Long returned in time for the 2015 season, but was released in a cost saving move by the Rams.
He signed a one year contract with the Falcons.
In 2016, Jake briefly flirted with Baltimore, but ended up in Minnesota.
He’d tear his Achilles in week 10 ending his season.
Long retired during the 2017 offseason.
NOTES:
I had been meaning to get back to Jake for a while after getting a freebee back in 2014. I think I’d been kicking the tires on him for 3 to 4 years, so it makes sense he’s the first calendar success of 2023.
These Upper Deck cards- meh- they’re okay, but they were better than the junk that was designed for the ’08 season. The Score ’09 was definitely a set need, while the Topps 2014 was the slow evolution of the product from I think 2011. The design started resembling more of a fender, but eh I’m sorta okay with that. I thought it’d be nice to get one of him in his Rams attire- even if it is St. Louis.
After a year at Louisville, and then Torrance JC, Matt Simms transferred to Tennessee for 2010.
He threw for 1460 yards and 8 TDs while completing 113 of 195 pass attempts.
After going unselected during the 2012 NFL Draft, he’d sign a free agent contract with the New York Jets, and spent the season on and off the practice squad roster and futures list.
Simms saw a promising preseason in 2013, and then later threw his first professional football TD late in the season.
After seeing limited playing time again in the 2014 season, the team drafted two quarterbacks during the 2015 NFL Draft.
Simms would be claimed off of waivers in 2015 by the Buffalo Bills.
He’d join the Falcons practice squad after that and be on and off the team’s practice squad through 2017- when he was released with an injury settlement.
Matt was selected during the second round of the ‘Protect or Pick’ AAF QB draft by the Atlanta Legends.
The Legends went back and forth all season between Matt and former Georgia star Aaron Murray.
Threw for 842 yards and 2 TDs (8 INT) on 79 of 132 passes for Atlanta.
After the AAF collapsed in 2019, Matt resigned with the Falcons, but was placed on IR soon thereafter, ending his season and his career.
NOTES:
Great autograph and card. Love the ‘Caesar-esque’ pose. Matt comes from a solid line of QB bloodlines, with his father Phil and brother Chris, both playing in the NFL at the position as well. I took a shot on Matt on his Topps AAF base card at his parent’s house back in 2019, thinking he’d open it over Christmas- but going on 3 years now, no dice.
Over 4 years at Baylor, Paris, Tx native Jordan Williams started 26 games at LB for the Bears from 2016-2019.
He finished his career in Waco with 208 tackles, 19.5 for a loss, 3.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and one recovery.
His best season for the Bears came in 2019, when he had 90 tackles, 9.5 for a loss, and 1.5 sacks.
He also picked off three passes, had 11 passes defended, and forced two fumbles.
After the 2020 NFL draft, he signed with the Atlanta Falcons.
Jordan was selected by the San Antonio Brahmas in the XFL 2023 Supplemental Draft.
He had a banner year for the Brahmas stingy defense, leading the league with 89 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss, and a pick.
In 5 of the 10 contests he started for the team, he had 10 or more tackles.
After the 2023 season concluded he was invited to camp with the Carolina Panthers as an inside linebacker.
ACCOLADES:
All-XFL 2023
NOTES:
After the final game against the Defenders, I stayed in the stadium as long as I could to get autographs. I had all the customs I had designed, but only managed to get TJ Vasher. -Still before he left, I flagged down Jordan, who called me, “The card guy,” and said that, “He had to go into the locker room to change and would be back out later.”
Unfortunately that didn’t happen, but he responded to me on Twitter and offered to sign the card for me. I sent him a few to keep and crossed my fingers. It took him about a month but it was well worth it, as he apologized for the wait, signed the card and included a nice note that his mom really liked the cards as well!
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.
