We're quickly approaching the relaunch of the XFL, and Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson is hoping that the third time will be the charm. The previous iterations of the football league saw some successes and some failures. The 2020 relaunch was praised, but was shut down due to COVID-19, and was sold off by Vince McMahon.

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Recently, the XFL unveiled teams and head coaches and stated that the draft date would be announced shortly. Ahead of the latest edition of the upstart football league, let's take a look back at some NFL players that fans may have forgotten played for the Vince McMahon-run XFL.

10 Larry Rose III

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Larry Rose III is among one of the most underrated college football players in recent memory. In college, he played for the horrific New Mexico State Aggies, but was dominant on the ground as a running back, especially in his freshman and sophomore seasons.

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Rose III didn't have much of an NFL run beyond having a cup of coffee with the Tennessee Titans and Los Angeles Rams. However, he did receive some playing time for the Los Angeles Wildcats in 2020, which many fans might've not noticed.

9 Steve Gleason

Steve Gleason is one of the most beloved players in recent memory. A former New Orleans Saints safety, he famously blocked a punt in 2006 in a game that was directly after Hurricane Katrina. The moment later became a symbol of hope for many in the city.

Before playing in the NFL, Gleason actually played in the first season of the XFL. He was drafted by the Birmingham Thunderbolts but didn't play much for the team.

8 Landry Jones

Landry Jones is known for two things. One is being a great quarterback for the Oklahoma Sooners in college, and two is being a serviceable backup quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers for a few years in the NFL.

However, he also did play in the 2020 version of the XFL. He was reunited with his college coach Bob Stoops for the Dallas Renegades. The stint almost didn't happen, as the Pittsburgh Steelers attempted to re-sign Jones after Ben Roethlisberger went down due to injury, but the signing was blocked by the XFL.

7 Ryan Broyles

It's understandable why fans might not remember Ryan Broyles playing in the XFL, and that's because he technically didn't play. He was a former Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver with a lot of potential, but his stint in the NFL was short-lived due to injuries.

After not playing for six years, Broyles came out of retirement to sign with the Dallas Renegades. The move reunited him with his former passer in college, Landry Jones, and his head coach, Bob Stoops. However, one month prior to the season, Broyles suddenly retired, but the Renegades still retained his rights in case he changes his mind.

6 Josh Johnson

Josh Johnson is the best-case scenario for a journeyman in the NFL. Drafted in the 2008 draft in the fifth round, he has taken the field for 22 different football teams since beginning his professional career. One of those teams was in the XFL.

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In 2020, Johnson was the starting quarterback for the Los Angeles Wildcats. The journeyman lit up the league, and lead the XFL in passer rating before the end of the season, which really shows the skill difference between NFL bench-warmers and everyone else.

5 Jose Cortez

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Jose Cortez is an interesting case for a player. While he's not really known for much as he's just a kicker, he's arguably the most successful XFL player in terms of career length and playing time in and out of the league.

Cortez played for ten seasons, having stints with teams such as the San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, and Minnesota Vikings. In addition to this, he played for the Los Angeles Xtreme, which won the first XFL championship in 2001. In addition to winning the championship, he was also the MVP. Not bad for a kicker.

4 P.J. Walker

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P.J. Walker is one of the most successful players to come out of the 2020 version of the XFL. He spent a few years as the Indianapolis Colts' third-string quarterback before heading to the Houston Roughnecks in 2020.

There, Walker dominated and led the league in passing yards and touchdowns. After that season in the XFL, he returned to the NFL to sign with the Carolina Panthers. Walker has received lots of playing time and even won a few games under center.

3 Keenan Reynolds

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Keenan Reynolds was one of the most entertaining stories in recent college football memory. During his time playing for the Navy from 2012 to 2016, he was unstoppable. He ended his college career holding virtually all the rushing records for a quarterback.

Sadly, Reynolds couldn't catch on in the NFL, despite attempting to change his position. In 2020, he signed for the XFL's Seattle Dragons and was a star on special teams and as a wide receiver.

2 Rod Smart

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Many fans forget Rod Smart's run in the XFL just because he didn't use his actual name in the league. The 2001 edition of the league famously let players not have their names on their jerseys, if they choose.

Smart was among those who didn't have his name, instead opting to have "He Hate Me", on his Las Vegas Outlaws jersey, which quickly became the best-selling jersey. While he didn't contribute much outside of his XFL run, he's among one of the most beloved players in league history, and most fans don't even know his name.

1 Taylor Heinicke

Taylor Heinicke is by far the most successful player to come from the 2020 edition of the XFL. As a member of the St. Louis Battlehawks, he didn't even take the field. However, that didn't stop the Washington Commanders from giving him a shot after the season ended.

Heinicke famously came in for an injured Alex Smith in a 2021 playoff game, going head-to-head with Tom Brady and nearly pulling off the upset. Since then, he's remained in Washington, and shown some flashes of greatness.