| Team: | Orlando Guardians |
| Year: | 2023 |
| Previous: | 2020 |
| No Nextseason: | true |
| Record: | 1–9 |
| Division Place: | 4th XFL South |
| Coach: | Terrell Buckley |
| General Manager: | Terrell Buckley |
| Owner: | Alpha Acquico, LLC |
| Stadium: | Camping World Stadium |
| Playoffs: | Did not qualify |
The 2023 Orlando Guardians season was the second season for the Orlando Guardians as a professional American football franchise. They played as charter members of the XFL, one of eight teams to compete in the league for the 2023 season.[1] The Guardians played their home games at the Camping World Stadium and were led by head coach Terrell Buckley.
The franchise also relocated from East Rutherford, New Jersey to Orlando, Florida prior to the season, changing their name from New York Guardians to Orlando Guardians.[2]
On January 1, 2024, it was announced that the 2023 season was the last season for the Guardians.[3] [4]
On March 3, 2023, the Guardians released quarterback Quinten Dormady after he allegedly gave the San Antonio Brahmas plays from the Guardians' playbook prior to the two teams' week 2 matchup.[5] [6] He was reinstated a day later, on March 4, 2023, when the league released a statement saying they would be investigating into the situation.[7] He was subsequently placed on the team's reserve list.[8] After undergoing a third party investigation, it was found that there was no substantial proof behind the allegations, and Dormandy was added back to the active roster.[9]
All times Eastern
| Week | Day | Date | Kickoff | TV | Opponent | Results | Location | Attendance | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Score | Record | |||||||||
| 1 | Saturday | February 18 | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN/FX | at Houston Roughnecks | 12–33 | 0–1 | TDECU Stadium | 12,784 | |
| 2 | Sunday | February 26 | 4:00 p.m. | ESPN | San Antonio Brahmas | 12–30 | 0–2 | Camping World Stadium | 12,011 | |
| 3 | Sunday | March 5 | 4:00 p.m. | FX | at Arlington Renegades | 9–10 | 0–3 | Choctaw Stadium | 12,006 | |
| 4 | Saturday | March 11 | 7:00 p.m. | FX | Houston Roughnecks | 16–44 | 0–4 | Camping World Stadium | 10,013 | |
| 5 | Saturday | March 18 | 10:00 p.m. | FX | at Vegas Vipers | 32–35 | 0–5 | Cashman Field | 6,008 | |
| 6 | Saturday | March 25 | 1:00 p.m. | ABC | Seattle Sea Dragons | 19–26 | 0–6 | Camping World Stadium | 7,832 | |
| 7 | Saturday | April 1 | 6:00 p.m. | ESPN | DC Defenders | 37–36 | 1–6 | Camping World Stadium | 7,011 | |
| 8 | Saturday | April 8 | 4:00 p.m. | ESPN | Arlington Renegades | 16–18 | 1–7 | Camping World Stadium | 7,789 | |
| 9 | Saturday | April 15 | 7:00 p.m. | ESPN2 | at San Antonio Brahmas | 23–25 | 1–8 | Alamodome | 13,023 | |
| 10 | Saturday | April 22 | 12:00 p.m. | ESPN | at St. Louis BattleHawks | 28–53 | 1–9 | The Dome at America's Center | 33,034 | |
This was the Guardians only win of the season, knocking off the previously undefeated DC Defenders.