CARD: Upper Deck USFL 2023 ACQUIRED: IP 2024, San Antonio Brahmas v Birmingham Stallions
CAREER SNAPSHOT:
CJ Marable played college ball at Arkansas State in 2016, but after seeing little time on the field, transferred to Coastal Carolina.
In 3 years playing for the Chanticleers, he ran for 2691 yards on 491 carries scoring 29 TDs.
He also was a solid receiving option catching 84 passes for 703 yards and 12 TDs.
Signed as an UDFA by the Bears, he’d be waived at the end of camp.
Selected in the 28th round of the 2022 USFL Draft by the Birmingham Stallions.
Solid debut rushing 102 times for 401 yards and 5 TDs, while catching 20 passes for 161 yards for Birmingham.
After being waived by the Patriots, he’d return to the Stallions for 2023, catching 28 passes for 235 yards and 2 TDs, while rushing for 524 yards on 118 carries (2 TDs).
In his 3rd season with the Stallions, CJ rushed 80 times for 293 yards (4 TD) and caught 10 passes for 45 yards.
ACCOLADES:
USFL Player of the Week 2022 (Week 5)
NOTES:
I didn’t hold out much hope getting any Stallions autographs after the Brahmas game. They had just suffered their first loss in over a year and they looked bushwhacked and tired. Still you have to hand it to them that they are happy to have fans. I was able to waive him over, and he kindly signed 3 cards including this 1/499. The other two I sent to my friends Joe and Mark (Mark’s Signing Bonus). CJ has a great big autograph, and I love it.
I thought I’d push it a bit further and ask him for his glove, to which he responded, “For a true fan, I got you bruh.” Big win. Getting back to basics: This is how a league really courts fans.
CARDS: Panini Contenders Season Ticket 2018, Score 2018 ACQUIRED: IP 2023, San Antonio Brahmas v Houston Roughnecks
CAREER SNAPSHOT:
Played for USC from 2015-’17 at WR.
Had a dominating Junior season posting 86 receptions for 1114 yards and 9 TDs.
Signed with the Tennessee Titans in 2018 but did not make the squad.
Spent time on and off the practice squad and regular season roster of the New York Jets in 2018.
Saw sporadic play with the Jets that season catching 10 passes for 143 yards.
Waived in 2019, and spent some time later in the year on the practice squad of the 49ers.
Joined the Eagles near the end of the year, and saw some action catching 2 passes for 48 yards.
During the ’20 season, he bounced on and off the starting roster, collecting another 3 catches for 19 yards.
Joined the XFL in 2022 playing for the Houston Roughnecks in the 2023 season.
On the year he caught 27 passes for 378 yards, and was good for 6 TDs including an 85 yarder.
Selected by the Arlington Renegades during the 2024 UFL Dispersal Draft.
For 2024 he had 33 catches for 306 yards and 2 TDs.
The Cowboys signed Burnett to a contract in late July.
ACCOLADES:
All XFL 2023
NOTES:
I really wanted Deontay because I love the Panini college GameDay inserts. I called out Deontay and he had no problem coming over and signing a few cards for me before the Roughnecks entered the tunnel after pregame practice had been concluded. I knew I was off to a fast start at my spot next to the visitor’s entrance.
Daryl Johnston is now the defacto point man for the unified USFL/XFL. I think it’s great he loves the sport so much. I appreciate his insightfulness and willingness to throw himself in there. I wasn’t sure what direction he’d go in after the dissolution of the AAF, as I thought he could move into an NFL executive role already, but he seems quite good at- and happy working with the UFL promoting the spring league.
He came down to San Antonio and talked to us about the Brahmas and the merged league. Afterwards he and Wade stood around and signed autographs and took photos. My friend Brandon and I bode our time and eventually we were able to snag him on most or all the items we wanted. I think that I’m finally running dry on things to get Daryl to sign. As a fullback during the 90s even there was an eventual finite level of cards I’d hit that I wanted to have him autograph.
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.