SAN ANTONIO — This series was supposed to give fans an inside look at some of the personalities of the players on San Antonio’s new team in the Alliance of American Football. Football fans in the Alamo City had been supporting the team, but may not have known just who was behind the facemasks and helmets.
Then Tuesday, April 2 happened. The league announced it was suspending football operations and the players, many of whom had experience at the NFL level, found themselves looking for work again. Some of those players might remain in San Antonio, and some might not. Most of the guys on the team are not from Central or South Texas, but there have been reports that the league would not pay for flights for its former employees to return to their hometowns. Another report said the players were left to pay for their own housing and healthcare, after those had been promised for the season.
We filmed these interviews in the middle of the season, before anyone knew the AAF’s inaugural season would be cut short. While these players might not represent San Antonio any longer, we still wanted to share the personalities of some of these men who brought pro football back to San Antonio.
In the immediate aftermath of the announcement, there were a lot more questions than answers. It was easy for fans to point fingers at the league’s ownership and management for the failure of the league to finish its first season. It’s tempting to cite the level of play as a factor that doomed the AAF, but please don’t blame the players.
They gave their blood, sweat and tears in the hope of their extending professional football careers. And, for a time, they were San Antonio’s team.
You can watch the rest of our "Keeping Up With the Commanders" series below:
MORE COMMANDERS AND AAF COVERAGE: