Category Archives: The Spring League

AAF, Arena, CFL, IFL, NFL, The Spring League, usfl, XFL

Truesdell, Nick

CARD: Topps XFL 2020
ACQUIRED: Ebay, 2021

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Played TE for the University of Cincinnati and Grand Rapids Community College.
  • Went undrafted in 2013.
  • Played Arena ball with the Colorado Ice and Bemidji Axemen of the IFL in 2014.
  • Spent the next 3 seasons playing with the Shock (2014-15) and Steel (2016).
  • After not catching on with the Colts in 2016, Rattlers (2017), Stampeders and Gladiators (2018), made the practice squad of the Vikings in 2018.
  • Signed with the AAF Salt Lake City Stallions in late 2018 and had a solid season for the team, hauling in 24 passes for 269 yards and 3 TDs.
  • Joined Jets, and later the Vipers during 2019 playing in the XFL’s 2020 campaign.
  • Spent time in The Spring League with the Aviators in late 2020.
  • Selected by the New Jersey Generals of the New USFL in 2022, but was released before the season due to a groin injury.

ARENA

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127152712.038N/a

AAF

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2426911.2339

XFL

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99110.1027
AAF, Arena, CFL, NFL, The Spring League

Burnett, Kaelin

Topps AAF Certified CUSTOM

Card: Topps AAF 2019 Certified (CUSTOM)
Acquired: TTM 2020, C/o Home
Sent: 9/4 Received: 9/24 (20 Days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Kaelin was a tweener that played LB and DL at Nevada from 2009 to 2011.

  • Over 3 years he had 93 total tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, 1 pass deflection, and 2 forced fumbles.

  • Burnett joined the Oakland Raiders in 2012 playing for them part way through 2014, posting 12 total tackles.

  • He’d spend the next season and a half with the Tennessee Titans, posting 3 total tackles.

  • Kaelin’s next stop was in Saskatchewan with the CFL in 2016 seeing action in 1 contest.

  • He saw action with the Spokane Empire, The Spring League, and the Massachusetts Pirates in 2017.

  • Burnett then played in the Alliance of American Football for the Arizona Hotshots in 2019.

  • In 7 contests, Kaelin had 17 total tackles, a forced fumble, and a sack.

  • After the league folded, he was selected by the Houston Roughnecks of the XFL 2020.

  • Over 5 contests Kaelin had 15 total tackles and an interception.

NOTES:

Kaelin has continued to pursue and chase his pro football dreams. I made a bunch of custom cards for former AAFers after the league folded and Kaelin was kind enough to respond to me signing this card for me. It appears he was quite popular, as a few fans also have asked me for copies of it as well.

AAF, NFL, The Spring League, XFL

Tupou, Tani ‘Tongan Thor’

CARD: Topps AAF 2019
ACQUIRED: 2019, Box Breaker

Tani Tupou played college ball for the Washington Huskies from 2010 to 2015 at defensive tackle. He recorded 59 career tackles and was not selected in the 2016 NFL Draft.

The Seahawks liked what they saw out of Tupou during mini camp and invited him back. He made the roster and saw action briefly during the season opener but didn’t record any stats, and be released about a month later. In 2017, he successfully transitioned from the Spring League back to the NFL signing with the Atlanta Falcons. Tupou would be on and off the roster through the season and into early 2018.

After a brief stint with the Arizona Cardinals, Tani signed with the Alliance of American Football. He’d be assigned to the San Diego Fleet for the 2019 season, and recorded 13 tackles, 4 QB hits and a sack in the Fleet’s 3-4 alignment. In April of that year, the AAF folded, so he played for the XFL with the Seattle Dragons in 2020, and then later for the Jousters of the Spring League, during their showcase in San Antonio.

In 2021, Tani made the transition to play for the Colorado XO’s of the World Rugby League and is considered one of the top prospects.