Joe Powell just won an XFL Championship with the Arlington Renegades in the 2023 season. Just months later he was hired by the Carolina Cobras to his first professional coaching position. Powell who once suited up as a Cobra’s player will now coach the next generation of Cobras in 2024. Due to the timing of the XFL season he will join the Cobras midseason, and try and help them back to the NAL Championship in 2024.
Coach Joe Powell
Powell has been hired to oversee wide receivers and defensive backs. I wouldn’t put it past him to have some role in coaching the return men on the team as well. Powell once was a National Arena League player fighting and clawing his way to an opportunity outdoors.
Playing as a wide receiver/defensive back/kick returner for Carolina he gathered the necessary film to return to the third version of the XFL. Powell is an indoor and aren’t football veteran beginning his indoor football career in the Professional Indoor Football League with the Lehigh Valley Steelhawks in 2015 where he went on to win PIFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. Powell learned how valuable these indoor/arena football leagues can be quickly.
In his second season he made it to the Arena Football League with the Cleveland Gladiators, this changed everything for Powell. Powell made an instant impact with a 45 yard pick six in week one:
Playing the 2015 season with the Gladiators he managed 4 interceptions. After his first AFL season he attended minicamp with the Philadelphia Eagles but was not signed. Shortly after he would be signed by the New York Giants. He was waived in final cuts, but returned to New York, this time in Buffalo in October via their practice squad finishing the season with the Bills.
In January of 2017 season he signed a futures deal with the Bills to remain with the team. He made it until September 2nd before he was waived by Buffalo. He would return to the AFL this time with the Atlanta Havoc for the 2018 season. Playing with the American Arena League he won a championship. Then he was assigned to the Baltimore Brigade where he finished out the 2018 season.
Return Outdoors
In 2019 Powell was back outdoors playing for the Alliance of American Football’s Birmingham Iron. Unfortunately after 8 games the league folded leaving Powell to return to the Brigade to finish out the season. Powell would then head to the second iteration of the XFL playing for the St. Louis Battlehawks. He would play in all five games before covid 19 shut down the league and he was forced to find other opportunities. This meant signing with the Carolina Cobras.
He would spend the next two seasons with Carolina in 2021, where suffered an injury and came back in 2022 before his triumphant return to the XFL where he made a huge impact on defense and special teams en route to a championship victory.
Now Powell can mentor and oversee a new era in Carolina’s history while jump-starting his future career as a coach. He has a decade of professional experience to lean on in the PIFL, AFL, AAL, NAL, XFL, AAF, and even the NFL. This is a coach who will garner respect and possibly open doors for young players.
Congratulations to Joe Powell and Cobra Nation.
Sponsor: Triad Good Eats, and Dave and Busters proud sponsors of the Carolina Cobras Coaches Show
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