Tag Archives: topps aaf 2019

Stribling, Channing (2)

CARDS: Topps AAF 2019, Topps AAF 2019 Future Stars, Topps XFL 2020, Upper Deck USFL 2023
ACQUIRED: In Person, 2024 San Antonio Brahmas v St. Louis Battlehawks
FAILURE: TTM 2020, TTM 2023

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • See Also Channing Stribling
  • Channing suited up for the Seattle Sea Dragons of the XFL in 2020.
  • After the league folded due to COVID, he returned to the CFL and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, whom he’d been with briefly before signing with the XFL.
  • In 2022, he played for the Philadelphia Stars of the USFL.
  • He’d intercept 7 passes for 121 yards and make 14 tackles.
  • Afterwards, briefly was on the offseason roster of the Washington Commanders.
  • Although drafted by the Battlehawks of the XFL 23, Stribling opted to resign with the Stars.
  • With the USFL and XFL merged, Stribling was drafted by the Birmingham Stallions in the 2024 player dispersal draft.
  • Ultimately ended up on the roster of the Battlehawks- but was cut during the regular season.

NOTES:

Channing was on a shortlist of players I really wanted since he was impossible to get TTM and he had… four(?) cards I was looking to get signed. Since players didn’t really pay any attention to me pregame, I decided to troll the Battlehawks players.

I yelled at Channing that he wasn’t fooling anyone, since he changed his number from 41 to 14. (Wikipedia even showed it as 41.) I then heckled him about his time with the Express. He smiled and after the game gladly came over and inked these 4 cards. When he looked at them, he called them ‘classic’.

Leslie, Jordan

Topps AAF 2019 Certified, #AU-JL

Card: Topps AAF 2019
Acquired: 2019, EBay

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Jordan Leslie played college ball for 3 years at UTEP from 2011-2013.
  • He racked up 125 catches for 2015 yards and 15 TDs.
  • In 2014, he played his Senior season for BYU catching 55 passes for 779 yards and 6 TDs.
  • Undrafted, Leslie signed with the Vikings in 2015, but didn’t make the squad.
  • He’d then spend time on the off-season and practice squad rosters of the Jaguars, Falcons, and Titans, before finding a home on the Browns from 2016-17.
  • Leslie made his first NFL catch in 2017, and then was later placed on IR and subsequently released.
  • After some more practice squad and offseason action with the Broncos in late 2017 and through a good portion of 2018, Jordan decided to sign with the Salt Lake Stallions of the AAF.
  • On the season he caught 10 passes for 79 yards and a TD.
  • When the AAF folded in 2019, he signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the CFL, but asked to be released soon thereafter.
  • His Instagram lists him as a ‘retired NFL receiver’ and owner of OYD Sports Academy in Chandler, AZ.

NOTES:

Pretty sure after the conclusion of the hard fought contest between the Stallions and the Commanders in SA, as I was leaving I was walking behind Leslie and his family. He was complaining about how the team wasn’t giving him or the WRs enough chances to make plays. Not sure why I didn’t ask him for his autograph but it may have been because he was so frustrated.

Silvers, Brandon

Topps AAF NOW 2019, #41

CARDS: Topps AAF Now 2019, Topps AAF 2019, Topps XFL 2020
ACQUIRED: In Person 2023, Houston Roughnecks v. San Antonio Brahmas
FAILURE: TTM 2019, C/o New York Jets. TTM 2020, C/o Home

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Brandon Silvers played QB at Troy from 2014-2017.
  • Threw for 10,677 yards, 71 TDs, 29 picks, and 64.4% completions, with a 135.8 passer rating.
  • Finished second in school history in TDs and yards.
  • Had a tryout with the Saints following the 2018 NFL Draft but was not signed.
  • Was selected in the 3rd round by the Memphis Express during the AAF Quarterback Protect or Pick Draft in 2019.
  • Silvers faced an uphill battle behind Troy Cook, Christian Hackenberg, and Zach Mettenberger.
  • Cook was quickly out of the picture, with Hack taking over as starter and Silvers sliding in behind him.
  • Supplanted due to ineffectiveness, Silvers took over as starter but was quickly injured.
  • Mettenberg competently guided the Apollos until he was injured against the Stallions.
  • Silvers returned to the lineup with a vengeance in Week 6.
  • The Express in the meantime signed former NFL QB Johnny Manziel, who was chomping at the bit to take the reins from Brandon.
  • Silvers refused to relinquish his starting role, leading the team to an exciting win in OT over the Birmingham Iron in Week 7.
  • He’d then give the Apollos all they could handle in a 34-31 loss, before the league collapsed after their week 8 matchup.
  • Silvers briefly was on the radar of the Jets, seeing some off season time with them later that year.
  • In 2020, Brandon joined the XFL, playing for the Seattle Dragons under head coach Jim Zorn.
  • He’d throw for 539 yards and 6 TDs on 102 attempts.
  • 2021 saw him play for the Conquers of The Spring League, and then went unselected in the 2022 USFL Supplemental Player Draft.
  • Silvers returned to the XFL for 2023, as a member of the Houston Roughnecks.
  • He threw for 13 TDs and 1551 yards on 156 completions (262 passes) leading the Roughnecks to the playoffs.
  • The Roughnecks XFL roster was dispersed into the UFL draft pool for 2024.
  • Eventually Silvers made his way to St Louis where he backs up AJ McCarron.

ACCOLADES:

  • NCAA QB Freshman Record (70.5% completion rate- min. 250 passes)

NOTES:

I have been trying to get Brandon for sometime since he had 3 cards that I wanted signed. When the Roughnecks were around in 2020 I was a big fan, but when they returned in ’23, I switched over to the Brahmas because they were closer. I was hoping that the Brahmas would grab Silvers as their quarterback but he ended up in H-Town with Wade Phillips instead.

By the time the Roughnecks came to SA, I had figured out the best spot to get autographs from which was right next to the visitors end zone where the players were coming in and going out.

After the Roughnecks defeated the Brahmas in OT, he came over and kindly signed these 3 cards for me. Like many players he really loved those times in the AAF.