Aaron Williams Autograph Card

Aaron Williams was a second-round pick of the Buffalo Bills (34th overall) in 2011, becoming a regular in his third season with the team, coinciding with a move from cornerback to (strong) safety.

However, two severe neck injuries forced him into missing 22 games in the past two years, and with the Bills changing coaches, they opted to release him last March, weeks before his 27th birthday.

His football future is now uncertain.

Here he is wearing Buffalo's white (away) uniform, on the signed insert version of card#143 from Panini's 2011 Absolute Memorabilia set and Spectrum and Rookie Class of 2011 sub-sets:

It features an on-sticker, blue-sharpied autograph.

Marcell Dareus Swatch Card

I've been relatively lucky with my (American) football 'hits' in the card world these past few years, especially since I pretty much only purchase one or two packs per year. Other times, I go to Ebay for a Colin Kapernick 99-cent jersey card.

In this instance, I pulled a first-round draft pick jersey card, Marcell Dareus of the Buffalo Bills, who wears jersey #99 - one that will never again be worn in NHL hockey. It's from Panini's 2011 Rookies And Stars Longevity (card #17 of the Freshman Orientation sub-set, serial numbered 152/249), and is an event-worn swatch:

I am particularly fond of the many double-entendres on the back of his card, in a year where homosexuality was discussed at great lengths in American sports:

Dareus had 82 tackes and 11 sacks in 2 full seasons with the Bills. He is an alumni of the reigning NCAA champions Alabama Crimson Tide, the third Alabama player drafted by the Bills.