AAF-NFL relationship solid, but ideal scenario seems far
Bill Polian’s vision for the Alliance of American Football, from the very beginning, has been crystal clear.
The upstart league, which is six weeks into its 10-week regular season that began the week after the Super Bowl, wants nothing to do with competing against the mighty NFL. Rather, the AAF’S goal is to act in concert with professional football’s big league in hopes of becoming a proving ground for those in search of another shot (think Trent Richardson, Rashad Ross and Johnny Manziel) and a training ground for the not-quite-ready-for-primetime fringe players (recent examples being Danny Etling, J.T. Barrett and Bo Scarbrough).
Six games in and a day before the one-year anniversary of AAF’S inception, the league is well on its way, by many accounts, to becoming a proving ground. But Polian — the co-founder and head of football — said there’s still a long way to go before the AAF achieves farm-system status.
“I think there’s been enough discussion about it that those discussions are going to continue,” he said. “The talk is ramping up — I’ll say that. But there are a lot of procedural hurdles that have to be crossed before you can make that happen.”
In an ideal world, Polian said, certain players under contract with an NFL team would be allowed to play in the AAF (not unlike the NBA and its Gleague, or Major League Baseball’s farm system), theoretically creating a win-win for everyone.
San Antonio Commanders GM Daryl Johnston — a former color commentator for FOX and a three-time Super Bowl
champion with the Dallas Cowboys — said ever since the most recent collective bargaining agreement (adopted in 2011, expiring in 2021) reduced meeting and practice time, NFL coaches have expressed frustration.
“As we went out during (AAF) training camp and we talked to the four NFL teams affiliated with us through the allocation system, one of the things we heard from Dallas, Houston, Kansas City and Philadelphia is they had multiple guys on their roster they would love to get more playing time,” he said.
Polian admits the two-way street he and other AAF officials hope will eventually come to pass is further off than they’d like.
“All of us here in this league are proud NFL alumni and one of the things we know is that when it comes to these administrative things, the NFL does not move very swiftly — nor does the (players’) union,” Polian said. “So we’re not holding our breath.“
Carl Francis, the NFL Players Association’s director of communications, said the NFLPA did not have enough information on the AAF “to provide a statement on Bill’s comments.”
Johnston said before the very first AAF snap, the league had already realized one of its primary missions. Prior to the divisional round of this year’s NFL playoffs, the San Diego Chargers signed Commanders kicker Nick Rose to handle kickoff duties. After the New England Patriots beat the Chargers, Rose returned to the Commanders and has made 10 field goals.
There have been others. Quarterback Garrett Gilbert was drafted by the Orlando Apollos last November.
Less than a month later, he signed with the Carolina Panthers and threw for 40 yards against the New Orleans Saints in the last game of the regular season. Gilbert came back to the Apollos shortly afterward, and he leads the AAF at 270.8 passing yards per game.
Johnston cited Philadelphia Eagles offensive lineman Jordan Mailata specifically as the type of player who needs more seasoning to be ready for the NFL. The 6-foot-8, 368-pound Mailata, an Australian rugby player who had never played football before, was drafted by the Eagles in the seventh round last year.
For now, the AAF will keep showcasing its talent to an NFL audience that, by all accounts, is still paying very close attention.
“When (NFL) guys call us, they just want to know a little about this guy or that guy and his background,” Memphis Express general manager Will Lewis said. “(But) you’ll see, now that they’re done with the combine, there’ll be a lot of scouts showing up at games. ”
J.K. Mckay, the general manager for the Xfl-champion Los Angeles Xtreme in 2001 and the AAF’S head of football operations, has football in his blood. His father, John, was the head coach at USC from 1960-75 and served in the same capacity for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for nine seasons.
His brother, Rich, was general manager for the Bucs (1994-2003) and Atlanta Falcons (2003-08) before becoming the latter’s president.
“I get calls almost daily now about our players,” J.K. Mckay said. “They’re getting a chance to see them play. It’s different when they see them play and not just practicing..”
At least one front-office member of an NFL team, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said he fully expects the AAF to succeed as a catapult for players.
“I can guarantee you there will be a few guys that will get that second shot at the NFL,” he said. “And, if I had to bet on it, there will be a handful of guys that will get back on the radar this time around, through the AAF, and make opening day rosters in 2019.”