A trio of former Volunteers are taking home a UFL Championship after the DC Defenders defeated the Michigan Panthers by a score of 58-34 on Saturday night.
Among the D.C. champions are former Tennessee defensive back Bryce Thompson, former defensive lineman Kyle Phillips, and former punter Paxton Brooks.
Thompson had the most notable game among the three with two solo tackles during the game. Phillips did not record any statistics during the game, and neither did Brooks, as the Defenders did not punt the ball once throughout the contest.
On the season as a whole, Thompson recorded the fifth-most tackles on the team with 30 total tackles, 21 of those coming as solo takedowns. He also recorded one sack for six yards and three pass breakups in nine games.
Phillips, meanwhile, tallied 11 tackles and one sack in 10 games played for the Defenders.
Brooks was D.C.’s lone punter this year, with 39 punts for an average of 42.2 yards per kick. Eleven of those 39 punts landed within the opponent’s 20-yard line.
TAKE THE TAG OFF!
2025 UFL CHAMPIONS!!!! pic.twitter.com/wAQVnNPsjS
— D.C. Defenders (@XFLDefenders) June 15, 2025
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Defenders UFL Champions at Tennessee
Cornerback Bryce Thompson
- 2018-2020 (32 games played)
- 102 tackles, 8 interceptions, 19 passes defended, 2 forced fumbles, one interception touchdown
- 5 kick returns, 96 return yards
DL Kyle Phillips
- 2015-2018 (42 games played)
- 114 tackles, 16 TFLs, 8 sacks, 1 interception (TD), 5 passes defended, 1 forced fumble, 1 block
P/K Paxton Brooks
- 2018-2022 (61 games played)
- 163 punts, 42.3 yard average, 58 inside 20, 2 50+, 6900 total yards
- 258 kickoffs, 15,604 yards, 60.5-yard average, 126 touchdowns
