Former Arizona Cardinals highlight Arizona AAF team

The Alliance of American Football gets underway this weekend with some former Arizona Cardinals leading the Arizona franchise

The new developmental league Alliance of American Football (AAF) got started this weekend after almost two years since the annoucement of the formation of the league.  One of the teams is the Arizona Hotshots, who are lead at quarterback by a former member of the Arizona Cardinals.

Quarterback Trevor Knight, who was on the Arizona Cardinals roster for the 2017 preseason, is the starting quarterback for the Hotshots.  He competed for the third quarterback spot with Blaine Gabbert in Cardinals camp.

There are other former Cardinals who grace the Hotshots roster.  Receiver Marquis Bundy was with the team in 2016 before eventually being released by the team during the 2017 training camp.

Tight end Gerald Christian was with the Cardinals twice.  Once in 2015 and also in 2017.  In 2015, he was a surprise performer during the preseason and was on pace to make the 53-man roster.  He was Mr. Irrelevant, the last NFL player drafted in 2015.

However Christian tore his ACL and was done.  He got another chance in 2017 with the team but was cut at the end of the preseason.

The Hotshots have another receiver who is both familiar to Cardinals and Arizona State Sun Devils fans.  Receiver Rashad Ross, who entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2013, spent time on the Cardinals roster until he was cut during the 2018 preseason.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Hotshots have Scooby Wright III at linebacker.  He spent time between the active roster and practice squad with the Cardinals in 2016 and 2017.  The product out of the University of Arizona was eventually cut by the Cardinals at the end of the 2018 training camp.

The Hotshots also have former Sun Devils Will Sutton and Marcus Hardison on the defensive line, linebacker Carl Bradford, and defensive back Robert Nelson.  There is also one former Northern Arizona Lumberjack in Siupeli Anau on the Hotshots defensive line.

The Hotshots open their season on Sunday night at 6:00 p.m. at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe against the Salt Lake Stallions.  They are lead by former UCLA quarterback, football analyst, and McClintock High School star Rick Neuheisel.  Neuheisel has also coached the University of Colorado and University of Washington football teams.

These guys are looking for another shot at the NFL.  The NFL is the only league players from the AAF are allowed to jump to.  They will not be allowed per agreement to jump to the CFL or the XFL upon it’s inaugural season in 2020.