An oral history of the AAF's Memphis Express, as told by players, coaches and front office execs

The Alliance of American Football only lasted eight weeks, folding two weeks before the developmental league's inaugural four-team playoff was set to start.

It left players and coaches confused and raised questions about how a league that appeared to have significant financial backing could end so suddenly.

In Memphis, the Express finished 2-6 and had plenty of storylines, many of which came after the midseason acquisition of former Heisman winning-quarterback Johnny Manziel.

Despite an often unorganized season that produced subpar intrigue and attendance, multiple members of the Express revealed gratitude for the AAF, which opened doors for opportunities in the NFL or with other leagues.

How did the AAF start?

In late 2016, TV and film producer Charlie Ebersol thought of the idea for the league after working on a "30 for 30" documentary about the XFL, another failed developmental league.

On March 20, 2018, Ebersol announced the launch of the league.

Players were allocated to respective teams by regional affiliation of where they went to college, or most recently played professional football.

They were signed to three-year, non-guaranteed deals worth $250,000. The first year was worth $70,000 and additional incentives allowed players to receive even more money.

The Commercial Appeal spoke with several members of the Express — players, coaches and front-office executives — to get a recount of their experience with the AAF, the hectic final day that resulted in the league's closure and what they have been doing since.

Week 1: Memphis Express play first regular-season game

The Express made their regular-season debut on Feb. 10, a 26-0 road loss to the Birmingham Iron.

The defeat would be the beginning of a recurring theme, but for Express players, this was the first of many chances to either launch or jumpstart their careers.

Running back Zac Stacy: "(I) haven’t played in almost over two years. So to be able to step on the field again and be able to compete at a high level, that was awesome to me. Really enjoyed that first game experience, especially being back home playing against Birmingham, having my friends and family in attendance."

Quarterback Brandon Silvers: "I was with the Eagles for minicamp after I got done at Troy a year ago. Just going through the summer, I was weighing the options, going to the Canadian (Football) League. My agent found out about it and let me know and I'd rather play in the States than go to the Canadian league, so I decided to roll with it."

Wide receiver Reece Horn: "I was overseas playing for a season. I was out in Vienna, Austria, and my agent had hit me up about two weeks left in that season. He told me about this new league forming, a great opportunity for guys like myself. Get some film, stay relevant, stay in great shape and it's high-level football."

Week 3: Tom Dundon to invest $250 million in AAF

The investment by Dundon, majority owner of the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes, came after reports that players and coaches were not being paid, although the league denied those claims and attributed it to a glitch in its payroll system. By the time the league folded, Dundon had invested $70 million of the committed $250 million.

However, players and coaches detailed less-than-stellar conditions.

Silvers: "We got put in an old, broken-down art museum that was colder inside than it was outside. It's right next to the stadium and it was so cold in there, had no heater. We had to bring our own heaters."

Co-offensive coordinator Bobby Blizzard: "It was an old, abandoned building. They came in and cleaned it up and brought some stuff to separate it so we can have our offices and meeting rooms."

Stacy: "From a guy who was spoiled from being in nice facilities in the league, yeah, it was definitely humbling to go through the conditions we went through. Building was cold. Building was old. But for me, a guy who hasn’t been around that type of camaraderie in a long time, I enjoyed every minute of it. Shivering and all." 

Silvers: "We didn't get our practice field down until the sixth or seventh week. It wasn't ready to practice on, so we had to practice on the turf at the Liberty Bowl. And we had to practice at some random high school every day and most of the time drive there. It was all kind of confusing. Honestly it really sucked, but I was excited to play football. So I didn't worry about it."

Week 7: Johnny Manziel claimed off waivers

With a record of 1-5, inconsistent quarterback play and middling attendance, the Express signed Johnny Manziel. The former first-round pick made his Express debut against the Iron but split time with Silvers, who ultimately led Memphis to a win in the AAF's first overtime game.

Stacy: "Having Johnny Football was definitely beneficial for us on and off the field for the limited time he was with us before league crashed. Obviously we weren’t winning so it was nice to get some pub at the same time with his arrival. So he was somewhat of a marketing tool for us, no doubt. Everyone knew what he brought to the table for us and he provided sparks for us through the games he played. Good football player. When the ball is in his hands, just makes plays." 

Silvers: "I started the season as a backup. After two weeks, I tore my oblique, so I was out for a good month. Then Zach (Mettenberger) was one of the quarterbacks and I was the backup to him. And so after that, he got hurt the first play, and I took over after that, and then Johnny came in the next week. It was all hectic the last two weekends."

Blizzard: "I was promoted to co-offensive coordinator and play-calling duties after the first game of the season. Honestly man, it was kind of tough being in that position. Initially, you're not coming in with that mindset of being the offensive coordinator. Then you got to get your quarterback situation together. And then we bring Johnny into the mix. He has the explosiveness that he can bring to the game, throwing the ball down the field and hurting with his running ability. It kind of shook things up in the meeting room a little bit."

Week 9: Dundon suspends league operations

On April 2 the league suspended operations, and two days later the AAF announced its players could sign with other leagues. On April 17 the AAF filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

Reports have linked the league's demise to former Minnesota Vikings minority stakeholder Reggie Fowler, who had reportedly agreed to commit $170 million to the AAF to become its lead investor but gave $28 million by December 2018.

