Eagle Football Alum Jake Sutherland Thrived in the New XFL With St. Louis Battlehawks

Photo courtesy of St. Louis Battlehawks

MOREHEAD, Ky. – Morehead State alum Jake Sutherland continues to thrive in his professional football career.

Sutherland played tight end this season for the St. Louis Battlehawks of the XFL, where he averaged more than nine yards per catch, while also reeling in a pair of touchdowns.

An Ortonville, Mich., native, Sutherland played for the Eagles from 2014-17. During his college career he saw action in 42 games, catching 52 passes for 507 yards and two touchdowns.

Sutherland says his love for football began at a young age, where he watched it on TV with his father. He began playing it himself at the age of nine and was immediately hooked.

"Ever since I started playing it, I kind of knew that I wanted to play it for as long as I possibly could and hopefully make a career out of it."

The Brandon High School product first met with MSU at a summer camp before his senior year of high school. One game into that year he fractured his elbow, sidelining him for the remainder of the season. As other schools began to pull their offers, the Eagles stayed put.

"Morehead State still kept in contact with me, and they showed me love and that they still wanted me to play there."

This continued interest, as well as the family atmosphere around the program, ultimately led him to choose MSU.

Sutherland attributes a lot of his success to his coaches, including (former MSU) strength coach Matt Rhodes, head coach Rob Tenyer, as well as (former MSU) tight ends coach Milo Austin. Along with coaching, playing time also helped him develop as a player. A day one contributor, Sutherland saw action in nearly every game he suited up for as an Eagle.

"Being able to play as soon as I came in, as well as excelling at the college level, helped me realize and notice that I can play at the next level."

Following his college career, Sutherland spent time on the Atlanta Legends of the AAF, before signing with the New York Guardians for the 2020 XFL season. The league quickly grew in terms of viewership, bringing in millions of new fans. The season was ultimately cut short due to the Covid-19 pandemic, causing the league to shut down and file for bankruptcy.

The XFL remained dormant for three seasons, until new owners Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, and Dany Garcia announced its return for the 2023 season. Sutherland, a self-described "everything happens for a reason" guy, thinks that the league folding may have worked out for the better.

"I think the league folding could've been for the better, especially with the people that are running the XFL and the league as a whole now," he continued. "They're doing an incredible job, as everybody can tell, and I'm really excited to see what the future holds."

Just like the league itself, Sutherland also returned for the 2023 season, although this time suiting up for the St. Louis Battlehawks of the North Division.

The city of St. Louis has a long history of loving all its sports teams, especially football. This all changed when the Rams moved their franchise back to L.A. in 2015, leaving a void that wouldn't be filled until the Battlehawks opened shop.
 
Although he played in front of relatively large crowds in his time at MSU (Eagles have led the Pioneer Football League in attendance for 10 straight seasons), Sutherland says they don't compare to playing at home in front of the St. Louis faithful. St.Louis easily eclipsed all other XFL teams in average home attendance, including an XFL record 38,310 when they hosted the Arlington Renegades.
 
"I wouldn't have guessed it, but there is definitely a huge difference between 25 and 35 thousand fans for sure" he continued. "It's an incredible experience."
 
Sutherland brought in one of his two touchdowns this season in front of the home crowd. He says the feeling of putting points on the board for your team is different than anything you can prepare for.
 
"It was incredible. Obviously going into the season, I was hoping that I would get opportunities to have the ball in my hands and help my team score points."
 
Sutherland shared the field this season with former NFL and Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron. He says having someone in the backfield with the amount of experience and expertise McCarron has greatly benefits the offense.
 
"Playing with AJ is incredible," Sutherland said. "Not only is he a great teammate, he's a great friend as well. On and off the field he is always there for us."
 
While the Battlehawks had a successful season, they fell just short of the XFL playoffs. But Sutherland looks to build on this previous season and continue to help his team succeed in the 2024 season.