ST. LOUIS–In less than three weeks, the third iteration of the XFL kicks off and the St. Louis Battlehawks will return to the league for the second time when they travel to San Antonio to face the Brahmas on Feb. 19.

But first, the entire league needs time to thaw out.

The spring football league has a hub of operations in the Dallas Metroplex, where teams live and practice, before traveling to game sites. 

But this week, the Dallas area has been hobbled by a winter storm that knocked out power to thousands, canceled scores of flights, and made driving anywhere virtually impossible.

Battlehawks Head Coach Anthony Becht told reporters Wednesday that the team has been stuck indoors, with scrimmages that were supposed to help the league’s TV partners get a handle on gameday operations scrapped as a result of the weather.

“We’re doing some workout stuff at the hotel, some treadmill running, anything we can do to kind of condition these guys….kind of keep their bodies going until we can get on the field,” he said.

“Every other team’s in the same boat so there’s no real advantage other than how they maximize their time and we’re trying to do that to the best of our abilities here to get us going so we can get back on the field when this weather breaks,” Becht added.

The hope is that teams are back out to practice by Friday, which will give them roughly a week of practices before rosters get reduced from 70 to 50 by the end of next week. It could be a critical time for former Missouri Tigers defensive back Allie Green, who transferred from Tulsa ahead of the 2021 season. Green has been dealing with a shoulder injury that had kept him out of practice.

“Being with the weather this week, this was kind of a big week for him. It’s gonna be even bigger when we get out there and have our last 5 or so practices on the field,” Becht said, praising Green’s length. The question will be if they’ll have time to see enough of a fit to keep him on the roster. 

St. Louis Home Opener is March 12

The Battlehawks welcome the Arlington Renegades to the Dome at America’s Center in week four, which for some fans may have been a letdown considering St. Louis was an attendance pacesetter for the league in 2020. 

Becht said he didn’t know if the league had any special plans to make a splashy return, say with an appearance by co-owner Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Becht said his club will do its part to try and be undefeated before it plays in front of the home crowd.

“We’ve got to do our part as coaches and players to get some buzz around our team with W’s so we’re trying to win 'em all. We want to be undefeated coming into home and if we are, I think that can just set the table on what the XFL really is all about and really what the St. Louis atmosphere is all about.”