Marquise Williams played for the North Carolina Tarheels where he set numerous passing school records for the school as a dual threat QB from 2012-2015. He’d pass for 7,965 yards and 61 TD (25 INT) and rush for 2,458 yards and 35 TDs over his time at the school. After the 2016 NFL Draft, he’d spend time in camp with the Green Bay Packers.
The following year, he’d beat out Vince Young to make the roster of the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Marquise spent the next year there and was later cut in 2018.
Williams was allocated to the Atlanta Legends for the 2019 AAF season. Ultimately however, he’d be selected in the second round of the Pick or Protect Draft by the San Antonio Commanders. I was crazy about Marquise. Since Mike Riley was the coach, Williams reminded me a lot of former Riders QB Mike Johnson. Throughout the season, Marquise was used in a variety of ways. Initially he saw time on the field during 2 point conversions and short yardage plays, but this was quickly abandoned by the Commanders- probably in favor of keeping starter Logan Woodside in rhythm.
Later in the season Marquise was able to get in some heavy playtime against the Salt Lake City Stallions during Week 7 and the Arizona Hotshots in Week 8. Notably against the Stallions, he’d spark the Commanders to a win in front of the largest crowd in AAF history. Williams had solid passing statistics during his brief time in the league. Marquise went 25/34 (73.5%) for 203 yards, and a 36 yard TD to Trey Williams. He’d also rush 21 times for 120 yards.
Marquise was spotted at the XFL Summer Showcase after the AAF folded, and was later selected by the New York Guardians of the XFL in the 10th round of the league’s draft.
Card: Topps AAF 2019 Acquired: IP 2019, San Antonio Commanders v Arizona Hotshots
Wow. The Commanders got their butt kicked at home badly by the Hotshots. After the game, the Commanders went to the locker room while the Hotshots reveled in all their glory with fans on the visitors’ sideline. Bundy was talking to fans when I reached over and asked him to sign his card. At first he said I must have the wrong guy, but when he and his friends saw his card, he jumped up and down with excitement. Like most players, he was unaware that Topps had made a card of him. He signed it gleefully and then thanked me for the extra I gave him.
Marquis played for the New Mexico Lobos from 2012-2015. He put together 31 catches for 395 yards and 2 TDs over his time at the school. Bundy did not see much playing time as a receiver in the run first Lobos offense- so his draft stock really suffered. He’d go unselected in 2016.
Bundy was picked up by the Cardinals, and was on and off the roster through 2017. The Giants then took a year to look at Marquis but did not make the roster in 2018.
Marquis signed with the Hotshots in 2019, and saw his most productive outing against the Commanders in Week 5 catching 3 passes for 49 yards, and over the course of the season he also converted 2 2 point conversions. He’d see 4 starts (in 8 games) catching 13 passes for 178 yards (13.6 YPC), including a 22 yard long.
After the league folded, Marquis landed on the practice squad of the British Columbia Lions of the Canadian Football League.
Jared played college ball for the Idaho State Bengals from 2000 to 2003. It should be noted that Allen experienced exponential growth in almost every statistical field every year he played for the Bengals. In his Senior year of 2003, he started 12 games and posted 102 combined tackles, 28 tackles for loss, 17.5 sacks, 9 pass deflections, 6 forced fumbles, and 3 fumble recoveries- earning him the Buck Buchanan award for the nation’s best D-I defensive player. Despite Jared’s resume and imposing physique (6’6″, 265), he was not selected until the 4th round of the 2004 draft by the Kansas City Chiefs.
Jared played 4 seasons for the Chiefs and much like his college career, experienced a strong upward curve in his statistical production. In his final season in Kansas City, Jared logged an NFL leading 15.5 sacks and 19 tackles for loss, while catching 2 TD passes moonlighting on offense. He was named both to the Pro Bowl and an All-Pro.
Jared was traded by the Chiefs to the Vikings in 2008 in a blockbuster trade. Taking his talents to the NFC North, Jared again notched 2 more AP and Pro Bowl seasons with consecutive 14.5 sack seasons. After a ‘down year’ in 2010, Allen had a career high 22 sacks- missing the NFL sack record by just .5 sacks in the final game. He’d play two more years in Minnesota, and finish with an impressive 85.5 sacks in just 6 years.
Allen moved on to the Bears for 2014, but was moved to an OLB capacity in Chicago’s 3-4 alignment and record 5.5 sacks on the season. Jared was on the move again, traded to the Carolina Panthers 4 games into the season. He’d play in his first Super Bowl as the Panthers fell to the Broncos 24-10.
After the season, Jared retired but holds the NFL records for safeties (4-tied), consecutive games with a sack (11), and times leading the league in sacks (2). He has led a very interesting life post-retirement and has worked in charitable work with the Juvenile Diabetes Program, the NFL-USO tours, and the Wounded Warrior Project. Outside of that he’s an avid outdoorsman and curler, and put together a team of former NFL players to compete at a variety of national curling competitions.
I am so proud to be a part of @theAAF and be able to help change the game forever.
– Jared Allen
In 2018, Jared stunned the football world when he joined Bill Polian, Troy Polamalu, Justin Tuck, and founder Charlie Ebersol on stage to announce the Alliance of American Football. In the well rehearsed but quickly staged news conference Jared and Justin Tuck got up on a stage and sold the product like a tech start up. Forget the XFL. I was in and I was excited for the A-A-F.
Jared was in full throttle too, as both an investor and also in player relations. Oddly though, this was the most we saw of Jared for the remainder of the AAF’s short duration. He continued to strongly trumpet the league on social media, but as 2019 rolled around, this came to an abrupt stop.
In April of 2019, after hemorrhaging cash for most of its duration the AAF ended after just 8 games, as chief investor Tom Dundon pulled out his remaining investment.
Considering Jared’s through the mail track record, I was shocked to get this one back, little less in 12 days. I’d like to believe that the content of the letter matters and that players do read them.
Jared has a lot of great looking cards. It was very hard to trim it down to even 3 to send him, however I chose these 3 from his time as a member of the Minnesota Vikings. For once I was sort of underwhelmed by a Score 2009 entry, purely because it’s Jared celebrating after a sack. His hands both annoyingly go into the margin of the design and make the photo placement look careless. I really like the look of both the Upper Deck and the Adrenalyn cards while the Adrenalyn has a nice reflecting shine to it.
G/GS
TAC
SAC
FUM
187/181
642
136.0
32
INT
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
6
55
9,1
1
36
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.
