Tag Archives: st. louis battlehawks

AAF, Arena, NFL, XFL

Folkerts, Brian

Topps XFL 2020, #41

CARD: Topps XFL 2020
ACQUIRED: IP 2023, San Antonio Brahmas V Arlington Renegades

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Brian Folkerts played college ball for tiny Washburn University from 2008-11.
  • During that time for the Ichabods, Folkerts played both RT and LT for the school.
  • Although possessing the ideal size (6’4″, 306), he’d go unselected in the 2012 NFL Draft.
  • After being cut by the Saints in 2012, Folkerts joined the Arena Football League, playing FB for the San Jose Sabrecats in 2013.
  • He followed that up with a stint playing for the Carolina Panthers from 2013-15.
  • After a short stint with both the ‘9ers and Rams in 2015, Brian rejoined the Panthers briefly again in 2017.
  • Sprained his ankle in the preseason and was cut.
  • In 2019, signed with the San Antonio Commanders of the Alliance of American Football.
  • Played C and blocked up front for one of the league’s better ground games.
  • After the AAF folded, Brian was selected by the St. Louis Battlehawks of the XFL in 2020.
  • With COVID scrambling the XFL before the season concluded, Brian stayed in playing shape.
  • In 2023, was selected by the Arlington Renegades of the XFL 3.0.
  • Has been dabbling in coaching since COVID and in the XFL offseason works as an OL coach for Wingate University in North Carolina.

NOTES:

I was partially miffed and shocked at how many Commanders and former AAFers ended up with the Renegades in 2023. I packed a bunch of Renegade players cards along with my Kenneth Farrow’s, and while Kenneth was signing, both Brian and De’Vante Bausby came over to pay high respects to my Farrow Commanders jersey. I was extremely flattered.

Later my neighbors with me at the game, got field passes for after the game to wander around. They had enough for 5, and invited me, so I said, “Why not?” I rushed the field for a few autographs, and saw Brian standing there with his family taking photos. He was gracious enough to sign his card, take a photo with me, and talk about the Alliance and the Commanders with me. (He also agreed that the league was second to none as far as entertainment was concerned.)

After the game I posted this photo up on Twitter. (I didn’t realize how nice the Renegades icy whites look up close.) He also retweeted it and again had nothing to say but high praises of the Commanders faithful.

With the Commanders gone and the Brahmas reeling, the Renegade players were doing their hardest sell to adopt me.

NFL, XFL

Thomas, Jordan (TE) ‘King Kong’

Panini Contenders 2018 Rookie Ticket, #144

CARD: Panini Contenders 2018 Rookie Ticket
ACQUIRED: EBay, 2023
MEMORABILIA: Jordan Thomas’ Gloves
ACQUIRED: In Person 2023, San Antonio Brahmas v Orlando Guardians

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Jordan Thomas played TE for Mississippi St from 2016-17.
  • In his Senior season he posted 22 receptions for 263 yards and 3 TDs.
  • At 6’5″, 277, Thomas made a massive target and the Texans, (who love drafting TEs), selecting him in the 6th round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
  • He started 10 games his rookie year, catching 20 passes for 215 yards and 4 TDs.
  • Jordan lost a lot of his 2019 to injury- and then got buried on the depth chart.
  • He signed with the Cardinals as a free agent in 2020 and caught a pass for a 3 yard TD.
  • He’d be claimed off of waivers by the Patriots that year during the season and waived just before the new year.
  • The Colts signed Thomas to a reserve contract and he’d be released in September of 2021.
  • In 2022, he signed a futures contract with the Lions and was released just a few months later.
  • In November of that year, Thomas joined up with the XFL as a draft choice of the Battlehawks.
  • He’d be cut in early 2023, but the Orlando Guardians quickly snatched him up.
  • Jordan was not short of highlights playing for the Guardians, and was a star for the team.
Jordan Thomas’ gloves

NOTES:

So I started talking to players as they got ready to hit the field. I recognized Jordan from his time with the Texans and pounded his shoulder pads and gave him words of encouragement. I told him I know he’s money and that he can kill it out there- just not against the Brahmas okay? He laughed at me and then hit the field.

On the first drive he was put in single coverage near the endzone. He caught the jump ball with ease, and as he lifted the ball into the air over the diminutive CB, two DBs attempted to jump and hit the ball out of Jordan’s giant hands. There was audible laughing at the DBs who failed to get anywhere near it. It was like King Kong was slapping down airplanes on top of the Empire State Building. It was great highlight film!

For the remainder of the game the Brahmas kept DB Kameron Kelly on Jordan and Kelly kept him relatively in check. They attempted to try the same play later in the game, but unfortunately there was a miscommunication between QB Dormandy and Jordan resulting in an incompletion.

The following week against his former team Jordan had another highlight worthy play against his former team- the Battlehawks. He caught an 84 yard catch and run on a fake punt for a TD. On the season he had 8 receptions for 148 yards and 3 TDs.

At half time during the game against the Guardians he laughed as he walked toward me and I yelled at him, “I want your gloves man!” He laughed. As the game ended in a Brahmas win, Jordan was one of the last players off the field. The kids were screaming and yelling, harassing players for anything. As Jordan approached they went into overdrive. He laughed again, and said, “I promised my man here for these gloves, took off the sweaty 3XXX gloves and handed the pair to me.

I totally blew it and forgot to pack his Texans card I had, so I went ahead and bought a certified card off of EBay. I hope to see him next year, though at the same time, I’d love to see him return back to the NFL.

AAF, NFL

Lewis, Tim

Card: Topps AAF 2019
Acquired: TTM 2020, C/o The St. Louis Battlehawks
Sent: 2/18 Received: 2/29 (11 days)
Failure: TTM 2019, C/o Home

Tim Lewis was an imposing defensive back out of Pittsburgh. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers with their 1st round pick in 1983. Lewis’ career was off to an incredible start. He started just 7 games in his rookie year at right corner, but recorded 5 interceptions for 111 yards while forcing 3 fumbles. In 1984 Tim returned a pick 99 yards for a TD, en route to adding 7 more interceptions on his resume, and 4 more the following year in 1985. It’d be then that Lewis’ football playing career came to an end during 1986, when he suffered a terrible neck injury against the Bears.

In 1987, Tim went into coaching, first at Texas A&M, then later at SMU, Pitt and then back into the pro ranks with the Steelers in 1995. He was promoted to defensive coordinator in 2000 with Pittsburgh, then joined the Giants in that same capacity from 2004-2006. Since that time, he saw stops with the Panthers, Seahawks, Falcons, and 49ers.

2019 was an interesting year in football. With the Alliance of American Football on the radar, Tim took the coaching reins of the Birmingham Iron. They’d finish 5-3, as only the second team to clench a playoff berth in the short lifespan of the AAF. The team very much reflected Tim’s style with a smash mouth defense that begrudgingly gave up yards.

Unable to get his autograph through his home address, I sent this card to the Battlehawks where he was coaching the defensive backs of that solid squad, before COVID wiped out the XFL in 2020.

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51/42N/A0.03
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