Category Archives: AAF

AAF, NFL, usfl

Bowman, Braedon

Topps AAF 2019, #BRB
Topps AAF 2019, #60

CARDS: Topps AAF 2019 Certified, Topps AAF 2019
ACQUIRED: Box Breaker, 2019. C/o Home, 2022
SENT: 6/29 RECEIVED: 7/13 (14 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Braedon Bowman played TE at South Alabama from 2014-15.
  • Big, strong, solid blocker caught 29 passes for 381 yards over his college career.
  • Undrafted (2016), and later signed by Jags but didn’t make roster.
  • Signed by the Jets and suited up for a few games, becoming only second player from South Alabama to play in an NFL game.
  • Spent the next two seasons on the off-season rosters of the Saints (’17) and Chargers (’18-’19).
  • Played for the Birmingham Iron of the AAF in 2019.
  • After spending early part of season on IR, caught 4 passes for 43 yards and first TD since high school.
  • After AAF collapsed, got onboard with the New Jersey Generals of the USFL in 2022.
  • Caught 12 passes for 122 yards and a TD.

NOTES:

Braedon wrote me a nice note thanking me for being a fan of the AAF and that he hopes I’m able to get as many autographs as I could.

AAF, CFL, NFL

Palmer, Tobias

Topps AAF 2019, #81

CARD: Topps AAF 2019
ACQUIRED: TTM 2020, C/o Home
SENT: 11/25/20 RECEIVED: 1/29/21 (65 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Played WR at NC State in 2011 and 2012.
  • In Senior year, posted 54 catches for 781 yards and 6 TDs.
  • Was also a monster on KRs, returning 44 kicks for 1124 yards and 2 TDs.
  • Signed as an undrafted free agent by the Jaguars after the 2013 NFL Draft.
  • Spent time on and off the franchise’s roster and practice squad, eventually landing on the Chargers.
  • After being released in 2014, Palmer was on and off the rosters of the Saints (14), Bills (15), Steelers (16), and Panthers (16).
  • Then it was off to the CFL with the Alouettes (17), and Argonauts (18).
  • In 2019, Tobias made the squad of the Birmingham Iron of the AAF.
  • On 20 targets, he’d catch 13 passes for 129 yards.
  • His best game came against the Apollos in Week 5, when he caught 5 passes for 36 yards.

NOTES:

Topps did a really good job with this set. Lots of interesting names in here. Based on how the card companies were really swarming the rookie market in 2011, it was surprising that nobody- even Sage- had a card on Palmer, until this card came out in 2019.

AAF, NFL, XFL

Farrow II, Kenneth

Panini Contenders 2016, #264
Topps AAF 2019, #AU-KF

Card: Topps AAF Now 2.17.19 , Topps AAF 2019, Topps AAF 2019 Certified, Panini Contenders 2016, Topps AAF Now 3.2.19, Topps XFL 2020
Acquired: IP 2019, SA Commanders Team Signing Dick’s Sporting Goods at The Rim, IP 2023, SA Brahmas v Arlington Renegades
Failure: TTM 2019, C/o The Miami Dolphins

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Kenneth Farrow II played college ball for The University of Houston from 2012-15.
  • His best collegiate season came in 2014, rushing for 1042 yards on 186 carries- scoring 14 TDs.
  • Over Farrow’s college career he had 560 carries for 2980 yards and 34 TDs rushing, to go along with 74 catches for 546 yards and 3 TDs- in 48 contests.
  • Signed with San Diego following the 2016 NFL Draft.
  • Fought his way onto the roster and was 3rd on the depth chart at RB for the Chargers.
  • Dressed for 13 contests, starting 2, rushing for 192 yards on 60 carries.
  • Spent the end of 2016, and all of 2017 on IR.
  • Waived by team in 2018, and joined the Patriots for about a month during the regular season.
  • Subsequently signed with the AAF, joining the San Antonio Commanders.
  • The clear cut starting back for the Commanders ground game, Farrow ran for 106 times for 372 yards and 4 TDs in 8 games.
  • He ran for a league high 142 yards against the Birmingham Iron‘s top ranked defense in a 12-11 win during Week 4.
  • After the AAF folded, Kenneth briefly signed with the Miami Dolphins.
  • In 2020, Kenneth joined the XFL 2.0 as a member of the Seattle Dragons.
  • He ran for 156 yards on 38 carries, scoring 1 TD before the league folded due to COVID after 5 games.
  • Farrow returned again for the XFL 2023, joining the Arlington Renegades.
  • He saw action against the Brahmas- but tore his ACL late in the game ending his season.
  • See also San Antonio Commanders Autograph Souvenir
Topps Now AAF 2019, #12

ACCOLADES:

  • Week 4 AAF Offensive Player of the Week
  • AAF Record- Most yards rushing in one game (142)
Topps NOW AAF 2019, #22

NOTES:

Kenneth has a lot of great Spring football cards, and I wanted him on all of them. As I love my runningbacks, he was one of my favorite Commanders. When the league folded I ran out to a Chinese version of EBay and got a bunch of custom Commanders jerseys made. I was very excited to add Kenneth’s jersey to my collection (see photo). The problem was that it didn’t have the ‘II’ on the back- even though I requested it. It’s the effort that counts though.

Topps AAF 2019, #152
Topps XFL 2020, #8

I had been following Kenneth since his days with the Commanders, and I did this piece of art for him. He liked it so much, he promised me he’d give me his autograph at an event in the future- if he ever made it back around to this area. I bode my time.

Eventually he returned to the XFL 3.0 with the Arlington Renegades. When the team cut him before the season, I thought to myself, “Oh well,” But lo and behold two weeks before the Brahmas meeting with the Renegades, Arlington resigned him. I knew this was my best shot.

I look like a crazy person but Kenneth’s got it goin’ on.

I gave him a gentle nudge on Twitter with the picture, then took some photos of myself in my jersey. He liked it before the game, so I knew I had a good shot. When I got to the stadium, I snuck around to the visitors side of the stadium, eventually settling in where I was in view of him near the front of the visitors entrance stands.

Boom! He caught a pass and came rumbling over. “I see you! Thank-you for being a fan! I’ll get you after warm ups and sign anything you want!” Then he rolled off again. Everyone around me was pretty floored.

True to his word he came back after warm-ups concluded. He signed all the remaining cards I needed of him, and I gave him the art I made of him. We reminisced about the best of times with the Commanders briefly, before Brian Folkerts came over and De’Vante Bausby piped in about how classy my jersey was. It was great! Like a mini reunion. I was so elated. I felt so appreciated and I know the feeling was mutual.

Even though the Brahmas lost the game, I felt like a big winner that day.

Unfortunately during a play where Kenneth was plowing ahead for a big gain, he was tackled and injured. At some point enough is enough and with the injuries he’s sustained over the years, he’s lucky to still have it. After his surgical procedure he announced his very well earned retirement from the sport. Onward and upward!

Kenneth is a founding member of the UFPA (United Football Players Association)- An advisory board of players that specializes in helping players and unions outside the NFL and CFL negotiate union contracts with their leagues.