Tag Archives: kansas city chiefs

NFL, The Spring League, ufl, XFL

Sexton, Mathew

CARD: TNT XFL 2023
ACQUIRED: IP, 2025

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Mathew played WR at Eastern Michigan from 2016-’20.
  • He caught 100 passes for 1335 yards and 9 TDs in 43 contests.
  • Undrafted he’d play in The Spring League in 2020.
  • Signed with the Steelers but didn’t make the squad.
  • Signed with the Chiefs in 2022, but was later placed on IR.
  • In 2023 Mathew played for the Vegas Vipers of the XFL 23.
  • Caught 23 passes for 326 yards in 8 contests.
  • Signed with the Falcons and later Patriots in 2023 but was released.
  • Saw time in camp in 2024 with the Dolphins but didn’t make the squad.
  • After the merger of the USFL and XFL, Mathew signed with the San Antonio Brahmas.
  • Played in 4 contests, catching 3 passes for 15 yards.
  • That season he scored on a punt return to beat the eventual UFL Champion DC Defenders and help the Brahmas win their only contest of the season.
  • Sexton had 8 punt returns for 154 yards and a TD on the season.

NOTES:

Just coasted in for the win on this one. When Matt joined the Brahmas I knew they’d put him to work. His signing was a footnote- but being aware of his history as a dependable receiver on a not so hot Vegas team, that played in a terrible stadium, I knew he’d be money. I went to work creating his card with the idea just maybe I’d get it signed.

After he returned his first punt and almost broke loose, I quipped to him on Instagram that he was one step away from breaking one loose. He liked that comment and the image of his card I put up. The next week he broke loose for that TD on the PR, and the rest was history.

It seemed to line up perfectly. After the Brahmas advertised and told me that an event in SA was going to have players- I was pretty annoyed when they backed out of it. I kept the receipts and asked my ticket manager what happened. When I showed him the emails we exchanged about it, he offered me a free after game autograph signing. -I jumped on it.

After the Brahmas got trounced by the Roughnecks, I got piled into a line and shuffled down below. I was excited to see who was going to be there. 8 chairs! 8 chairs of players! -Well no. Not at all. Instead it was 3 players, hastily called over as they walked off the field. Two other players came over. They didn’t have cards, and the team didn’t provide the autograph postcard they promised in another email. Thankfully Mathew was in the group and I got his autograph on this card.

I gave him the extra I had. Clanked the plastic holder there and said, “This is for you.” He seemed very happy to have his own card and thanked me for my effort. Sometimes the expense is completely worth it for the quality, as I heard him like many players who are in shock about having their own card: “Wow, it looks so real.”

NFL

Collins, Mark

CARDS: Action Packed 1990, Fleer 1990, Action Packed 1992, Pro Set 1989
ACQUIRED: TTM 2022, C/o Work
SENT: 1/13 RECEIVED: 3/5 (51 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Mark Collins played DB at Call State Fullerton from 1982-’85.
  • He led the conference in ’83 with 7 interceptions, and then followed that up in ’84 with 6.
  • In 46 contests he had 20 interceptions for 193 yards.
  • Second round pick of the New York Giants in 1986.
  • Although injuries limited his effectiveness early in his career, he became well regarded as a fierce tackler and defender in the secondary.
  • Played for the Giants for 8 seasons, logging 17 picks for 104 yards and a TD.
  • Signed with the Chiefs in 1994.
  • Had a career high 6 interceptions in 1996.
  • Played for the Packers in 1997, and closed out his career with the Seahawks in 1998.

ACCOLADES:

  • All Pro 1989

NOTES:

Mark was a good cornerback in an era of glamour, where there was a lot of emphasis on interceptions and not at all on pass deflections.

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NFL, University of Texas

Johnson, Derrick ‘DJ’ (4)

CARDS: Panini UT 2016 Honors, Score 2018, UT Upper Deck 2011 HACK, Upper Deck 2008, Panini Select 2014, Donruss 2018, SP 2008,
ACQUIRED: In Person, 2024

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

NOTES:

Well I had run into DJ at the food court when I was getting Bo Jackson at Barton Creek a few years ago, and got pants down without any cards. I hadn’t done a hard target search of cards for him that I liked up to that point, and then the idea came to me to just expand and turn the Upper Deck UT 2011 set into a ‘living set’. Afterwards I found a few cards that I liked, and waited for the next in person signing. Eventually the wait paid off, and my friend Mark G came through with a stack of extras when the event came up.

A local Cadillac dealer held an in person event in late August. It was a very nice little event. Both Mark and Jeff and his family came out. The regulars were in force, but it wasn’t too awkward or overwhelming. DJ came in early and just started signing. He also answered a lot of questions.

On being a Raider? He smiled and said it was a cash grab, and that they were seeing if there was still anything left in the tank. He also talked about LaDanian Tomlinson being the most difficult player for him to tackle, and that he just had this clever combination of size, speed and power- and he loved to talk smack to DJ since they were both from Waco. I shared my connection to DJ and he was surprised that he knew the street that my Grandparents lived on and I visited. All in all it was a very good event. Everyone left with everything they wanted signed.

I got 14 cards. So why aren’t there 14 cards pictured here? Simple: I gave half of them away. Why? Because I like sharing in the joy I have for this hobby. I run a very small, tight knit, autograph group. It’s unique and different than the other groups on Facebook and to those who participate and make it unique- I want to pay it forward.