Tag Archives: topps aaf 2019

Farrow II, Kenneth

Card: Topps AAF Now 2.17.19 , Topps AAF 2019, Topps AAF 2019 Certified, Panini Contenders 2016, Topps AAF Now 3.2.19, Topps XFL 2020
Acquired: IP 2019, SA Commanders Team Signing Dick’s Sporting Goods at The Rim, IP 2023, SA Brahmas v Arlington Renegades
Failure: TTM 2019, C/o The Miami Dolphins

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Kenneth Farrow II played college ball for The University of Houston from 2012-15.
  • His best collegiate season came in 2014, rushing for 1042 yards on 186 carries- scoring 14 TDs.
  • Over Farrow’s college career he had 560 carries for 2980 yards and 34 TDs rushing, to go along with 74 catches for 546 yards and 3 TDs- in 48 contests.
  • Signed with San Diego following the 2016 NFL Draft.
  • Fought his way onto the roster and was 3rd on the depth chart at RB for the Chargers.
  • Dressed for 13 contests, starting 2, rushing for 192 yards on 60 carries.
  • Spent the end of 2016, and all of 2017 on IR.
  • Waived by team in 2018, and joined the Patriots for about a month during the regular season.
  • Subsequently signed with the AAF, joining the San Antonio Commanders.
  • The clear cut starting back for the Commanders ground game, Farrow ran for 106 times for 372 yards and 4 TDs in 8 games.
  • He ran for a league high 142 yards against the Birmingham Iron‘s top ranked defense in a 12-11 win during Week 4.
  • After the AAF folded, Kenneth briefly signed with the Miami Dolphins.
  • In 2020, Kenneth joined the XFL 2.0 as a member of the Seattle Dragons.
  • He ran for 156 yards on 38 carries, scoring 1 TD before the league folded due to COVID after 5 games.
  • Farrow returned again for the XFL 2023, joining the Arlington Renegades.
  • He saw action against the Brahmas- but tore his ACL late in the game ending his season.
  • See also San Antonio Commanders Autograph Souvenir
Topps Now AAF 2019, #12

ACCOLADES:

  • Week 4 AAF Offensive Player of the Week
  • AAF Record- Most yards rushing in one game (142)
Topps NOW AAF 2019, #22

NOTES:

Kenneth has a lot of great Spring football cards, and I wanted him on all of them. As I love my runningbacks, he was one of my favorite Commanders. When the league folded I ran out to a Chinese version of EBay and got a bunch of custom Commanders jerseys made. I was very excited to add Kenneth’s jersey to my collection (see photo). The problem was that it didn’t have the ‘II’ on the back- even though I requested it. It’s the effort that counts though.

I had been following Kenneth since his days with the Commanders, and I did this piece of art for him. He liked it so much, he promised me he’d give me his autograph at an event in the future- if he ever made it back around to this area. I bode my time.

Eventually he returned to the XFL 3.0 with the Arlington Renegades. When the team cut him before the season, I thought to myself, “Oh well,” But lo and behold two weeks before the Brahmas meeting with the Renegades, Arlington resigned him. I knew this was my best shot.

I look like a crazy person but Kenneth’s got it goin’ on.

I gave him a gentle nudge on Twitter with the picture, then took some photos of myself in my jersey. He liked it before the game, so I knew I had a good shot. When I got to the stadium, I snuck around to the visitors side of the stadium, eventually settling in where I was in view of him near the front of the visitors entrance stands.

Boom! He caught a pass and came rumbling over. “I see you! Thank-you for being a fan! I’ll get you after warm ups and sign anything you want!” Then he rolled off again. Everyone around me was pretty floored.

True to his word he came back after warm-ups concluded. He signed all the remaining cards I needed of him, and I gave him the art I made of him. We reminisced about the best of times with the Commanders briefly, before Brian Folkerts came over and De’Vante Bausby piped in about how classy my jersey was. It was great! Like a mini reunion. I was so elated. I felt so appreciated and I know the feeling was mutual.

Even though the Brahmas lost the game, I felt like a big winner that day.

Unfortunately during a play where Kenneth was plowing ahead for a big gain, he was tackled and injured. At some point enough is enough and with the injuries he’s sustained over the years, he’s lucky to still have it. After his surgical procedure he announced his very well earned retirement from the sport. Onward and upward!

Kenneth is a founding member of the UFPA (United Football Players Association)- An advisory board of players that specializes in helping players and unions outside the NFL and CFL negotiate union contracts with their leagues.

Stacy, Zac

Topps AAF 2019 Certified, #AU-ZS

Card: Topps AAF Certified 2019
Acquired: 2019, EBay
Failure: TTM 2020, C/o Home

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Zac Stacy played RB at Vanderbilt from 2009-2012
  • Had back to back 1,000 yard seasons in 2011 and 2012.
  • Over 4 years at Vandy, ran for 3,143 yards on 581 carries scoring 30 TDs and caught 46 passes for 415 yards.
  • 5th round draft pick of the St. Louis Rams in 2013.
  • Had a solid NFL debut in 2013, rushing for 973 yards and 7 TDs on 250 carries.
  • Buried on the depth chart in 2014, and suffered a nagging leg calf strain.
  • When Rams drafted Todd Gurley, requested a trade.
  • Traded to New York Jets in 2015, but broke his ankle during the season.
  • Failed physical in 2016 and subsequently retired.
  • Decided to return to football in 2018 playing for the Saskatchewan Roughriders during the preseason.
  • Stacy went on to become one of the higher profile signees of the Alliance of American Football, allocated to the Memphis Express in 2019.
  • Ran for 101 yards against the Arizona Hotshots.
  • Placed on IR in early April of 2019.
  • Ran for 317 yards on 100 carries, scoring 3 TDs, to go along with 18 catches for 138 yards and another TD.

ACCOLADES:

  • First 100 yard rusher in AAF history.

NOTES:

I tried to get Zac’s autograph on his two remaining cards (Topps AAF 2019, Topps AAF NOW 2019) but at this point they’re basically flushed.

On the now defunct AAF website, soon before it shut down, the league touted Zac Stacy as one of their up and coming stars and had a feature on him and his brother, who has down syndrome.

In 2022, Stacy was caught on tape gruesomely attacking his ex-girlfriend in the presence of his child. He maintains that his ex manipulated and entrapped him into behaving that way.

In general, everything about Zac’s rise and fall makes me extremely sad.

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Jones-Smith, Jaryd

Topps AAF 2019, #59

CARD: Topps AAF 2019
ACQUIRED: TTM 2022, C/o The Ravens
SENT: 1/24 RECEIVED: 7/29 (186 days)
FAILURE: TTM 2020, C/o The 49ers

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Literal man-mountain at 6’7″, 295, originally signed by the Houston Texans out of Pitt in 2018.
  • Joined the San Antonio Commanders of the AAF in 2019, quickly establishing himself as a fan favorite.
  • Starting all the games, blocked up front for one of the league’s best ground games.
  • After the league shuttered, spent time with NFL teams in Miami, San Fransisco, Las Vegas, and Baltimore.
  • Started 3 games with the Raiders (2020) and a game with the Ravens (2021).

NOTES:

After the AAF announced that it was folding, Jaryd showed up at one of the fan organized Commanders ‘going away parties’ thanking fans and saying goodbye at one of the local bars.

I wrote Jaryd care of the Ravens and he was nice enough to sign this card and put the inscription, ” ‘Manders Baby!” on it for me.