The Brahmas for some odd reason didn’t resign Delontae for the 2025 campaign.
He’d sign a game or two into the season with the Birmingham Stallions.
NOTES:
I’ve been deriding the Upper Deck Epack system for sometime, but my largest and almost singular complaint is the cost- especially considering the cost of an Epack is more than a physical card pack and has less or the same amount of cards. Then there’s the added cost of ordering the physical cards… and the wait.
That being said I found something totally fun about it: Trading. I just wish that the community was more active. I’ve been actively after putting together a set to upgrade it to a parallel autograph, slowly whittling it down to the final 10 or so. As I’ve done so, I’ve discovered so many zombie accounts. I’ll put out a fair trade and just sit there and wait… and wait… and wait… and get no response.
I got a few horse trades down with another collector, and so he just threw this one out there for 10 cards. Knowing I am a Brahmas fan and the fact I hadn’t pulled this one yet intrigued me. All of the cards were digital and none really impacted my bottom line, so I went for the deal and scratched Delontae off the list without even going to a game.
Later I figured out I could redeem a set of white cards for an actual printing plate. Silly me, I could’ve done it twice over but I kept ordering the physical cards out. Anyway, lesson learned. With my second redemption pull I was able to get a magenta printer’s plate of Delontae. I was ecstatic.
Originally a WR in college at Fort Valley State, Marquette hit the field as a punter in his Junior year.
He’d go undrafted in 2012 after an outstanding Senior campaign where he netted All-First Team in the SIAC.
King signed with the Raiders post draft and provided a camp leg for the team while Shane Lechler rehabbed an injury.
The Raiders stashed King on IR during his rookie year.
With Lechler signing with the Texans in 2013, Marquette won the job outright in camp.
Marquette had an exceptional debut, leading the league in with a 48.9 gross yards per punt.
He’d then follow his debut up with leading the NFL in various categories and setting franchise records with 4,930 yards on 109 punts in 2014.
Marquette played with the Raiders through 2017.
He signed with the Broncos in 2018.
Cut midway through the season with an injury settlement.
Signed with the XFL in 2020, playing for the St. Louis Battlehawks.
Had 19 punts for 868 yards before the league terminated after week 5 due to COVID.
Returned again to the XFL in 2023 where he was selected by the Arlington Renegades.
Finished year with 40 punts for 1816 yards and a 45.4 yard average as Renegades captured XFL Championship.
Played again in 2024 for the Renegades and had 28 punts for 1368 yards.
ACCOLADES:
Second Team All Pro 2016
All UFL 2024
NOTES:
Marquette was the first player to come over before the XFL Championship game. Kids swarmed me, as they know King as a combination of a streamer and an athlete. He left me for last and thanked me for being a fan while signing the card.
Marquette has a very unique autograph. I’ve never seen anything really like it. It’s pretty artistic with the dots and the straight line on the end there. I think it’s supposed to be a king’s crown.
I’m not sure why Marquette didn’t get another shot at the NFL. Maybe he just got too expensive for his own market. Maybe it was because he showboated after making a great punt. Maybe he got bad press from his former teammates on the Raiders.
Marquette recently also provided the 2024 UFL Championship game with its halftime entertainment as he’s a musician as well.
Wade Phillips comes from strong football bloodlines as his father Bum, was a coach at the pro level.
Was a 3 year starter at LB at University of Houston from 1966-’68.
Immediately went into coaching where he began his trek up to the pro ranks as a graduate assistant at Houston.
Moved into the pros with his father in 1976 as a positional coach with the HOUSTON Oilers.
Became the defensive coordinator for the Saints in 1981.
In 1985, served as interim HC when his father abruptly retired during the season.
Worked with the Eagles (1985-’88), and Broncos (1989-’92) as each team’s defensive coordinator- respectively.
He was coach of the Broncos from 1993-’94.
Then was quickly snapped up by the Bills to be DC from 1995-’97.
Served as HC for the Bills from 1998-’00.
After a brief hiatus, was back at it again in 2002 as DC for the Falcons through 2003.
Served as interim head coach briefly for Atlanta, then was off to San Diego to be the DC from 2004-2006.
Became head coach of the Dallas Cowboys from 2007-’10.
Claimed to know how to fix the Houston Texans defensive woes and was signed as DC in 2011.
Turned around defensive unit and was key in identifying JJ Watt.
Served through 2013 as the DC, and briefly as the interim head coach.
Returned to the Broncos in 2015 as DC- helping the team win Super Bowl L.
Joined the Rams in 2017 and helped team reach Super Bowl LIII.
After not having his contract renewed following the 2019 season, Wade decided to coach in the XFL in 2023.
As HC of the Houston Roughnecks he led the team to a 7-3 record.
When the UFL and XFL combined following the season, Wade and his staff moved up the street to San Antonio.
Rebuilding the team from the ground up Phillips guided his team to an 8-3 record and an appearance in the first UFL Championship Game.
NOTES:
You know, I didn’t really believe Wade at first that he was going to build a dynamo in San Antonio that we’d be proud of. Then they went to work and just like that by the beginning of that first game, I thought the Brahmas were walking quietly and carrying a big stick.
Wade is well known in circles for being able to make seismic cultural and defensive changes quickly to football franchises. He also hasn’t seen a sniff of an NFL HC job since his time in Dallas- which could be attributed to ageism, as his reputation and resume say otherwise.
I got this custom card done just in time to give it to him at the season ticket holders event. He probably has seen his share of custom trading cards- so he really didn’t bat an eye.. which did surprise me. Over his high profile level of coaching for the past 40+ years, he has never had a trading card in circulation.
Wade has been a HC for more franchises than any coach in NFL history (including interim titles).
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.
