CARD: Wild Card World League 1992 ACQUIRED: TTM 2025, C/o Home SENT: 7/16/25 RECEIVED: 8/2/25 (17 days) FAILURE: TTM 2020, C/o Home
CAREER SNAPSHOT:
Darren Willis played DB at Arizona State from 1984-’86.
He recorded 6 interceptions for 7 yards in 33 contests.
Undrafted he signed with the Blue Bombers of the CFL in ’87 but was eventually released.
After a 2 year hiatus, he signed with the BC Lions in 1990 and posted 8 tackles.
This led Darren to the Arena Football League where he played for the Tampa Bay Storm in 1991.
He tallied 24.5 tackles, 4 pass breakups, 1 pick, caught 7 passes for 90 yards and 2 TDs, as well as returned 6 kicks for 143 yards and 2 TDs.
In 1992, Willis played for the Ohio Glory of the World League.
He posted 1 interception and a sack on the year.
Afterwards, Willis returned to the Tampa Bay Storm in 1993.
Darren caught 8 passes for 76 yards and a TD, to go along with 4 kick returns for 56 yards.
Played one final season in ’96 with the Connecticut Coyotes.
An athletic trainer, Willis’ programs and workout plans have been credited for helping towards the success of a variety of NFL football players.
ACCOLADES:
1991 Arena Bowl Ironman
NOTES:
Brent came through again on Instagram, and pointed me in the right direction for Darren, whom I had failed on back in 2020. Before I sent this one out, I found the original envelope that was RTSed and realized I had written his correct one on there and never sent it back out…
After I got this one back I posted it up in my Facebook group and one of the members was shocked because he had just been looking at this dynamic looking card of Darren the other day and took note.
The photo above has to be either from the scrimmage before the season began or when the Ohio Glory got beat by the San Antonio Riders in the infamous ‘Hail Storm Game’.
Started all 10 games at LDE and had 34 total tackles, 2 forced fumbles and 7.5 sacks- good for 3rd in the league.
Had a league high 4.5 sacks and 8 tackles against Orlando in Week 6.
Posted 3.5 sacks in 1992.
Joined the CFL Edmonton Eskimos in 1993 and recorded 8 sacks.
Posted 21 tackles and 9 sacks in 1994.
Played one final season with the Esks in 1995.
After a season off, spent two seasons in the Arena Football League as an OL/DL for the Tampa Bay Storm.
NOTES:
Tony has proven to be almost impossible to find. There’s a lot of Tony Woods in the world- and there’s even already a Tony Woods who plays defense, so you can imagine my frustration. Maybe, eventually I’ll find him and get him on the two other cards he has, but for right now, I’ll be happy just to close the book on this one alone.
He picked off 2 passes- returning one for 17 yards.
Following the World League’s reorganization, Richard decided to play for the Arena Football League.
With the Rockers, he played two seasons, with 1993 being his best season as a pro totaling 60.5 total tackles, 19 pass breakups, a fumble recovery, and a pick.
He’d also catch 8 passes for 77 yards and a TD- as back then Arena players went both ways.
It’s unknown what Carey was doing from 1994-’95, but he appeared again one last time on the radar of the Tampa Bay Storm in 1996.
He’d drop 33 tackles, and 7 pass breakups to close out his career.
NOTES:
Another deep cut here that got lost in the shuffle of the 2020 COVID push, Richard signed this card in the midst of the pandemic for me. It’s really true what they say- As you get older time tends to move faster- fly by, and unfortunately, I’ve forgotten the background behind how I got this autograph.
TAC
SAC
FUM
INT
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
N/a
0
1
1
5
5
0
5
NFL
TAC
SAC
FUM
INT
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
N/a
0
0
2
17
8.5
0
17
WL
TAC
SAC
FUM
INT
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
93
0
1
2
0
0
0
0
Arena
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.
