CARDS: Score Supplemental 1990, Pro Set 1989, Gameday 1992 ACQUIRED: TTM 2023, C/o Home SENT: 2/3/23 RECEIVED: 3/11/23 (36 days)
CAREER SNAPSHOT:
Joe Kelly played LB for the Washington Huskies in 1984 and ’85 where he displayed tremendous ability to be a pass covering LB.
Intercepted 7 passes for 81 yards over college career thanks in part to really impressive ability to diagnose and react to plays.
Semi finalist for the Dick Butkus Award in ’85.
Selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the first round of the 1986 NFL Draft.
Became locked in at starter about midway through rookie season, and by ’89 was leading the LB corps in tackles with 68.
Traded to Jets in 1990 along with Scott Jones for Reggie Rembert in 1990.
He’d pull in a career high 74 tackles that season for New York.
In 1991, intercepted a goal line pass against Miami helping to propel the Jets to the playoffs.
Signed with Raiders in 1993, and again scored career highs in tackles with 97 that year- finishing as the club’s second leading tackler.
Finished out career with one year stints with the Rams (1994), Packers (’95) and Eagles (in ’96).
Saw action in 163 games, starting 106.
NOTES:
Joe Kelly had a quiet, yet solid pro football career playing for 6 NFL teams over 11 seasons. I love his Score Supplemental card with him rolling out. He comes from really impressive bloodlines with both his father playing in the CFL for Montreal, and his uncle playing in the AFL/NFL for the Oilers, Chiefs, Bengals, and Falcons.
CARDS: Topps 1986, Pro Set 1989 ACQUIRED: TTM 2024, C/o Home SENT: 5/6 RECEIVED: 6/3 (28 days)
CAREER SNAPSHOT:
Mike played QB for the Arizona State Sun Devils from 1978-’81.
During his Senior season he led the Pac-10 with 29 TD passes on 171 of 321 passes throwing for 2,489 yards.
Was a 4th round selection of the Baltimore Colts in 1982.
After a rough start as a rookie, finishing 0-8-1… he saw improvement in 1983, throwing for 12 TDs and 2353 yards.
Played for the Colts through their transition to Indianapolis in 1984.
Threw for a career high 2,414 yards 14 TDs in 1985- but also 15 picks.
Traded to the Browns in 1986 and seldom saw action, serving primarily as Bernie Kosar‘s backup.
In 1988 hopped into the lineup in relief of Don Strock and nearly guided the Browns to a comeback win over the Houston Oilers in the Wildcard round of the playoffs, narrowly losing 24-23.
Signed with the Rams in 1991, serving as Jim Everett‘s backup through the 1993 season, rarely seeing action on the field.
Played one final year in the Arena Football League with the Massachusetts Marauders in 1994.
Does pregame work for the Browns organization and dabbles in coaching at the high school level.
NOTES:
Pretty sure that this Mike Pagel Topps card came out of that box of football cards that spilled out into my room the first time that Josh spent the night. Some of them ended up under a shelf, only to be found years later amazingly in great shape- despite the shag carpet and Horde slime that had become engrained into it.
After being released by the Rams, Nelson signed with the Bears in October of 2017.
Then after two small stints with the Chiefs and Chargers, Nelson signed with the San Diego Fleet of the AAF at the tail end of 2018.
In Week 7 against the Arizona Hotshots in 2019, he had 12 catches for 146 yards.
He finished 5th with 426 yards and second in catches with 38.
After the collapse of the AAF- he was a 3rd round pick of the Los Angeles Wildcats of the XFL in 2020.
Caught 20 passes for 256 yards and 2 scores in 3 starts.
Unfortunately the COVID pandemic derailed the XFL season after the midway point of the season.
Spent about 6 months on the off-season roster of the Montreal Alouettes in 2021.
As of 2024- is a VP of brand/ product development with FIBR.
NOTES:
OK. So I sat intentionally on Nelson’s post for a while. Almost right after I got his autographs back from 2019, I popped open a box of XFL 2020 and, “Pfbbbttt,” There’s Nelson’s XFL base card- so I had to get that signed too. Then it hit me… Nelson, despite his stat line and prominence in the AAF, doesn’t appear in the set. I needed to do all that before throwing up another post about him.
I really upped my quality on the custom cards across the board, down to the print quality and design. I was very happy with how the AAF card turned out, and I sent an extra for him to keep as well.
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.
