Tag Archives: topps aaf 2019 certified

AAF, NFL

Washington, Shaan ‘Big Hit’

Card: Topps Now 2019
Acquired: IP 2019, SA Commanders Team Signing Dick’s Sporting Goods at The Rim. Future Considerations 2019. TTM 2019, C/o Home.
Sent: 5/28 Received: 12/30 ( 216 days)

Shaan Washington played linebacker for the Texas A&M Aggies from 2013-2016 seeing action as early as a true Freshman. His tackles increased every year with him finishing with 104 combined tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, 6 pass deflections, and 2 forced fumbles. Shaan’s 59 assisted tackles led the SEC.

He’d be signed by the Minnesota Vikings in 2017, and spent time on and off the roster of the team through 2018, and saw no playing time.

In 2019, Shaan signed with the fledgling Alliance of American Football, and be territorially allocated to the San Antonio Commanders. and quickly established himself as a key starter in San Antonio’s aggressive defense.

Shaan’s big moment came on the AAF’s opening night against the San Diego Fleet. With the Fleet driving into SA territory, San Diego QB Mike Bercovici took the snap, but didn’t check down Washington, who came across Bercovici’s blindside and blasted him. The hit was so hard, not only did Mike fumble the ball, his helmet went flying across the field. The play made Shaan the poster boy for the AAF and became the master highlight for the brief history of the league. He finished the 8 game season with 20 total tackles, 3 sacks, a forced fumble, and a pass deflection.

Although Shaan was invited to the XFL Summer Showcase in St. Louis- inexplicably he’d not be selected in the XFL Draft.

AAF, NFL, The Spring League

Edwards, SaQwan

Card: Topps AAF 2019 Certified
Acquired: 2019, EBay

After making his mark at Blinn Junior College, SaQwan Edwards transferred to New Mexico where he played from 2012 to 2014. Originally for the Lobos, SaQuan was a wide receiver. He’d record 11 plays from scrimmage for 90 yards and a TD. Then he’d convert over to corner in 2013 and post 42 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 3 fumble recoveries, 4 pass deflections and an interception. Edwards improved off those numbers slightly in 2014 with an additional 42 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 9 pass deflections, and 2 interceptions.

After not being drafted, thanks in part to a highly publicized rape accusation that was later dismissed, SaQwan was signed by the Raiders, and spent a good portion of 2015 and 2016 on and off the bubble of the team’s practice squad. In 2017, he was briefly a member of the Giants, before moving on to The Spring League in 2018.

In early 2019, SaQwan signed with the Arizona Hotshots of the AAF and saw limited playing time with the team making 1 tackle and a pass deflection on the season. He was later selected by the Houston Roughnecks of the XFL 2020, but declined to join the franchise after feeling the pay was not sufficient enough.

AAF, NFL

Bercovici, Mike (2)

Cards: Topps AAF 2019, Panini 2016, Topps AAF Certified 2019
Acquired: TTM 2019, C/o Home, EBay
Sent: 5/10 Received: 6/29 (50 days)
See Also: Mike Bercovici

Mike’s career continued after his release from the Cardinals. In 2018, he signed with the fledgling Alliance of American Football. (I recognized the name immediately when he was assigned to the Arizona Hotshots thanks in part to the league’s territorial allocation.) Later in the year- perhaps out of the fact that some teams were unfairly blessed with an abundance at quarterback, the AAF decided to hold a Pick or Protect draft, to balance out the rosters a bit.

Mike was taken at the top of Round 2 by the San Diego Fleet, where it was planned he’d grow under the tutelage of offensive mastermind Mike Martz, and behind overall #1 pick Josh Johnson. This didn’t happen because almost immediately after the draft, Josh signed with the NFL Washington Redskins. Moving ahead with Berco at starting quarterback allowed the Fleet to plan around him however and prepare him for the rigors of the AAF season.

I didn’t get Mike’s autograph before the first game in league history, even though they were practicing only a few feet from me. I didn’t realize how he’d be a poster boy for the league in the league’s brief highlight film.

 “Hey, whatever this league needs to get people excited, if that’s what it takes, then I’ll take the bullet.”

-Mike Bercovici (on ‘the hit’)

The Commanders ended up beating the Fleet on opening night in San Antonio, punctuated by 6 sacks and 2 interceptions. One of those sacks, LB Shaan Washington came across the line and almost decapitated Mike Bercovici from his blindside. The crowd was dead silent fora brief second as we looked around, and then erupted into a gladiator-like rousing applause at the fact that there was no flag. I thought that perhaps he suffered a concussion, but at some point during that game, Berco was sat for Philip Nelson.

Mike regained the starting position a few games later after Nelson went down with an injury. He’d complete 22 or 43 passes (304 yards) with a TD, leading the Fleet to the game winning drive over the Stallions 27-25. In fact he’d throw for 300 yards in the next two games as well, against the Iron (311 yards) and the Hotshots (310 yards).

Despite Mike’s struggles, he was quite lovable as a quarterback. He finished with 5 TDs to 9 picks, on 51% completions with 1,311 yards. His numbers are actually all the more impressive because he only started 4 games. The league folded after Week 8, and Mike decided to hang up his cleats and go into coaching.

He currently works as a graduate assistant at Arizona State.

I really wanted Mike’s autograph on these cards of his, and after a bit of digging, missing on an address, and a little help from Mark’s Signing Bonus, I was able to track him down on these great cards of his. I liked Berco and I had high hopes that he’d make a great ambassador of the league as the AAF moved forward.

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