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.
A tweener with the ability to line up at DE or OLB, Jake Pugh played for FSU from 2014-’17.
Seeing action in 36 games over his college career, he recorded 108 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, 2 interceptions, 4 pass deflections, 3 fumble recoveries- of which he returned 1 for a TD.
Considered an EDGE in the pros, he went undrafted but saw some preseason action with the Seattle Seahawks in 2018.
He then joined the Orlando Apollos of the AAF in 2019.
Unfortunately he sustained a neck injury before the first game of the season and didn’t see any action that season.
In 2020, he’d play for the Tampa Bay Vipers of the XFL.
Then he tried his hand in the CFL with the Stampeders in 2022 but didn’t make the squad.
CARD: TNT XFL 2023 ACQUIRED: In Person 2023, Brahmas Purple Heart Event
CAREER SNAPSHOT:
John Parker Romo has had an interesting ride to the professional level.
First he kicked for Central Arkansas (2016), Tulsa (2018), and then finally in Virginia Tech (2019-’21).
In his lone season starting at VT, Romo hit 34 of 34 extra points, and 18 of 22 field goals for 88 total points.
Undrafted he was on the off season roster of the Saints in 2022.
In 2023 John Parker joined the San Antonio Brahmas of the XFL ’23.
He’d nail 17 of 19 field goals on the season and solidify himself as the best kicker in the league.
After another off season with both the Lions and Bears in 2023, he spent 2024 on the off season roster of the Vikings.
An injury replacement for Will Reichard John was resigned by the Vikings and went 11 of 12 on field goals.
As of the time of this post, JPR is on the practice squad of the New England Patriots.
ACCOLADES:
All XFL 2023
NOTES:
I finished a slew of these XFL 2023 cards I made for the Brahmas hoping to get many of them signed before the conclusion of the season. At the Purple Heart Veterans event, the entire team showed up, but I was so overwhelmed by a few players that I was unable to get all the autographs I wanted in about 15 minutes.
I reached out to John before the event through Twitter and he responded and told me he’d love to have a card. He sought me out and kindly signed this card, while I gave him the extras to keep.
Romo has a nice little autograph that even has goal posts in it. Brilliant!
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.
