CARD: Topps XFL 2020 ACQUIRED: IP, XFL 2023 Championship Game
CAREER SNAPSHOT:
Willie Beavers was a 4th round pick out of Western Michigan by the Minnesota Vikings in 2016.
Beavers has kept the dream alive and his agent busy since then, seeing tours with the Vikings, Patriots and Seahawks in 2016-’17.
After concluding his time with the Seahawks in 2018, spent a bit of time with the Bears as well that year.
After a short stint with the 9ers in 2019, played for the XFL Dallas Renegades in 2020.
Great film allowed him to return to the NFL, where Willie got practice squad for the Falcons later that year and into 2021.
Signed with the Commanders in ’22, but was injured and released.
Returned to the XFL to play with the Arlington Renegades in 2023, starting 5 contests.
NOTES:
The Renegades had just pulled off a huge upset in the XFL Championship game over the Defenders, and after the celebration at midfield, Dallas players were rightfully a combination of delirious, elated, and exhausted. Willie was slowly milling off the field, and as the throng of people around me called him over, he didn’t budge until I called him by name. He slowly ambled over took selfies and signed a card for me. I told him how much I appreciate every one of them and to keep living the dream!
CARDS: Gameday 1992, Pacific 1991 ACQUIRED: TTM 2023, C/o Home SENT: RECEIVED: 9/16/23 FAILURE: TTM 2023, C/o Home
CAREER SNAPSHOT:
Played college football for Maryland but was not selected in the 1981 NFL Draft.
He’d join the Seahawks as a free agent, primarily used on special teams and as a blocking TE.
Over the next 8 seasons, became a seldom used fan favorite.
After a one year stint in Washington (’89), returned to Seattle for the next two years.
Played for the Vikings in 1992-’93, and a final season in ’95.
Moved into coaching almost immediately as a positional coach for the Vikings in ’96.
Named the Vikings’ interim head coach in 2001.
Officially retained as head coach in 2002 and remained head coach through the 2006 season.
Team reached the pinnacle of offensive production setting modern NFL records for total yards in 2003, after leading the NFL in offensive yards in 2002.
Wasn’t retained following the 2005 season.
Has served a variety of assistant coach and positional coaching jobs with the Jaguars (2006-09), Bears (2010-12), Falcons (2014), and Raiders (2015-17).
Pacific 1991, #488
NOTES:
I thought Mike might make a good fit for the XFL, but he seems content to stay semi-retired. I needed Mike for the Gameday 1992 set, but I figured I might as well toss in the Pacific card, since it was from his Seattle days. A good signer TTM, he had moved and my cards were RTS but I got the golden forwarding address.
Mike must have a great personality as he seemed beloved in both Seattle and Minnesota.
He helped anchor down an impressive defense notching 3 sacks on the season, as the team won World Bowl II.
After the World League collapsed, Bill signed with the Sacramento Goldminers of the CFL that year.
This led him to the Atlanta Falcons during that same year in 1992.
Bill played with the Falcons through 1994.
In a preseason game against the Eagles, Bill tore his abductor muscle from his pelvis.
This caused him incredible pain while he searched for a proper diagnosis.
Ultimately he’d be cut by the Falcons, and then later picked up by the new expansion franchise, the Carolina Panthers.
And… he’d be the first player cut by the Panthers.
In the meantime, during his rehab, he’d met many wrestlers and was eventually convinced to try his hand at the sport.
He quickly ascended the ranks of WCW and made his debut as ‘Goldberg’ in 1997.
Won 173 straight wrestling matches.
When WCW was bought out by the WWE, Goldberg wrestled in Japan for two years before returning stateside to the WWE.
Took a break from wrestling, returning to the sport in 2015 during Legends of Wrestling.
Officially returned to WWE in 2016, retiring from the sport unofficially in 2022.
Rumors continue to swirl about his return to the sport.
Has appeared and been in numerous movies and TV shows.
Ultimate WL 1992 Team Checklist, #147
ACCOLADES:
WWE Hall of Fame
WWE Championship
WWE Universal Championship x2
WCW World Heavyweight Champion x2
WCW World Tag Team Champion
WcW United States World Heavyweight Champion x2
NOTES:
Bill is passionate about his charitable causes, notably Purple Heart services for wounded veterans. He also is Jewish- And while he’s extremely respectful of his religious upbringing, it’s something that’s just not talked about a lot.
So a few months ago when the XFL Brahmas opened up shop, some of my friends were invited to a special gathering for the team at the stadium. There they met many of the players and there was a special appearance by Bill Goldberg! (I had not realized he was still so passionate about the sport of Spring Football.)
When this event popped up in Boerne, I got that feeling that, maybe Bill would show up. Y’know a gut feeling. I told my friend who was going with me (Jeff) to not be surprised and to plan as if he might be attending. When we got to this really good taco joint, everything just seemed to line up. Jeff noted the autograph on the wall from Goldberg. Then I texted my friend Brandon, and he said, “Oh yeah, Goldberg will be there.” Just as we were about to step out, the man himself walked in.
Jeff nudged me and we played it cool. When we did speak to Goldberg, I talked to him about the World League and told him about how I probably walked by him at that last game when he was with the Surge, and they beat the Riders in the ‘Do or Die’ game. And while we lost, I left satisfied that next year might be the Riders’ year… <insert audible trail off>
He gave a chuckle and told me that it was a great time. That back then he was pretty close to the stadium since he was living in San Marcos… but that it was from SO LONG AGO. He then took this awesome photo with me.
Later right before he left I approached him one more time and thanked him for his time in the World League. And I’ll say this to any World League player I run into or get the autograph of: It meant so much to me that you guys were chasing your dreams. My father was not the greatest father, but he tried, and the way he got started was by taking me to those World League games. It really helped us bond. And I am forever grateful for every player who played in that league.
He told me that it meant to him more than I’d know- and that honestly meant to me, so, so much.
NFL
TAC
SAC
FUM
INT
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
11
0.0
0
0
0
-.-
0
-.-
WL
TAC
SAC
FUM
INT
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
N/a
3.0
0
0
0
-.-
0
-.-
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.
