CARDS: Panini Contenders Draft Picks 2018, Panini Prestige 2018 ACQUIRED: IP 2023, San Antonio Brahmas v St Louis Battlehawks
CAREER SNAPSHOT:
Kalen Ballage was a RB at Arizona State who ran for 1984 yards and 27 TDs (450 carries) playing for the school from 2014-’17.
A 4th round pick of the Miami Dolphins in 2018.
Had a breakout game his rookie year rushing for 123 yards on 12 carries against the Minnesota Vikings- scoring a TD.
2019 was disappointing, and by 2020, the Dolphins were searching for trade partners.
Waived with an injury settlement, Ballage spent about a month on the roster of the New York Jets that year.
Ultimately proved to be effective playing for the Chargers that year, contributing 91 carries for 303 yards and 3 TDs.
Also showed a nice touch out of the backfield, catching 29 passes.
Played for the Steelers in ’21 and spent the season on special teams.
Selected in the 6th round of the 2023 XFL Draft by the San Antonio Brahmas.
Was the primary back in the ground and pound offense, but was ultimately supplanted in the lineup by Jacques Patrick, and then an Achilles injury ended his season after 5 games.
Finished season with 55 carries for 149 yards and 11 receptions for 82 yards.
Expected to fight a crowded backfield for 1st team reps in 2024 with the Brahmas retooled offense, but with a crowded backfield was an early cut during preseason.
NOTES:
I was very excited to see the Brahmas drafted Kalen. He has a lot of cards and I hoped that I’d get more of them signed. Of subsets, I always look forward to the Gameday subsets from Panini.
I was able to get these two signed as he walked off the field in the first game near the home side entrance at the Alamodome.
CARDS: Topps AAF 2019, Topps AAF 2019 Certified ACQURIED: Ebay 2019, IP 2023, San Antonio Brahmas v Washington Defenders
CAREER SNAPSHOT:
Aussie Brad Wing played Australian Football growing up.
He went to college at LSU from 2012-’13 where he gained notoriety as a punter.
Punted 118 times for 5261 yards and a 44.8 yard average.
At the end of 2012, he was suspended for undisclosed rules- of which Brad admitted was continuous failed drug tests.
After going undrafted in 2013, he spent camp that year with the Philadelphia Eagles.
He’d make the squad of the Steelers the following year and see action punting in all 16 games in 2014.
Traded to the New York Giants in 2015 for a 7th round pick.
Punted for NY for the next 3 seasons and became a fan favorite.
Had a league high 95 punts in 2017, but also a league leading 2 blocks.
Signed with the Memphis Express of the AAF in 2018- for play in the 2019 season.
During the season he’d be cut for unknown reasons.
Over the next few years Brad struggled with mental health and sobriety.
In late 2022, the San Antonio Brahmas selected Wing to play in the XFL23.
He’d see action in all 10 games, and lead the league statistically across the board.
On the season, he had 2010 yards on 42 punts (47.2 yards per punt), and a 72 yard long punt- but was snubbed for All-XFL honors.
Brad signed with the Steelers in 2023, and punted in 2 contests for the team.
He returned to the Brahmas (now in the UFL) in 2024 where he’s a fan favorite.
On the season, he had 35 punts for 1598 yards, a 45.7 yard average, and 12 of those punts dropped inside the 20.
He entered UFL and San Antonio lore when in the 2024 opener he completed a fake punt for 40 yards to Alex Mollette who rumbled in for a TD right before the half against the DC Defenders.
NOTES:
Finally. I got Brad Wing of the Memphis Express (and Brahmas). Mark (MSB) got Brad a while ago through a family address, but I felt that I had other priorities so I waited on this one. When he got signed by the Brahmas I thought it was fortuitous, so I put his card aside. It took the entire season to nab him on his AAF base card, even though he was very friendly with fans.
When Brad was snubbed for the All XFL team in ’23 I ranted about it on Twitter. His family liked my post and agreed with me.
