Card: Upper Deck College Legends 2011 Acquired: 2020, EBay
Pat Devlin split his time playing for the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Delaware Fighting Blue Hens. He made the jump to play for the Blue Hens in 2009, helping guide the team to a 6-5 record while throwing for 16 TDs to 9 interceptions. Along the way he’d break multiple single game, season and career passing records at the school. Pat’s numbers really shone brightly in 2010, as he threw for 3,032 yards, 65.2% completion percentage (261/384) and 22 TDs to just 3 interceptions. Although considered by many to be a fine quarterback, he was not selected in the 2011 NFL Draft.
He signed with the Miami Dolphins and was on the team through 2014, joining the Vikings only briefly that year. The next year, Pat spent about a month with the Bears, and then later the Browns. He retired without throwing an NFL pass. Of note, the UFL tried to make a run at Pat to join their league in 2011, but due to a mandatory contract they were unable to come to terms.
Jeff Brohm played quarterback for his hometown Louisville Cardinals from 1989-1993. Early on he honed his game behind future NFL quarterback Browning Nagle. Brohm took over the starting gig in 1991. After an injury ended his season early on, Jeff returned with a vengeance in 1992 throwing for 2008 yards on 297 attempts (9 TD). He’d eclipse virtually all his personal season best passing statistics in his senior campaign, going 184/304 (60.9), for 2626 yards, and 20 TDs to just 9 picks and lead the Cardinals to a victory in the Liberty Bowl over Michigan State.
He’d not be selected in the 1994 NFL Draft, but signed a free agent contract with the San Diego Chargers, winning the 3rd string job. Jeff then saw free agent stops with the Washington Redskins (1995), and 49ers (1996-1997). With the ‘9ers, Jeff saw his only significant playing time in the NFL throwing for 353 yards and a TD over his stop with SF. Jeff then was on the rosters of the Bucs (1998), Broncos (1999) and Browns (2000).
Jeff’s football career took an unexpected turn in 2001, when he was selected to play in the upstart XFL by the Orlando Rage with the 4th overall pick. Although Jeff had a particularly successful season, going on to be the XFL’s best rated quarterback, and being named to the league’s first team squad, the offensive lines in the XFL were particularly bad, and Jeff like many other quarterbacks suffered from unnecessary sacks and quarterback hits.
During one of those games against the Maniax, he was brutally taken down, and knocked out. The hit was so brutal, his helmet was turned and he had to be taken to the hospital. Amazingly though he returned near the end of the game with a neck brace on and watched from the sidelines. He amazingly started 6 days later and was asked by a sideline reporter his reaction to playing that day. Brohm had an epic and fiery response.
Let me answer that question by asking you two questions – One, is this or is this not the XFL? Yes, it is. Two, do I or do I not currently have a pulse? Yes, I do. Let’s play football.
-Jeff Brohm
A shoulder injury however near the end of the season, ended his career and potentially a return to the NFL. After that lone season in the XFL concluded, Jeff moved into the coaching ranks, starting with his hometown Louisville Fire of the Arena Football League. He then quickly joined his Alma Mater the following season, staying with them through 2008 as a quarterbacks coach, and then later as a passing game coordinator, offensive coordinator, and assistant head coach. Jeff then honed his skills at various stops at Florida Atlantic (2009), Illinois (2010-2011), UAB (2012), and Western Kentucky (2013) – where he earned his first head coaching job from 2014 to 2016.
With his bang up job with the Hilltoppers in the books, Jeff left for greener pastures, and was hired as head coach of the Purdue Boilermakers in 2017. Jeff has been linked many times since then to more prestigious jobs with Tennessee and Nebraska, but going into 2021 remains the head coach at Purdue.
I had sorta given up on these cards after seeing some quick and recent returns, but in reality I was just probably at the bottom of Jeff’s mailbag.
Shawn Collins was actually a tight end at Northern Arizona where he set the school’s all-time career records for TDs (24) and catches (201). In 1986, he posted 70 catches for 1,016 yards- a school, single season record, and then followed up with 61 receptions in 1987, and 54 in 1988. Scouts decided that Shawn was best suited to play wide receiver before the 1989 draft. He’d be selected near the back end of round one by the Atlanta Falcons.
Shawn had an outstanding rookie season for the Falcons. He led all rookie receivers with 58 catches, and set rookie franchise records, leading the Falcons with 58 catches for 862 yards. An acrobatic receiver who is fearless in traffic, Collins’ 58 receptions were the most by any rookie during the 80s and 16 of his 58 grabs went for 20 yards or more. He’d be an unanimous 1989 NFL All-Rookie selection.
With a sea change at head coach in Jerry Glanville, the Falcons were expected to be very aggressive at WR, but after landing in Jerry’s doghouse, Shawn’s numbers suffered and he finished with 34 catches for 503 yards and 2 TDs in 90, and just 3 catches for 37 yards in 91. He joined Browns in 1992 and caught 3 more passes for Cleveland. Shawn joined the Bucs in 1993, but did not make the roster. He’d later sign with the Packers and was on their roster for 4 additional games.
Shawn then made a comeback with the Frankfurt Galaxy of the newly retooled World League, catching 18 passes for 215 yards and a TD. Returning stateside, he immediately joined the CFL where he played for the Memphis Mad Dogs and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 1995, posting 29 passes for 536 yards and 2TDs. Shawn played one final year in the Arena Football League for the Iowa Barnstormers catching 5 passes for 52 yards.
Shawn does not sign through the mail at all. I had spied out a signing through Sportscollectors.net at a really fair price, and waited for the event to pop. I was not disappointed and jumped at the chance to have him sign these 5 cards.
G/GS NFL
REC
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
98
1433
14.6
5
61
G/GS WLAF
REC
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
18
215
11.9
1
28
G/GS CFL
REC
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
29
536
18.5
2
58
G/GS ARENA
REC
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
5
52
10.4
0
N/A
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.
