Former CFL linebacker Darnell Sankey is finished with spring football and eagerly eyeing a return north of the border.
The 28-year-old is a new free agent, having requested and received his release from the XFL’s Arlington Renegades on Monday. It was an amicable early split between the player and the organization, with Sankey granted his freedom long before his contract was officially set to expire in December.
“First and foremost, I don’t plan to return to the XFL, that’s not something I’m planning to do,” Sankey told 620 CKRM’s The SportsCage this week. “I figured if I’m not gonna return and I’m not going to re-sign, then there’s really no point in me being under contract.”
The 2021 West Division all-star made waves throughout football circles when he elected to take his talents to the upstart league, becoming the most recognizable former CFLer to join Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s passion project. It proved to be a productive endeavour as Sankey appeared in eight games and made five starts for the Renegades, recording 47 tackles and a sack.
The six-foot-one, 245-pound defender added eight more tackles through the postseason as Arlington captured the XFL Championship. However, he didn’t find a satisfying long-term fit in the four-down league.
“I think it’s to each their own. They call it ‘The League of Opportunity’, I think that’s their motto, and you go to the XFL in hopes of going back to the NFL. That’s why you go there and that was a vision of mine for a while,” Sankey explained.
“I just feel like I had an amazing time in the CFL, and I enjoyed the game in the CFL, and I enjoyed being in the CFL, and part of me kind of misses it. I feel like I didn’t really get that satisfaction in the XFL. Some guys did, of course. We won a ring, we won a championship, but it’s not really about the team and the league itself. It’s just about my dream and my vision and what I want to do with my career.”
Sankey spent parts of four seasons with five different NFL teams before signing with the Calgary Stampeders ahead of the cancelled 2020 season. He made 98 total tackles, one sack, and one forced fumble in 2021 before joining the Saskatchewan Roughriders in free agency.
The Sacramento State product set a new franchise record with the Riders last season when he recorded 120 defensive tackles, adding two special teams tackles, three sacks, two forced fumbles, and one interception. However, he turned down a contract extension with the team this past offseason before signing a deal with the XFL.
While he is thankful for the opportunity that the league provided him, it was a vastly different experience than that of the established CFL.
“I do feel like a lot of the XFL is kind of like a trial and error kind of thing. There’s still a lot of stuff they’re trying that’s new,” Sankey said, specifically referencing the league’s hub structure that saw all eight teams based in Dallas and only travelling to their respective markets for games.
“I happened to be with the Arlington Renegades so we were in Dallas, but some of my friends were with St. Louis and D.C. You would be on their team but you’re stationed in Dallas and then for your home games, you would go to your respective stadium. I know a lot of guys felt kind of weird about that.”
There was also a significant drop in support that took some adjusting to, as Sankey went from playing in front of an average crowd of 27,431 last season in Regina to just 12,055 in Arlington.
“The fans, I guess in some areas were nothing like the CFL fans. You could just look at the numbers of the people attending the games and I’m sure the CFL has the XFL beat, other than the exception of maybe St. Louis.”
While modest fan support and a hub structure made for a much different professional experience, Sankey was complimentary of the level of talent in the XFL. However, he did dismiss narratives that the high number of NFL signees coming from spring leagues equated to a higher calibre of competition.
“I know that they’ve had quite a few guys who’ve had NFL opportunities but in the same way, the CFL has plenty of guys who have NFL opportunities,” he said. “I would argue that, in terms of the competition level, I think it’s pretty much the same. When you’re a professional athlete, everybody’s good. Everyone around you is good. The competitiveness of the game is the same.”
For now, the veteran linebacker is weighing his options in the hopes of becoming the next NFL alumnus from both leagues. However, if an opportunity fails to arise, he has already received interest from several CFL teams and could return to Canada within the next few weeks.
“The XFL was a great league, it’s the league of opportunity. I had an amazing time there, but I kind of did it and I’m done with it,” Sankey insisted. “If people want to play in the XFL for as many years as they want, then peace be to you and that’s all love, but it’s just not for me.”
