Western Pennsylvania's trusted news source
Former Steelers backup QB Landry Jones among the names the XFL is promoting for its combine | TribLIVE.com
Steelers/NFL

Former Steelers backup QB Landry Jones among the names the XFL is promoting for its combine

Chris Adamski
1265667_web1_PTR-Steelers61-102416
Steelers quarterback Landry Jones directs his teammates against the Patriots in the third quarter Sunday, Oct. 23, 2016 at Heinz Field.

Last June, Landry Jones was in his sixth minicamp with the Pittsburgh Steelers, his fourth as the top backup to franchise quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

This June, he will be taking part in what is effectively a scouting combine for the XFL.

The XFL returns in 2020, and the cities for each of the eight teams that will begin play for the spring league are the sites for what it is calling the Summer Showcase.

The league’s official Twitter account has been teasing these events, at which invited players will have their heights, weights and other measurements taken in addition to be asked to run through football and other athletic drills, plus be interviewed by league personnel.

And among the small handful of players the XFL has promoted as being part of its Showcases is none other than Jones.

Jones was cut by the Steelers at the end of last preseason. He would spend some time with the Jacksonville Jaguars (but not play) and Oakland Raiders (over the offseason) since.

Jones was a star in college at Oklahoma, a four-year starter who amassed 16,646 passing yards and 123 touchdown passes and played in two BCS bowl games.

Other players the XFL is promoting are former Green Bay Packers fullback Aaron Ripkowski and former Seattle Seahawks running back Christine Michael.

Jones actually has been the subject of two XFL social media posts.

Dallas’ XFL team will be coached by Bob Stoops, the longtime Oklahoma coach who coached Jones in college.

An XFL release said that each Summer Showcase is invite-only and will include players who have played in the NFL, alternate football leagues, or have recently completed their college eligibility.

And hey, the XFL even says they’ll provide players who take part in the showcases with a boxed lunch.

Hey, Steelers Nation, get the latest news about the Pittsburgh Steelers here.

Chris Adamski is a TribLive reporter who has covered primarily the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2014 following two seasons on the Penn State football beat. A Western Pennsylvania native, he joined the Trib in 2012 after spending a decade covering Pittsburgh sports for other outlets. He can be reached at cadamski@triblive.com.

Remove the ads from your TribLIVE reading experience but still support the journalists who create the content with TribLIVE Ad-Free.

Get Ad-Free >

Categories: Sports | Steelers/NFL
Sports and Partner News