QB Jordan Ta’amu leads XFL’s BattleHawks into a new era of pro football in St. Louis
Jordan Ta’amu grew up in Hawaii, played college football in New Mexico and Mississippi and, until earlier this fall, had never set foot in St. Louis.
On Sunday, the 22-year-old Ta’amu will help christen a new era in St. Louis professional sports when he leads the XFL’s St. Louis BattleHawks in their franchise debut against the Dallas Renegades Sunday at Globe Life Park.
Assigned by the rebooted league in October to be the BattleHawks’ quarterback, Ta’amu has spent the last four months working with head coach Jonathan Hayes and his staff preparing St. Louis for its first look at a hometown team since the St. Louis Rams left for Los Angeles more than four years ago.
Ta’amu thinks the city is ready for pro football again.
“The people I know and the vibes I’m getting from football fans around town has all been very positive. They are excited about this football team and we’re excited for the opportunity to give them a successful team to support,’’ Ta’amu said. “I really like this team and I think people will see a team with a lot of heart.
“We’re looking forward,, especially here at home, to going out and showing people what this team is about. We’re going to be exciting to watch.’’
The XFL kicks off another inaugural season this weekend with four games, all of which will be telecast on major networks. The St. Lous-Dallas game is set for 4 p.m. Sunday on ESPN.
The rest of the opening week schedule has Seattle playing at the DC Defenders at 1 p.m. Saturday (ABC), Los Angeles at Houston, Saturday at 4 p.m. (Fox) and Tampa Bay playing at New York on Sunday at 1 p.m. (Fox).
The Dallas game will be the first of two to start the season for the BattleHawks who return to Texas on Feb. 16 to take on the Houston Roughnecks. St. Louis plays its home opener against the New York Guardians at the Dome at America’s Center on Feb. 23.
Ta’amu said the team is unfazed about opening their historic first season with a pair of road contests.
“I think it’s good that we’re starting on the road the first couple of weeks. It’s like coach Hayes says, we’ll be road Warriors,’’ Ta’’amu said. “If we can show that we can win on the road it early it will help us the rest of the season. It will give us confidence going forward.’’
About the Renegades
Coached by former University of Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops, the Renegades are expected to be one of the top teams in the XFL during the 2020 season.
Oklahoma graduate Landry Jones, who spent time in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers, is the Renegades starting quarterback and will lead an offensive attack which includes former Carolina Panthers running back Cameron Artis-Payne.
Dallas and St. Louis are familiar with each other, having scrimmaged during the league-wide three week training camp last month in Houston.
But as BattleHawks coach Jonathan Hayes says “neither of us gave away too much.”
“I think we were both looking more at personnel at that point,’’ Hayes said. “As far as what they were doing against us and what we were doing against them, it was pretty basic stuff.”
A new role for the coach
Hayes spent 12 years in the NFL as a tight end with the Kansas City Chiefs and Pittsburgh Steelers and has been an assistant coach at the University of Oklahoma and with the Cincinnati Bengals.
On Sunday, the BattleHawks general manager will be head coach on game day for the first time.
“I normally sleep pretty well the night before a game because I feel like if you’ve prepared well you have nothing to worry about. I will say that I may not sleep as soundly Saturday because this is my first game in the role of head coach,’’ Hayes said. “What I want people think when they watch us play is a team that executes well, plays hard, plays hard to the whistle, plays hard through the whistle and comes back and does it all again on the next play and the next.
“I think we’re ready to go. The players have done a good of preparing themselves and in the last couple of weeks have come in to spend extra time working out and watching film. I know they are excited to get this thing going.’’
