| San Antonio Brahmas | |||||||||||
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| Basic info | |||||||||||
| Established | 2022 Folded: 2024 | ||||||||||
| Ended | 2025 | ||||||||||
| Stadium | Alamodome San Antonio, Texas | ||||||||||
| Colors | Dark gray, yellow, light gray | ||||||||||
| Website | www | ||||||||||
| Personnel | |||||||||||
| Owner(s) | Fox Corporation (50%),Dany Garcia,Dwayne Johnson, RedBird Capital Partners (50%) | ||||||||||
| General manager | Marc Lillibridge | ||||||||||
| Head coach | Payton Pardee | ||||||||||
| Team history | |||||||||||
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| Home fields | |||||||||||
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| League / conference affiliations | |||||||||||
XFL (2023)
United Football League (2024–2025)
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| Championships | |||||||||||
| League championships: 0 | |||||||||||
Conference championships: 1
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| Division championships: 0 | |||||||||||
| Playoff appearances (1) | |||||||||||
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TheSan Antonio Brahmas were a professionalAmerican football team based inSan Antonio, Texas. The Brahmas competed in theUnited Football League (UFL) as a member of the XFL Conference. The team was owned and operated byDwayne Johnson's Alpha Acquico andFox Corporation. The Brahmas played their home games at theAlamodome. The Brahmas had a franchise regular season record of 11–11 (.500).
TheXFL played its first season in 2020 with eight teams, as a reboot to theleague of the same name that played in 2001.[1] After five games, it was suspended due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[2] Prior to the league's April bankruptcy, the XFL had begun discussions with San Antonio to relocate one of its eight teams there.[3] It had been unavailable as a market at the time of the league's launching due to theAlliance of American Football placing theSan Antonio Commanders (that league's best-attended team) there, and because of the XFL's policy at the time of preferring cities that already hadNFL franchises.
After XFL founderVince McMahon sold the league to a consortium led by businesswomanDany Garcia and her ex-husband, business partner, and formerWWE wrestlerDwayne Johnson, and the league did not play in 2021 or 2022, it was announced the league would return for the2023 season.[4] In March 2022, rumors of a San Antonio XFL team again emerged after the league hiredReggie Barlow, reportedly to serve as the team's coach;[5] Barlow instead would be assigned to theDC Defenders. The league announced in July 2022 that three teams from the2020 would be replaced, and five would return, and that San Antonio would be among the three new cities, ultimately replacing theLA Wildcats.[6]
The July announcement revealed San Antonio'shead coach asHines Ward and their stadium as theAlamodome.[7] On October 31, 2022, the logo was revealed and the team name was announced as the San Antonio Brahmas.[8] TheBrahma name is ofHindu origin, coming from the Hinducreator god; more directly, the Brahmas name comes from theAmerican Brahman, a hybrid species cross-bred fromsacredzebu and Americancattle that Johnson has long used as a personal mascot.[9] The XFL Brahmas team jerseys were revealed on December 8;[10] their uniforms will be yellow-gold and grey.[11] In the2023 XFL draft, the Brahmas were allocatedquarterbacksJawon Pass andAnthony Russo and used their top pick to selectrunning backJacques Patrick.[12][13] On February 22, 2023, the XFL's director of communications Jeff Altstadter announced the firing of team executive Mike Sheehan.[14]
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The 2023 XFL season began on February 18, 2023, and featured 40 regular season games.[15] The Brahmas compiled an overall record of 3–7 during their inaugural season, missing the playoffs.[16]
On December 28, 2023, Ward resigned from the Brahmas after finishing with a 3–7 record in 2023, in response to a change in contract structure.Houston Roughnecks Head Coach Wade Phillips replaced Ward, a maneuver that would allow the Roughnecks identity to be cleared and used for theformer Houston Gamblers.[17]
In September 2023,Axios reported that the XFL was in advanced talks with theUSFL to merge the two leagues prior to the start of their 2024 seasons.[18] On September 28, 2023, the XFL and USFL announced their intent to merge with details surrounding themerger to be announced at a later date.[19] The merger would also require regulatory approval.[20] In October 2023 the XFL filed a trademark application for the name"United Football League".[21] On November 30, 2023, Garcia announced via herInstagram page that the leagues had received regulatory approval for the merger and were finalizing plans for a "combined season" to begin March 30, 2024.[22] The merger was made official on December 31, 2023.[23]
