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, #17Topps 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.
Scooby played LB for Arizona and saw playing time right out of the gate as a true Freshman in 2013.
In 3 years (27 games), he had 236 total tackles, 38 TFL, 14 sacks, and 6 FF.
Drafted by the Browns late in the 7th round (2016), Scooby has seen much of his NFL career on and off the practice squad.
Joined the Cardinals late in 2016, and was on and off the regular season squad and practice squad through 2018.
In 2018, Wright was a territorial allocation of the Arizona Hotshots of the AAF and played with the team during its abbreviated season in 2019 (8 tackles).
Spent 2019 on the practice squad of the New England Patriots.
2020, saw Scoob take his game to the XFL where he played for the DC Defenders, notching 17 tackles, before the league ended operations due to COVID.
After playing for the Alphas of the Spring League that year, Scoob reappeared on the radar of Spring Football in 2022 with the Birmingham Stallions.
It was with the Stallions, Scoob etched his name into Spring Football lore.
He had 52 TT, 3 sacks, and 2 FF for Birmingham in ’22.
During the Championship game that year, Shark-Dog had a spectacular pick 6 for the go ahead score.
Spent 2023 on IR.
ACCOLADES:
USFL 2022 Defensive Player of the Week – Week 4
NOTES:
I am very glad to finally close the book on Scooby. After the Hotshots beat the Commanders in that final game, I tried to get him but he was quick to go to the locker room but I had no luck. In 2020, when he joined the Defenders, my friend Seth, offered to get his autograph at the Defenders team event. He came through in spades and I was able to get him in this beautiful gold pen.
Later Mark (Mark’s Signing Bonus), helped me out with Shark-Dog’s address. I finally got around to sending this XFL 2020 card to him, after I found out that there was going to be no USFL card of him. He was nice enough to sign both XFL 2020 cards I sent, as one was for my friend Seth.
I sorta blew it though because I had a Leaf Draft card I could’ve sent among others, but I guess I’ll just have to get him after the USFL and XFL merge.
During his time in the USFL Scooby has earned the nickname ‘Shark-dog’ based on his unique defensive celebration. As he put it to the sideline reporter: “I had to go Shark-Dog on them. Half Shark, half Dog.”
Malcolm played OL at Miami, eventually transferring to UCLA for graduate studies.
After not being selected in the 2015 NFL Draft, he embarked on a series of stops with the Eagles (2015), Tiger-Cats (2017), Jaguars (2017), and Giants (2018).
Bunche got seasoning playing for an exceptionally good OL with the Arizona Hotshots of the AAF in 2019.
He had two more short stops with the Giants and Redskins immediately after that before closing out the year.
Bunche then played for the Washington Defenders of the XFL in 2020.
After a brief hiatus he played with the San Antonio Brahmas of the XFL 2023.
NOTES:
Malcolm was a nice grab that I picked up during the Purple Heart Event that the team was at in Boerne in April. I was wearing my AJ Tarpley jersey and my guy Kameron Kelly stopped me to admire it and take a photo with me. Malcolm came up to compliment me as he too was an AAF vet from his days with the Hotshots. When I produced his XFL card from my pile of stuff, he was duly impressed and gleefully signed it.
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.
