Category Archives: NFLE

NFL, NFLE, usfl

Clancy, Sam ‘Bam’

CARDS: Pro Set 1989, Fleer 1991, Score 1991
ACQUIRED: TTM 2026, C/o Work
SENT: 2/2/26 RECEIVED: 2/21/26 (19 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Sam played basketball at Pitt from 1977-’81.
  • He averaged 14.4 points and 11.6 rebounds a game as forward over four years.
  • Then in ’79 won a Gold Medal at the Pan American Games.
  • Drafted by both the Phoenix Suns and the Seattle Seahawks- despite not playing a down of football in college- in 1981.
  • Played in the CBA for the Billings Volcanoes scoring 11.5 points and pulling in 8.3 rebounds a game from 1981-’82.
  • Joined the Seahawks in ’82 but spent the entire season on IR after messing up his knee.
  • In 1983, Sam was a rotational piece behind Jacob Green and Jeff Bryant, seldom used in nickel and dime situations.
  • Spent a season in the USFL with the Pittsburgh Maulers in 1984 notching 120 tackles, 15 sacks and 2 fumble recoveries.
  • Posted another 4 sacks in ’85 playing for the Memphis Showboats.
  • After the USFL collapsed that year, traded by Seahawks to the Browns.
  • Played four seasons for Cleveland, starting 21 contests and making 14 sacks and 3 fumble recoveries.
  • Signed as a free agent in ’88 with the Indianapolis Colts.
  • In 1990, started 8 of 16 contests as a pass rush specialist at both LDE and RDE.
  • Led team with 7.5 sacks, and had 48 total tackles.
  • Finished career with the Colts after the 1993 campaign and tallied 16 sacks and 4 fumble recoveries over time in Indianapolis.
  • Coached DL in NFL Europe, for the Barcelona Dragons‘ World Bowl Champion Team in 1997 (’95-’99).
  • Returned stateside to coach for a duo of NFL Teams, the Saints (2000-’03) and the Raiders (2004-’05).
  • Hailed as a local home grown hero, Sam as of 2026 is a director at Pitt’s Varsity Club.

ACCOLADES:

  • Gold Medal Pan American Games- Basketball 1979
  • Awardee of Distinction- Pitt Varsity Letter Club
  • Sam Clancy Day- June 23rd, 2023
  • Pitt’s All-Centennial Men’s Basketball Team (1905-2006)
  • Pitt Athletics Hall of Fame

NOTES:

Sam had an incredible career for an athlete who never played a down of college football before stepping onto the gridiron. The cards themselves came back a bit bent but that’s okay.

I’m glad that Sam got some other cards, because I absolutely loathed this card of him in his warm ups for Indianapolis. Pro Set at the time at least really prided itself in capturing players in the action. This was certainly not that. I like to give Pro Set the benefit of the doubt that maybe this was a replacement card for someone who retired, since it’s at the back end of Pro Set 1989 series II right before the rookies.

GFL, NFL, NFLE, XFL

Hippler, Werner

CARDS: Frankfurt Galaxy Team Issue 2000, 2003
ACQUIRED: 2023, Private Acquisition

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • German born Werner Hippler is considered a home grown Football Legend.
  • Played college ball at Sacramento State at TE from 1992-’94.
  • In ’95 played for the Frankfurt Galaxy catching 2 passes for 6 yards and 2 TDs.
  • Spent two seasons on the practice squad of the San Diego Chargers.
  • During that period returned to Frankfurt, playing for the Galaxy through the 2000 campaign.
  • Also played for the GFL Cologne Red Barons/ Crocodiles as well.
  • In 1999 caught a career high 34 passes for 341 yards for the Galaxy.
  • After going through camp with the Detroit Lions, played with the Las Vegas Outlaws of the XFL 2001 catching a pass for 6 yards.
  • Returned to the NFLE playing for the Galaxy through the ’03 season.
  • In 2004, had a change of scenery, and played for the Cologne Centurions.
  • He’d catch 18 passes for 128 yards and a TD over the next 4 seasons before the league ended.

ACCOLADES:

  • All World League 1999-’00

NOTES:

Hippler all in all played in 12 football seasons and played in more games than any other player in NFLE history. He’s gotten a few bit roles in movies, and runs a security company. He’s also been involved with the GFL and the Hamburg Huskies.

GFL, NFL, NFLE

Benetka, Daniel ‘The Bull’

CARD: Frankfurt Galaxy Team Issue 2003
ACQUIRED: eBay 2023, Private Acquisition

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Daniel Benetka was a 6-foot-4-inch, 295lb DL who attended the University of Idaho.
  • He also was a Discus thrower at the school notching a throw of 183.5 yards.
  • Signed by the San Francisco 49ers as a rookie free agent, but was released prior to the 1999 regular season.
  • Signed with the Frankfurt Galaxy of the NFLE in 2001.
  • Ended up having a very long and productive career in the NFLE playing there from 2001 to the league’s conclusion in 2007.
  • Played with the Indianapolis Colts during the 2001 preseason, but it is not clear if he was released prior to the regular season.
  • Played with the New England Patriots during the 2003 preseason, but was released prior to the regular season.
  • Played for the Falcons in 2004.
  • Over seven seasons in the NFLE posted 4.5 sacks and 2 interceptions for 10 yards.

NOTES:

Daniel is considered a Frankfurt Galaxy ‘great’ and was involved with the founding of the GFL club, the Frankfurt Universe. He’s also been active in promoting the sport of American Football in Europe.