Though Phillips had been signed through the 2025 season, his health began a severe decline during the offseason, limiting his presence during training camp and, according to offensive coordinatorA. J. Smith, creating a leadership vacuum that led to a power struggle between him and other organizational forces.[24] Smith had made an effort to recruitA. J. McCarron, who had fallen out with the rival St. Louis Battlehawks that offseason, only to be vetoed by Brahmas upper management.[24] Smith resigned two weeks into the 2025 season amid alleged interference in his offensive playcalling,[24] followed a week later by Phillips being forced to take a leave of absence after suffering a health emergency midway through the April 13 game.[25] Special teams coach Payton Pardee, the grandson ofJack Pardee (a friend and associate of Phillips's fatherBum), ascended to head coach and offensive coordinator April 16;[26] Pardee hiredJack Welch as his own replacement.[27] Phillips would later attribute his health issues to a medication error that was eventually corrected and that he was back in good health by fall 2025.[28]
On October 3, the UFL announced the closure of the Brahmas organization. A statement from the league explicitly cited "new owners" (Mike Repole) and an insistence that the Alamodome was too large for Repole's vision for the league, and that if the UFL were to return, it would be no sooner than 2028 and only if a new stadium were constructed (which no such stadium is planned). The closure of the Brahmas was a complete surprise, given that while multiple UFL teams had been mentioned as candidates for relocation and shuttering, San Antonio had never been included among them, and the UFL had already signed the stadium contract with the Alamodome to return to the city for 2026.[29][30] Though the Alamodome had long used a strategy of keeping the upper decks closed and unlit for smaller events to provide the intimate atmosphere being sought, Repole stated in an October 7 press conference that the result "didn't look right," and this was why he relocated the team.[31]
TheContinental Football League, a third-tier minor professional league positioned below the UFL, announced plans for a replacement team, the San Antonio Toros, shortly after Repole's decision.[32]
| Quarterbacks(QB) Running backs(RB)
Wide receivers(WR)
Tight ends(TE) | Offensive linemen(OL)
| Linebackers(LB)
Defensive backs(DB)
| Reserve lists Roster updated October 3, 2025 45 active |
|
| |||||
| Season | Pos | Name | NFL Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023–2024 | G | Kohl Levao | New York Jets |
| 2023–2024 | LS | Rex Sunahara | Cleveland Browns |
| Season | Pos | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | QB | Paxton Lynch | FormerDenver Broncos Quarterback, 2016 1st Round Pick |
| 2023 | RB | Kalen Ballage | FormerMiami Dolphins Running Back, 2018 4th Round Pick |
| 2024 | DE | Tarell Basham | FormerDallas Cowboys Defensive End, 2017 3rd Round Pick |
| 2024 | FS | Teez Tabor | FormerDetroit Lions Defensive Back, 2017 2nd Round Pick |
| 2024 | WR | Cody Latimer | FormerDenver Broncos Wide Receiver, 2014 2nd Round Pick |
| 2024 | CB | Quincy Wilson | FormerNew York Giants Defensive Back, 2017 2nd Round Pick |
| 2024–present | K | Donald De La Haye | Current YouTuber, has over 5.7 million subscribers |
| 2024–present | RB | Anthony McFarland | FormerPittsburgh Steelers Running back, 2020 4th Round Pick |
| 2024 | CB | Cameron Dantzler | FormerMinnesota Vikings Cornerback, 2020 3rd Round Pick |
| 2025–present | QB | Kellen Mond | FormerMinnesota Vikings Quarterback, 2021 3rd Round Pick |
| 2025 | CB | Greedy Williams | FormerCleveland Browns Cornerback, 2019 2nd Round Pick |
| # | Name | Term | Regular season | Playoffs | Awards | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GC | W | L | Win % | GC | W | L | ||||
| San Antonio Brahmas | ||||||||||
| 1 | Hines Ward | 2023 | 10 | 3 | 7 | .300 | – | – | – | |
| 2 | Wade Phillips | 2024–2025 | 13 | 7 | 6 | .538 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |
| 3 | Payton Pardee | 2025 | 7 | 1 | 6 | .143 | - | - | - | |
| # | Name | Term | Regular season | Playoffs | Awards | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GC | W | L | Win % | GC | W | L | ||||
| San Antonio Brahmas | ||||||||||
| 1 | Jaime Elizondo | 2023 | 4 | 1 | 3 | .250 | – | – | – | |
| 2 | Jimmie Johnson | 2023 | 6 | 2 | 4 | .333 | – | – | – | |
| 3 | A. J. Smith | 2024 | 12 | 7 | 5 | .583 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |
| 4 | Payton Pardee | 2025 | 8 | 1 | 7 | .125 | - | - | - | |
| # | Name | Term | Regular season | Playoffs | Awards | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GC | W | L | Win % | GC | W | L | ||||
| San Antonio Brahmas | ||||||||||
