Brother vs. brother: Born in Spokane, Rick Mueller’s path to XFL’s Arlington franchise oddly mirrors that of older sibling Randy, who’s with Seattle

Rick Mueller’s football resume is impressive. The Spokane native has worked in player personnel or scouting for three NFL teams, with several college programs, including Washington State, where he was a graduate assistant between 1992 and 1994 under Mike Price, and with several leagues besides the NFL.

That’s what makes his current gig as director of player personnel for the XFL’s Arlington Renegades a great fit for this seasoned football man.

“It’s been awesome,” Mueller, 55, said. “Obviously, putting a roster together from scratch in the last six months or so has been an experience. I was involved in the old UFL (United Football League) and at one point in time in the original World League (of American Football), so I have some experience in leagues like this.”

Before signing on with the XFL last fall, Mueller was executive director of player personnel at Coastal Carolina. But the opportunity to return to the pro game, where he has spent much of his career, made the move to Texas, where the XFL is based, a solid choice.

The XFL also gave him the opportunity to work in the same league as his older brother, Randy, for the first time since 2000-2001 when they were both in the front office of the NFL’s New Orleans Saints.

“I talk to him daily if not every other day or so,” Mueller said. “We’ll talk football. We’ll talk about the league. We’ll talk about the process, but we really don’t talk about players.

“It’s funny, Randy’s been in this business his whole adult life and so have I, but we only really worked together for a two- or three-year period. We’re used to being against each other. That’s not uncommon. We play against each other. I’m glad he’s here (in the XFL). It’s nice being able to see him. For us to get together here has been nice.”

Mueller was born in Spokane and lived in St. Maries until sixth grade when the family moved to Sheridan, Wyoming. He has Randy, seven years older, to thank for helping foster his love of football at a young age.

“I got the bug when I was a little kid,” Mueller said. “I was always a football fan. Having an older brother who was involved in the game and as an athlete, I always wanted to go to practice and games. I was batboy for his baseball team, the ball kid for his football team. I was at every game he ever played. It just made me want to do the same thing and follow in his footsteps.”

When Randy started working for the Seahawks, Rick tagged along, assisting the team during training camp as a ball boy and mowing the practice field. Mueller chose the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma for college and when he wasn’t playing quarterback for the Loggers or attending class, he was learning all he could about the NFL with the Seahawks.

“All through high school, I had worked with the Seahawks in training camp. It allowed me to help them get ready for the draft,” Mueller said. “Even as a college student, I’d go help them get ready for the draft. I mowed the grass in the summers. I’ve done a little bit of everything. That was a really good experience.”

But his most fateful decision came after graduating from UPS. A fraternity brother got Mueller a job at Microsoft and even though that job paid well, Rick knew his true passion was football, so he left Microsoft to become a graduate assistant at Washington State.

“I knew what I wanted to do luckily, but looking back on it might not have been the best financial move,” Mueller said. “It certainly was (a good move) career-wise.”

Mueller’s most recent challenge was whittling the Renegades’ roster from the 70 players Arlington started training camp with to the league-mandated maximum of 51.

“The first couple weeks to a month in camp, it’s a lot of evaluation,” he said. “(You’re) evaluating your players and trying to make sure you get the right mix. While coaches are worried about how we’re going to line up, I’ve been spending my time evaluating players and trying to make sure we keep the best 51.”

That group of 51 who made the final cut includes two WSU products in receiver Brandon Arconado and outside linebacker Willie Taylor III.

“Brandon’s a good player,” Mueller said. “He’s got really good quickness and speed. He can do a lot of different things. We’ve got another kid, Willie Taylor, that played four years at Washington State, transferred to Eastern Kentucky and played there in fall 2022. He’s on our roster as a pass rusher/outside linebacker. We’re excited about him, too.”

Much like his older brother, Randy – the director of pro personnel with the Seattle Sea Dragons – Rick Mueller learned a long time ago that his passion and future was working in football, a decision that saw him leave a high-paying job at Microsoft to pursue his dream.

“I always knew what I wanted to do luckily, and it worked out. I enjoy it,” he said.

Stephen Hunt is a freelance writer based in Frisco, Texas.