St. Louis Battlehawks quarterback AJ McCarron led the XFL in touchdown passes with 24 during the 2023 season.

McCarron hadn’t played since Aug. 21, 2021, when the former St. Paul’s Episcopal star and Alabama All-American suffered a knee injury in an NFL preseason game with the Atlanta Falcons.

McCarron had a comeback season in the XFL’s comeback season.

The XFL appeared in 2001 as an NFL alternative and lasted one season. One of the league’s founders revived the brand in 2020 with a spring schedule, but the XFL made it through only half its planned scheduled before folding in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. The league returned under new ownership this year and has reached its postseason after a 10-week regular season.

McCarron’s 24 touchdown passes are the most for any player in any of the XFL seasons. McCarron played in nine games, missing one because of a shoulder injury.

Tommy Maddox led the 2001 XFL with 18 touchdown passes in 10 games for the Los Angeles Xtreme. The Houston Roughnecks’ P.J. Walker led the 2020 XFL with 15 touchdown passes in only five games.

Former Samford wide receiver Kelvin McKnight led the XFL in punt-return yards this season. McKnight returned 30 punts for 235 yards for the Seattle Sea Dragons.

The leading punt returner in the 2001 XFL was Kirby Dar Dar of the New York/New Jersey Hitmen, who had 287 yards on 26 returns. No player in the 2020 XFL reached 100 punt-return yards.

Although McCarron’s Battlehawks and McKnight’s Sea Dragons finished with 7-3 record, Seattle got the playoff spot reserved for the North Division’s second-place finisher via the fifth tiebreaker.

In the XFL semifinals, the Arlington Renegades visit the Houston Roughnecks at 6 p.m. CDT Saturday in the South Division championship game. ESPN2 will televise the contest.

Former Alabama State star and coach Reggie Barlow will lead the D.C. Defenders into the North Division championship game against Seattle at 2 p.m. Sunday in Washington. ESPN will televise the game.

D.C. lost only one game – by one point – during the regular season, and Houston had the same record as Seattle and St. Louis to win the South Division. Arlington qualified for the postseason with a 4-6 mark, reflecting the imbalance between the divisions.

The North Division won 13 of the 16 interdivision games this season. Houston went 6-0 against the South and 1-3 against the North, losing to D.C., Seattle and St. Louis.

The Battlehawks scored the same number of points in their 53-28 interdivision victory over the Orlando Guardians on Saturday as the Renegades scored in the final three games of the regular season. Arlington finished last in the XFL in scoring with 146 points, 25 fewer than any other team.

Eighteen players from Alabama high schools and colleges advanced to the XFL playoffs:

Arlington Renegades

· Defensive lineman T.J. Barnes (Enterprise)

· Tight end Sal Cannella (Auburn)

· Cornerback Javaris Davis (Auburn)

· Guard Mike Horton (Auburn)

· Defensive lineman Davonte Lambert (Auburn)

D.C. Defenders

· Long snapper/tight end Trae Barry (Spanish Fort, Jacksonville State)

· Linebacker Jamal Brooks (Bessemer City, South Alabama)

· Quarterback Geremy Hickbottom (Williamson)

· Defensive tackle Gabe Wright (Auburn)

Houston Roughnecks

· Offensive lineman Ja’Chai Baker (South Alabama)

· Kicker Austin Jones (Alabama)

· Quarterback Brandon Silvers (Gulf Shores, Troy)

· Offensive lineman John Yarbrough (Homewood)

Seattle Sea Dragons

· Long snapper Thomas Fletcher (Alabama)

· Offensive lineman Chris Owens (Alabama)

· Wide receiver Kelvin McKnight (Samford)

· Wide receiver Jordan Veasy (Gadsden City)

· Wide receiver Damion Willis (Troy)

The XFL Championship Game is scheduled for 7 p.m. CDT May 13 at the Alamodome in San Antonio. ABC will televise the game.

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.