Ta'amu Leads DC's Epic 37-33 Comeback Win over Renegades

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UFL D.C. Defenders

Ta'amu Leads DC's Epic 37-33 Comeback Win over Renegades

April 27, 2025 - United Football League (UFL)
D.C. Defenders News Release


ARLINGTON, TX - Trailing 27-12 with 1:19 left in the first half, the DC Defenders (4-1, 2-1 XFL) flipped a switch and outscored the Arlington Renegades (3-2, 2-1 XFL) 25-6 for a 37-33 road win and regained sole possession of first place in the XFL conference. Quarterback Jordan Ta'amu was the driving force for DC's offense and recorded a season-high 308 passing yards and matched a career-high four total touchdowns in the win (three passing, one rushing).

In a pure two-minute drill trailing 33-30 with 1:53 left in the game, Ta'amu led the Defenders back on the field with the chance to go ahead and regain the top spot in the conference. The Ole Miss product moved the chains with three completions including a 23-yard toss on a third and five to WR Braylon Sanders to put DC at Arlington's 17. Three plays later, RB Deon Jackson punched it in with a two-yard score for six points. Ta'amu scampered into the endzone on the following play for the one-point conversion to give DC a 37-33 lead.

Arlington attempted a comeback with 57 seconds left in the game, but FS Josh Proctor picked off QB Luis Perez in the endzone to cement DC's comeback win.

How It Happened

Arlington wasted no time on their first drive of the game when wide receiver Deontay Burnett made a one-handed grab on the first play and took it 63 yards to the endzone for a 6-0 lead. The Renegades had a successful two-point conversion to give them an 8-0 lead with 13:23 left in the first quarter.

After kicker Matt McCrane missed a 58-yard field goal, Arlington regained possession and added onto their lead with a 39-yard boot from kicker Lucas Havrisik to set the score at 11-0, Arlington.

DC opened their scoring early in the second quarter with a six play, 86-yard drive that resulted in a 37-yard touchdown catch for WR Cornell Powell, his second of the season, to put the Defenders down five from Arlington.

The Renegades' offense remained hot when RB Kalen Ballage ripped off a 24-yard touchdown run followed by a two-point conversion to stretch their lead to 19-6.

Down 13, the Defenders continued to fight back as Ta'amu led the offense with a nine play, 65-yard drive that resulted in six points courtesy of a four-yard touchdown toss to Sanders for a 19-12 score. Earlier in the drive, Ta'amu aired it out on a third and 20 with a 54-yard rocket that fell into the hands of Sanders to put the team at Arlington's 21-yard line.

With less than six minutes left in the first half, Arlington was able to string together a 10 play, 71-yard drive and finished it with a two-yard rushing score from running back De'Veon Smith followed by a successful two-point conversion to give Arlington a 27-12 advantage with 1:19 left in the second quarter.

DC was determined to score before halftime and Ta'amu set the tone on first and 10 at their 40-yard line with a 33-yard seed to Powell, who toe-tapped before heading out of bounds at Arlington's 27-yard line. The Defenders were able to reach Arlington's two-yard line, but a trio of incomplete passes led to a 20-yard field goal from McCrane to set the score at 27-15 headed to halftime.

Less than two minutes into the second half, return specialist/wide receiver Jaydon Mickens gave the Defenders solid field position at Arlington's 27-yard line with a 48-yard punt return, his longest of the season. DC's offense was able to capitalize on the prime real estate when Ta'amu fired a 17-yard touchdown pass to WR Chris Rowland followed by a successful two-yard rushing score from running back Abram Smith to trim Arlington's lead to 27-22.

Havrisik was the primary supplier of Arlington's scoring in the second half with a pair of 40+ yard field goals (42,47) to create some separation for the Renegades, who led 33-22 with 12:35 left in the game.

DC continued to chip away at the 11-point deficit and reached within three on major 11-play, 65-yard drive. Jackson totaled 22 yards on the ground throughout the drive including a 20-yard rush where he showed his vertical by hurdling over a Renegades defender for a first down. Ta'amu marched the offense down the field and recorded his fourth touchdown of the day by way of a two-yard keeper. The Defenders added two more points when Ta'amu found WR Javon Antonio in the endzone for a successful conversion and trimmed Arlington's lead to 33-30 with seven minutes left in the game.

The Defenders rode that momentum on the next drive when DT Niles Scott jarred the ball loose from Ballage and recovered the ball himself to give DC's offense the ball back with less than five minutes left in the game. Scott continued to make key plays the next time he came on the field when he and DE Andre Mintze wrapped up Perez on third and 10 for half of a sack and forced the Renegades to punt the ball back to DC with 1:53 on the clock.

The Defenders will remain on the road and take on the Michigan Panthers (3-2) on Sunday, May 4 with kickoff set for noon and will be broadcasted on ESPN2.

Postgame Notes

Ta'amu finished the afternoon with season-highs in passing yards (308), completions (23) and matched a season-high in passing touchdowns (3). It was his second-straight game with 300+ passing yards and the third in his career.

Powell led the team in receiving with season-highs in receptions (4) and receiving yards (89) yards and a touchdown. Powell has totaled 141 receiving yards over his last two games.

Sanders totaled his second-straight game with 80+ yards as he racked up a season-high 87 yards on three receptions and a score.

Rowland matched a career-high seven receptions for 61 yards Sunday against Arlington. He's now recorded back-to-back games with at least seven catches and 60 yards.

LB Anthony Hines III led the defensive unit with a season-high nine tackles. He now has 28 total tackles through five games this season.

CB Kelvin Joseph tallied a season-high eight tackles against Arlington. Joseph has collected 5+ tackles in two of his last three games.

Scott became the second Defender this season to register a sack, forced fumble and a fumble recovery in the same game since Mintze on April 15 at St. Louis.

Mintze and DE Derrick Roberson combined for three sacks (1.5 each) and six tackles on Sunday. Both edge rushers are up to 4.5 sacks through their first five games this season.

Check out the D.C. Defenders Statistics

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United Football League Stories from April 27, 2025


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