Fowler soon struggled to retrieve money from bank accounts and in April was arrested on multiple bank fraud charges.

General Manager Will Lewis: "That morning, I think I heard from a number of people in the league office who were saying there's a possibility that Tom could make an announcement that we're suspending operations. But until then, we'll just proceed like business as usual, which is what we did."

Blizzard: "I remember eating lunch in my office and time was getting closer and I was getting ready to head out to the practice field. So I was getting ready to walk out the front door and (Express coach Mike) Singletary called my name and he was like, 'We're about to call an emergency meeting. The league is shut down today.'"

Silvers: "We were having our regular Tuesday meeting in the morning from 7:30 to 11ish. We have practice at 12:30, so we have an hour and a half to get lunch and get ready to go. I went and got Chick-fil-A. I was driving and my roommate, Christian Hackenberg, called me and said, 'Hey, come back to the offices. I think the league is folding.' So we had a team meeting and coach Singletary told us. He didn't really have anything to say because he really wasn't sure what was going on. So they told us to take the day off."

Stacy: "I was actually at the doctor and wasn’t at the facility at the time when there was a text from our operations guy, basically saying we had to be out of the extended stays we resided at the time by that next day. League is essentially done and good luck to you. Guys were injured, guys needed surgeries from injuries. We even had guys from the northeast, almost 15 hours away from home. We carpooled a lot so some guys had no type of transportation. It was a really bizarre day."

Silvers: "Luckily me and (Hackenberg) got an Airbnb. So everyone had to be out by, like, 7 p.m. that day. One of the tight ends got charged $2,500 on his debit card. Then the team president (Kosha Irby) came over and said we had to leave at like 7 a.m. in the morning. But still, people had to get flights out the next day and they were expensive."

Where are they now?

Horn: "Two days after (the league was suspended), the Dolphins called my agent and said they wanted to sign me, pending a physical. So they flew me down that Sunday, passed the physical and I was rocking and rolling."

Silvers: "Luckily I played well the last three games I played. I knew I was going to get some workouts coming my way, so I knew I wasn't done playing or anything. I worked out with the Jets the next week and I was with them for about a month and a half and got let go. I'm going to play in the XFL (league starting next year) with a bunch of (former AAF players), so I've been keeping up with them."

Stacy: "I work as a fitness coach at a CrossFit franchise along the Southeast and it’s been great. Fitness has always been a good outlet for me."

Blizzard: "After the league folded, I got my new job in the XFL. That was like a month later so I was back to work. I'd be lying to you if I said (the thought of the XFL failing) is not in the back of my mind. But I really feel secure about how things are being done so far and the way things are running."

Silvers: "I think the XFL — and I was told — (WWE founder and XFL financial backer Vince) McMahon, it's his money. And I think he's going to see it through. With the AAF, Charlie Ebersol was using other people's money. And that's when (Dundon) pulled it out. Because it was his money. With Vince McMahon, I think it's his own money, so I think it's supposed to last longer. And he's already done it once."

Lewis: "I think the majority of the players I have spoken with on several occasions since the league folded. Probably because I'm involved with the XFL, so I want to make sure I touch base with a lot of those guys, but I also wanted to help as many of those guys as possible who might get an opportunity in the NFL. For me, the idea behind the AAF was to give guys an opportunity to get to the NFL, so that didn't change after the league folded."

Silvers: "It sucks the way things ended. A lot of people didn't get paid the way they were supposed to. I got eight weeks worth, so $56,000, and that was it. The insurance went out end of April. So people who had torn ACLs, I'm not sure, but they got screwed. I'm not sure what's going on with them, but I'm sure it's not good."

Lewis: "For a lot of us, the AAF provided a few more opportunities at doing things at the next level. For some people, it was a second chance at their career. For other people, it was an introduction to doing something a little bit up-the-ladder than what you had been doing."

Stacy: "The experience was probably one of the best times of my life. Again, I’m a guy who had ball taken from me due to an injury. To be able to overcome that and get back 100 percent, I wouldn’t trade that time for anything else. I was back on the field again, playing at a high level again, staying strong in every aspect. Physically, mentally, emotionally again."

Lewis: "It was an opportunity for a guy who had always been a personnel guy to actually be a general manager and oversee every and all sides of football operations. I had been vice president of football operations and had been a director of scouting, but to actually have the title of general manager, that was my first opportunity."

Blizzard: "Even though it went bad, for me, it was a great experience. Knowing that it would happen the same way, with all the stuff that I learned and the experiences I had, I would do it all again."

Horn: "I love the city of Memphis. I loved the fanbase they had there. On the football side, getting coached by Mike Singletary, what more can you ask for from a head coach from a player standpoint? (Singletary) taught me a lot of personal life lessons on what it is to become a man and hold it down from an off-the-field standpoint, too."

Blizzard: "It wasn't the best, but it was doable. It was fun. If I were to write a book, I would write all about it, because it was some funny stuff that was going on. It was a startup league, you know? So of course there's going to be some bumps and bruises."

Reach Commercial Appeal staff writer Daniel Oyefusi at daniel.oyefusi@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter at @DanielOyefusi