| 1 | Jim Herrmann | 2023 | 10 | 3 | 7 | .300 | – | – | – | |
| 2 | Will Reed | 2024–2025 | 20 | 8 | 12 | .400 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |
The Brahmas were in-state rivals with theHouston Roughnecks. The rivalry is billed as theLone Star Showdown (not to be confused with theTexas/Texas A&M collegiate rivalry also known as theLone Star Showdown).[33]
| Team | Record | Win % |
|---|---|---|
| Orlando Guardians | 2–0 | 1.000 |
| Houston Roughnecks (2024) | 1–0 | 1.000 |
| Memphis Showboats | 1–0 | 1.000 |
| Michigan Panthers | 1–0 | 1.000 |
| Arlington Renegades | 3–1 | .750 |
| Birmingham Stallions | 1–1 | .500 |
| DC Defenders | 1–2 | .333 |
| St. Louis Battlehawks | 1–3 | .250 |
| Seattle Sea Dragons | 0–1 | .000 |
| Vegas Vipers | 0–1 | .000 |
| Houston Roughnecks (2020) | 0–2 | .000 |
| UFL champions† (2024–present) | XFL champions§ (2023) | Conference champions* | Division champions^ | Wild Card berth# |
| Season | Team | League | Conference | Division | Regular season | Postseason results | Awards | Head coaches | Pct. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finish | W | L | |||||||||
| 2023 | 2023 | XFL | South | 3rd | 3 | 7 | Hines Ward | .300 | |||
| 2024 | 2024 | UFL | XFL | 2nd* | 7 | 3 | Won XFL Conference Championship (Battlehawks) 25–15 Lost2024 UFL Championship (Stallions) 0–25 | Wade Phillips | .700 | ||
| 2025 | 2025 | UFL | XFL | 4th | 1 | 9 | Wade Phillips &Payton Pardee | .100 | |||
| Total | 11 | 19 | All-time regular season record (2023–2025) | .500 | |||||||
| 1 | 1 | All-time postseason record (2023–2025) | .500 | ||||||||
| 12 | 20 | All-time regular season and postseason record (2023–2025) | .375 | ||||||||
| All-time Brahmas leaders | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leader | Player | Record | Years with Brahmas | |
| Passing yards | Jack Coan | 1,471 passing yards | 2023 | |
| Passing touchdowns | Jack Coan | 6 passing touchdowns | 2023 2024 2024 | |
| Rushing | Jashaun Corbin | 514 rushing yards | 2025–present | |
| Rushing touchdowns | John Lovett | 6 rushing touchdowns | 2024–present | |
| Receiving | Jontre Kirklin | 898 receiving yards | 2024–present | |
| Receiving touchdowns | Anthony McFarland | 3 receiving touchdowns | 2024–present 2024–present | |
| Receptions | Jontre Kirklin | 91 receptions | 2024–present | |
| Tackles | Jordan Williams | 232 tackles | 2023–2025 | |
| Sacks | Delontae Scott | 11.5 sacks | 2023–2024 | |
| Interceptions | Kameron Kelly | 2 interceptions | 2023 2024 2023 2024–present 2025–present | |
| Coaching wins | Wade Phillips | 8 wins | 2024–present | |
Regular season –As of June 2, 2025
| Season(s) | Quarterback(s) | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Jack Coan(2–5) /Reid Sinnett(0–1) /Jawon Pass(0–1) /Kurt Benkert(0–1) | [34] | |
| 2024 | Quinten Dormady(5–1) /Chase Garbers(2–2) | [35] | |
| 2025 | Kellen Mond(1–6) /Kevin Hogan(0–3) | [36] |
Postseason
| Season(s) | Quarterback(s) | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Chase Garbers(1–1) | [37] |
Most games as starting quarterback
| Name | Period | GP | GS | W | L | Pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jack Coan | 2023 | 8 | 7 | 2 | 5 | .286 |
| Kellen Mond | 2025 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 6 | .143 |
| Quinten Dormady | 2024 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 1 | .833 |
| Chase Garbers | 2024 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 2 | .500 |
| Kevin Hogan | 2024–2025 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 3 | .000 |
| Kurt Benkert | 2023 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .000 |
| Jawon Pass | 2023 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .000 |
| Reid Sinnett | 2023 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .000 |
The Brahmas are the first professional football team inSan Antonio since theSan Antonio Commanders of theAlliance of American Football in 2019, who averaged over 28,000 fans per game.[38] The Brahmas join theSan Antonio Spurs andSan Antonio FC as professional sports teams in San Antonio. The Brahmas also join theSan Antonio Gunslingers as football teams located in San Antonio.
Daryl Johnston, the UFL's vice president of football operations, had been on the Commanders' staff in 2019 and had seen the potential of the market, one that could rival the UFL's strongest, theSt. Louis Battlehawks, if properly managed. It remains one of the UFL's stronger markets despite declines in attendance since the Commanders' time in the city, Johnston noted the decline was partly due to business issues on the league's end that "didn’t come together the way we wanted them to at the time" of the USFL/XFL merger.[39]
The Brahmas fan base relies on Hispanic culture and Spanish language for much of its image.[40]
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