AAF, NFL, The Spring League, XFL

Silvers, Brandon

Topps AAF NOW 2019, #41

CARDS: Topps AAF Now 2019, Topps AAF 2019, Topps XFL 2020
ACQUIRED: In Person 2023, Houston Roughnecks v. San Antonio Brahmas
FAILURE: TTM 2019, C/o New York Jets. TTM 2020, C/o Home

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Brandon Silvers played QB at Troy from 2014-2017.
  • Threw for 10,677 yards, 71 TDs, 29 picks, and 64.4% completions, with a 135.8 passer rating.
  • Finished second in school history in TDs and yards.
  • Had a tryout with the Saints following the 2018 NFL Draft but was not signed.
  • Was selected in the 3rd round by the Memphis Express during the AAF Quarterback Protect or Pick Draft in 2019.
  • Silvers faced an uphill battle behind Troy Cook, Christian Hackenberg, and Zach Mettenberger.
  • Cook was quickly out of the picture, with Hack taking over as starter and Silvers sliding in behind him.
  • Supplanted due to ineffectiveness, Silvers took over as starter but was quickly injured.
  • Mettenberg competently guided the Apollos until he was injured against the Stallions.
  • Silvers returned to the lineup with a vengeance in Week 6.
  • The Express in the meantime signed former NFL QB Johnny Manziel, who was chomping at the bit to take the reins from Brandon.
  • Silvers refused to relinquish his starting role, leading the team to an exciting win in OT over the Birmingham Iron in Week 7.
  • He’d then give the Apollos all they could handle in a 34-31 loss, before the league collapsed after their week 8 matchup.
  • Silvers briefly was on the radar of the Jets, seeing some off season time with them later that year.
  • In 2020, Brandon joined the XFL, playing for the Seattle Dragons under head coach Jim Zorn.
  • He’d throw for 539 yards and 6 TDs on 102 attempts.
  • 2021 saw him play for the Conquers of The Spring League, and then went unselected in the 2022 USFL Supplemental Player Draft.
  • Silvers returned to the XFL for 2023, as a member of the Houston Roughnecks.
  • He threw for 13 TDs and 1551 yards on 156 completions (262 passes) leading the Roughnecks to the playoffs.
  • The Roughnecks XFL roster was dispersed into the UFL draft pool for 2024.
  • Eventually Silvers made his way to St Louis where he backs up AJ McCarron.

ACCOLADES:

  • NCAA QB Freshman Record (70.5% completion rate- min. 250 passes)
Topps XFL 2020, #17
Topps AAF 2019, #11

NOTES:

I have been trying to get Brandon for sometime since he had 3 cards that I wanted signed. When the Roughnecks were around in 2020 I was a big fan, but when they returned in ’23, I switched over to the Brahmas because they were closer. I was hoping that the Brahmas would grab Silvers as their quarterback but he ended up in H-Town with Wade Phillips instead.

By the time the Roughnecks came to SA, I had figured out the best spot to get autographs from which was right next to the visitors end zone where the players were coming in and going out.

After the Roughnecks defeated the Brahmas in OT, he came over and kindly signed these 3 cards for me. Like many players he really loved those times in the AAF.

NFL, WLAF

Mandley, Pete (2)

Ultimate World League 1992, Montreal Machine Team Stats, #76
Fleer 1990, #204
Wild Card World League 1992, #2

CARDS: Fleer 1990, Ultimate World League 1992, Ultimate World League 1992 W-O-R-L-D, Ultimate World League 1992 Team Stats, Wild Card World League 1992
ACQUIRED: Paid Signing, 2023
FAILURE: TTM 2010, C/o Home

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

Ultimate World League 1992, #90
Ultimate World League 1992, Promo

NOTES:

At long last! Pete Mandley was one of the largest whales left that I still needed for my World League sets. I had spied out a private signing of his, and after being one of the many victims of his 0% signing rate TTM and hours of fruitless research online, I jumped at the chance to be in this signing, especially at such an affordable rate.

The promoter was more than accommodating with me, after I realized I sent my cards to them too late. So the promoter gave me their address to where they were going so that I could 2 day express more cards to them. I sweated it out a little bit, but it all worked out in the end. I got Pete’s autograph on all my remaining set needs.

The Ultimate World League set had 3 set needs. The base set card and the promo card are side by side above. The front of the cards vary very little as the promo uses a full helmet logo in the vertical marquee. On the back the promo spells out W-O-R-L-D. These cards were passed out during games as promotionals for the league, and although they had low volume, they also held very little demand in the secondary market, making them essentially worthless.

NFL

Gaffney, Jabar (2)

Topps Total 2003, #141
Upper Deck Houston Texans 2002, #HT2

CARD: Topps Total 2003, Upper Deck Houston Texans Inaugural Team Set 2002
ACQUIRED: 2020, Future Considerations. TTM 2020, C/o Home
SENT: 8/19 RECEIVED: 9/3 (15 days)
FAILURE: TTM 2010, C/o Redskins

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

NOTES:

Chris and I are big Texans fans and from time to time we’ve helped each other out with players. Since he lives there in the area and had worked around the organization, he’s had unprecedented access to the team. He sent me this autograph as thanks for my help over the years.

The Houston Texans inaugural set has become a big set need for me over the years, and as I can nickle and dime into a few of these players, I am so happy to add them to the set of autographs TTM. I took a shot in the dark and was happy to get this card back signed from him.

Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.