The career of former Steelers backup quarterback Landry Jones isn’t over yet. Not in a literal sense, at least. The XFL, an upstart and rejuvenated professional football league, announced Thursday that Jones is the first player to sign with the league.
Jones was released by the Steelers following training camp in 2018, and spent time with the Jaguars last season and with the Raiders this offseason.
“We’re excited to welcome Landry to the XFL as our first player and first quarterback,” XFL Commissioner and CEO, Oliver Luck, said in a team release. “He’s an accomplished athlete with outstanding college credentials and pro experience, and his heart and desire to play football epitomizes the type of individual we want in the XFL.”
The XFL is signing quarterbacks outside of the league’s draft in October. The head coaches of the seven teams will select their quarterback before the draft begins, according to the league’s web site.
Bob Stoops, Jones’ coach at Oklahoma, is the coach of the XFL franchise in Dallas.
“I’m looking forward to joining the XFL and playing the game I love,” Jones said. “I can’t wait to suit up.”
Jones was selected in the fourth round of the 2013 NFL Draft, and made five starts for the Steelers in his five seasons with the team. Three of those starts came against the Browns, twice leading the team to Week 17 victories. The third saw Jones go down with injury on the first drive of the game. Ben Roethlisberger, who was active for the game but not expected to play due to injury, led the Steelers to a 30-9 victory, becoming the first quarterback in NFL history to earn Offensive Player of the Week honors without starting a game.
