AAF, NFL, The Spring League

Mettenberger, Zack

Topps AAF 2019, #ZM
Topps AAF 2019, #96
Panini Prestige 2015, #123

CARDS: Topps AAF 2019, Topps AAF 2019 Certified, Panini Prestige 2015
ACQUIRED: TTM 2022, C/o Work
SENT: 10/15 RECEIVED: 10/24 (9 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Zach Mettenberg was a prototypical pocket passer with a strong arm who played at Butler Community College (2010) and LSU (2011-13).
  • Over time with Tigers, threw for 35 TDs and 5783 yards on 407 completions.
  • Selected by the Tennessee Titans in the 6th round of the 2014 NFL Draft.
  • Mettenberger played at an interesting transitional time for the Titans, at the tail end of the short Jake Locker epoch and the beginning of the Marcus Mariota era in Tennesssee.
  • During his rookie year, Zach took over for Locker at QB throwing for 8 touchdowns, 7 interceptions, and 1,412 passing yards.
  • Most memorably, Mettenberger had a short running feud with Houston Texans DE JJ Watt.
  • Mettenberger spent his second season backing up new starter Marcus Mariota.
  • Again stepping into the starting lineup in injury relief for Mariota, Zach threw for 4 TDs to 7 INT.
  • Spent 2016 on the rosters of the Chargers and Steelers but didn’t see any action.
  • After a year off from football, played in the Spring League in 2018 during their Austin showcase.
  • Signed with the Memphis Express of the Alliance of American Football in 2018.
  • Later during the league’s QB draft in 2019, was the final selection off the board by the Express.
  • Joined a crowded QB room, but made the roster behind Christian Hackenberg and Brandon Silvers.
  • Started 4th game of the season against the San Diego Fleet, completing 18 of 25 passes for 174 yards, leading the team to its first win of the year.
  • The next week, was sacked multiple times and injured during the contest against the Salt Lake City Stallions.
  • Wasn’t selected in the 2020 XFL draft and returned to the Spring League.
  • Went into coaching and in 2022, joined the staff of Alabama as an analyst.

NOTES:

I had been waiting to pounce on Zach for sometime since his days in The Spring League. During that game that I saw him play in, a cold front came in dropping the temperatures at the outdoor event by 30-40 degrees. It was bitterly cold. The crowd treated the game more like a scrimmage. Hardcore fans like myself enjoyed the experience, but the majority of the crowd was dead silent and Mettenberger made sure to make a show of it screaming and yelling and having an insanely good time. I was too intimidated to ask him for his autograph. Also of note, sitting nearby and incognito was former Dallas Cowboys’ QB Babe Laufenberg that I missed out on. -I’m still kicking myself about that one.

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