Quarterback Matt McGloin took matters into his own hands, punching in the first touchdown in New York Guardians history from one yard out.
It took 6,881 days, but New York/New Jersey football fans finally witnessed another XFL touchdown.
Quarterback Matt McGloin began New York Guardians history on the right note, scoring on their inaugural drive via a one-yard touchdown. The score put them up 6-0 over the Tampa Bay Vipers.
QB1 (@McGloinQB11) with the FIRST-EVER Guardians touchdown!
? @FOXTV
? https://t.co/udq2TNuTQ8#OnDuty | #ForTheLoveOfFootball pic.twitter.com/3I5TBEnKbm— New York Guardians (@XFLGuardians) February 9, 2020
McGloin — formerly of Penn State and the Oakland Raiders — went 4-for-5 passing with 39 yards on the first possession. Those throws included two crucial conversions on third and fourth down.
Tight end Jake Powell was his favorite target. The Monmouth alum caught two passes for 21 yards, including a 15-yard connection on a 4th-&-4 from Tampa’s 42-yard-line. Joe Horn Jr. put the Guardians in the red zone with an 18-yard reception.
Running back Tim Cook would later partake in the Guardians’ first attempt in the XFL’s new tiered extra-point system. New York opted to go for a one-point try from the two-yard line. Cook thus punched it in to create a 7-0 lead. Had they opted to try for two or three points, the ball would’ve been situated at the five or ten-yard line, respectively.
McGloin’s touchdown was the first for a New York team under an XFL branding since April 8, 2001. The New York/New Jersey Hitmen enjoyed a 46-yard score on a lateral from Donnie Caldwell. It was a part of a 22-0 win over the Birmingham Thunderbolts. That matchup was their final game in their brief franchise history, as the original XFL was shut down after a single season.
NO. FREE. GIFTS.
We protect our red zone, don't we @1DrewMajor!
?@FOXTV
?https://t.co/udq2TNuTQ8#OnDuty | #ForTheLoveOfFootball pic.twitter.com/6V9eLYO6Cp— New York Guardians (@XFLGuardians) February 9, 2020
The Vipers struck back with a good drive in response, going 57 yards in nine plays to the New York six-yard line. Nonetheless, more history came from the hands of Andrew Soroh. The safety took a tipped ball from linebacker D’Juan Hines, grabbing it before it hit the ground.
Tampa Bay quarterback Aaron Murray was trying to find tight end Nick Truesdell in the back of the end zone. Instead, he became a footnote in the New York record books.
New York now leads Tampa Bay 14-0 in the first half. Colby Pearson caught the first aerial touchdown in New York history, followed by another one-point score from Cook.
Geoff Magliocchettti is on Twitter @GeoffMags5490
