One of the ways that the XFL has distinguished itself from the NFL is by having players and coaches do interviews during games.
Interviews with New York Guardians quarterback Matt McGloin during Saturday’s 27-0 loss to the D.C. Defenders showed why they went with that approach. Heading into the locker room at halftime, McGloin told Dianna Russini of ESPN that the team’s performance was embarrassing and that “we need to change the whole entire game plan at halftime.”
In the second half, McGloin was captured on audio criticizing an unnamed teammate to head coach Kevin Gilbride and unloaded on the team again before the game was over. It was entertaining for those on the outside, but it may not be as well-received inside the locker room.
“There’s a lot of stuff going on behind closed doors,” McGloin said. “We need to clean that up. Communication is especially is one, and it showed today. At no point in time did I think we were comfortable out there. At no point in time did I think we were in a position to try to be successful. I think it was pretty easy to see.”
It was also pretty easy to see that McGloin was part of the problem on Saturday. Gilbride said in his own halftime interview that McGloin has to play better and the former Penn State quarterback was eventually pulled after going 8-of-19 for 44 yards and two interceptions. Marquise Williams played the rest of the way and it remains to be seen how they’ll handle things this week.