Card: Wild Card World League 1992 Acquired: TTM 2020, C/o Home Sent: 9/4 Received: 9/15 (11 days)
A true ironman at East Carolina, Stefon Adams displayed athletic ability playing runningback, wide receiver, and defensive back over his time for the Pirates, from 1981 to 1984. He concluded his career at ECU with 47 receptions for 676 yards, 31 rushes for 123 yards and 3 TDs, and an interception for 20 yards.
Stefon was drafted by the Los Angeles Raiders in the 3rd round of the 1985 draft. Stefon played in 53 games for the Silver and Black. He was used primarily as a return man, with 30 punt returns for 240 yards and 60 kickoffs for 1,191 yards. Adams also recorded 2 interceptions for 40 yards and 6 fumble recoveries. He’d spend the 1990 season with the Browns and Dolphins.
In 1992, he played in the World League with the Sacramento Surge– winning World Bowl II with the team. He caught a giant pass from David Archer to sustain a drive on 3rd down, deep in their own territory against the San Antonio Riders in the Win or Go Home contest. Stefon went on to play in the Arena football league in 1994 and 1995 for the Charlotte Rage and then the Connecticut Coyotes, catching 26 passes for 391 yards and 6 TDs on offense, and 22 total tackles, 2 pass breakups, and 2 forced fumbles on defense. Adams concluded 1995 by playing for the Hamilton Tiger-cats in the CFL.
The 3rd overall pick of the 1976 draft by the New Orleans Saints, Chuck Muncie had a banner year in 1975 at Cal, rushing for 1460 yards on 228 carries, and 13 TDs. He also caught 39 passes for 392 yards and 2 TDs- and finished second in Heisman voting that year.
A hefty powerback much like Earl Campbell, the Saints stuck Muncie at fullback pairing him with Tony Galbraith. Muncie had a respectable rookie season posting 659 yards on 149 carries. His best season for the Saints came in 1979. It’d be a banner year- as he’d be the first player in franchise history to post a 1,000 yard season, start in the Pro Bowl, and earn Pro Bowl MVP honors. Chuck charged ahead rushing for 1198 yards on 238 carries, and a franchise record (at the time) 11 TDs rushing, along with 40 receptions for 308 yards.
Chuck was traded in 1980 to the San Diego Chargers, where he’d pay quick dividends as the team’s leading rusher- but the specter of drugs was not far behind. He was a perfect fit for the ‘Air Coryell’ offense, and earned back to back Pro Bowl berths in 1981 and 1982. In 81 Muncie rushed for a league record 19 TDs at the time, on 251 carries (1144) yards, while posting a career high 43 receptions. But by 83- the stories were circulating of his cocaine abuse.
“I was spiraling downhill.”
-Chuck Muncie
In 1984, unable to depend on Muncie any longer, the Chargers traded Chuck to Miami, where he famously failed a subsequent drug test due to cocaine. Despite entering rehab, the league took a zero tolerance stance and banned him indefinitely. He’d be reinstated for 1985 and quickly traded to Minnesota, where he quickly retired wanting to try to make reclaiming his life from drugs a priority.
Unfortunately that was not rock bottom for Chuck. After a bout of homelessness, Muncie spent time in prison for distribution. It was there, Chuck turned his life around, as he credits prison for saving his life. He became a speaker, did volunteer work, and built a youth foundation in his name. He worked hard at donating time, money, and his fundraising skills, towards noble causes.
A true redemption story, Chuck passed away of a heart attack in 2013. He was only 60 years old.
Chuck Muncie seemed like a random selection to be inserted into what is considered one of the best of the best collections of NFL greats ever, but if not for a career maligned by drug abuse, you have to wonder where Chuck would’ve stood at the end of the day.
Trey Williams hails from Texas A&M- a school full of rich history in producing runningbacks. While playing for the Aggies, he ran 204 time for 1343 yards and 18 TDs in 3 years (2012-2014). What was most impressive was his gaudy 6.6 yards per carry. He also caught 38 passes for 330 yards and a TD as well. Although he had a solid combine, Williams ultimately was not selected in the 2015 draft.
He’d sign with his hometown Houston Texans after the draft, then quickly join the Washington Redskins, Dallas Cowboys, the Patriots, the Dolphins, and finally the Colts- all before 2015 came to a close. After being cut by the Colts in mid-2016, Trey kept hustling. He signed with the Steelers early in 2017, then briefly joined the Argos in the CFL. In November of 2017, Williams signed with the Dallas Cowboys again where he’d be waived in final cuts during 2018.
I can’t imagine how frustrating it would be to have highlight film that made preseason sportscenter.. such as scoring a TD on his first ever preseason carry from 20+ yards out, or returning a punt for a 64 yard TD with the Steelers- but somehow miss out on making the squad.
Trey opted to head to the new frontier of the Alliance of American Football in 2019. He’d be assigned to the San Antonio Commanders. After missing the first two weeks of the season for personal reasons, Trey played in the next 6 finishing with 40 carries for 205 yards and a TD. He’d also catch 9 passes for 71 yards and a TD as well.
An exciting sparkplug, Williams provided a change of pace to lead back Kenneth Farrow II in the Commanders backfield. An outside the tackles kind of guy, Williams is very good at dodging people in space. This makes him quite effective at screen passes and out in the flat. He quickly became my favorite player just behind Greg Ward Jr.
His finest moment in the AAF came in Week 7 against the formidable Salt Lake City Stallions. The Stallions had a very stubborn defense. After trading field position for most of the game and keeping it close, QB Marquise Williams dropped a screen pass out to Trey. He bobbed and weaved through the SLC defense 36 yards and then dove into the endzone for a TD. It was really incredible to watch!
After the AAF folded, Trey joined the XFL 2020, where he was the first player selected in the open portion of the draft by the Seattle Dragons. He’d be reunited with his coach from the Commanders, Mike Riley, and a bevvy of former teammates including Kenneth Farrow. He ran 34 times for 122 yards and a TD for the Dragons, and catch 8 passes for 44 yards and a TD- before the league folded after week 5.
I first missed out on an in person signing in Houston during 2019. I would’ve driven there just to get his autograph on a bunch of cards and meet him, but I had been to in person events frequently that year, and I did not wish to antagonize my wife. I also had the Topps AAF Now card I was worried about risking, so these just sat, and then I added a few more to the stack including the XFL card.
After a while I just decided to buy a few certified cards of Trey, thinking I’d call it a day, but a few months later my partner in crime, Mark, acted on an address I had long suspected of being Trey’s- and hit pay dirt. It took me a bit to get back to Trey. I miss the Commanders and the AAF a lot, but frankly, we all know it wouldn’t have made it probably through 2020 – because of the pandemic. (See the XFL 2020.) Still after being stuck in the mud the last few months on AAF/XFL send outs, I went back to it taking the risk that Trey would ink these cards. I would have preferred a different color than silver- but I can’t look this gift horse in the mouth.
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.
