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