His father, Dave, played professionally in the NFLE for the Scottish Claymores.
CARDS: Sage 2016 Artistry, Panini Contenders Draft Picks 2016 Gameday ACQUIRED: TTM 2017, C/o The Denver Broncos. IP 2023, San Antonio Brahmas V. Houston Roughnecks SENT: 8/1/2017 RECEIVED: 1/8/2024 (2351 days)
CAREER SNAPSHOT:
Paxton Lynch played QB at Memphis from 2012-2015.
Was the starting QB from 2013-2015.
Posted a Memphis record 2014 outing with 22 TD (259/413) for 3031 yards.
Also ran for 321 yards on 113 carries and 13 rushing TDs.
In 2015, shattered his previous mark going 296/443 for 3776 yards and 28 TDs to just 4 picks.
Set a school single game record with 447 yards passing against Tulsa in 2015.
Selected in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft (26th) by the Denver Broncos.
Was 2nd string QB to open season behind Trevor Siemian his rookie year, seeing action in a few games as an injury replacement.
In 2017, a good portion of his season was marred by injury, as he sat behind Brock Osweiler.
Inexplicably would be cut in the preseason during 2018.
Cut during final roster cuts by the Seahawks in 2019.
Spent 2019 on the practice squad and roster of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Cut during final roster cuts by the Steelers in 2020.
Was with the Saskatchewan Roughriders from mid-2021 to early 2022.
Signed with the Michigan Panthers of the USFL in 2022, but was ruled out due to a leg injury.
Joined the Orlando Guardians of the XFL in 2023, and was initially the starter- but would be benched in favor of Quinten Dormandy.
Cut- he’d be signed later on that same day by the San Antonio Brahmas, but didn’t see any action the rest of the season.
Left exposed by the Brahmas after the dispersal draft when the XFL and USFL merged.
SAGE Artistry 2016, #ART15
NOTES:
I sent out to Paxton way, way back in 2017 while he was still on the Broncos hoping to get his autograph on these two cards. In the meantime, he’s had a wild ride around professional leagues, eventually landing in the XFL with San Antonio. I had an extra of his Gameday card, and was able to get his autograph after the team lost an overtime thriller to the Roughnecks.
He was signing behind the player bench, and was amused by the level of fandom he was witnessing. A mother begged Paxton for a used, sweaty towel for her son, who wanted something to remember this by. His response was both shock and amazement, and he said, “Sure?” At that time he penned this Panini Contenders Gameday card.
About a week or two later, I saw him at the Purple Heart event with the team in Boerne. As players kept coming up and talking to me because of my San Diego Fleet jersey, I didn’t get around to everybody I wanted. I had hoped to square Paxton away on a card or two more.
Lo and behold though- nearly 6 1/2 years later- Paxton signed these two cards for me from his days with the Broncos. I immediately gave the duplicate Gameday card to another fan who didn’t get one back from him C/o the Brahmas, and added his Sage Artistry that I wanted to the collection.
As Paxton was not retained by the Brahmas during the UFL player draft in 2024, I’m going to make a soft bet that this was Paxton’s retirement song as the timing of these cards couldn’t have been more perfect.
I myself, admittedly, had hoped that the Houston Texans would draft Paxton Lynch. He had some amazing tape coming out of college. I do not know why Lynch wasn’t able to stick his landing in professional football though I’d guess it might have to do with him relying too much on his athleticism and not enough on learning the playbook.
ATT
CPD
YDS
PCT
TD
INT
RAT
LG
128
79
792
61.7%
4
4
76.7
31
NFL
ATT
CPD
YDS
PCT
TD
INT
RAT
LG
83
54
550
65.1
5
4
83.9
N/A
USFL
ATT
CPD
YDS
PCT
TD
INT
RAT
LG
109
65
737
59.6
4
1
88.4
81T
XFL
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