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A former New York Jets quarterback is taking a new football league by storm.
The latest version of the XFL made its debut this weekend and it featured a lot of familiar names. One of the most prominent of which, Brandon Silvers, created plenty of highlights during a 33-12 Houston Roughnecks beatdown of the Orlando Guardians.
One Twitter user openly asked if Brandon Silvers is the “Aaron Rodgers of the XFL” after his sterling performance and suggested some are already saying it.
Brandon Silvers Throws a Massive TD to a Former Jets WR
Silvers, the starting quarterback for the Roughnecks, went 26-of-42 for 272 passing yards with two passing touchdowns.
With 10:59 remaining in the second quarter, Silvers got the defense to jump offsides providing a free play opportunity that he took full advantage of.
He took a few steps back from shotgun formation and unleashed a 46-yard bomb to former Jets wide receiver Deontay Burnett down the right hash.
Burnett caught the ball one-handed, wrestled away from a defender, and walked into the end-zone for the stunning score.
Silvers said the play was a “dummy call” and when the defense jumped offsides he just threw it up to Burnett who was running a vertical route.
If it was incomplete or an interception, it wouldn’t have mattered since the play didn’t count. However, if it was a big play or a score it was a bonus chance to make something happen.
Some would call that sort of magic vintage Aaron Rodgers. Silvers also wears the No. 12 jersey number for the Roughnecks which makes those comps even easier to make.
Burnett finished the day with eight receptions for 90 yards and that spectacular touchdown grab. He led the Roughnecks in all of those major categories in Week 1.
The other touchdown pass that Silvers threw during the game came in the first quarter with 2:29 on the clock facing a third and five play.
James Larsen said Silvers hit a “beautiful back shoulder throw” to Jontre Kirklin who hauled in the 10-yard touchdown.
“This Is a Chance for a Second Chance”
This version of the XFL is co-owned by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Ahead of the official 2023 kickoff, Johnson tweeted a 1:47 hype-up video that featured an interesting quote, “this is a chance for a second chance.”
That is a perfect way to describe the Jets’ journey for Silvers and Burnett.
The 28-year-old quarterback is a former undrafted free agent that got his only chance in the NFL during a month spent with the Jets in 2019.
Burnett lasted a lot longer in the league getting some run during the Jets’ 2018 season and was with the team through camp in 2019. However, it ended the same with both players looking for work after their Jets tenures were over.
Go figure that the two would eventually be reunited in the third iteration of the XFL in 2023 in Houston, Texas on the Roughnecks roster.
Every story isn’t a Hollywood script, but this has a chance to have a magical ending. If there was this much buzz just after the first game of the XFL season, just imagine where this could go in a couple of weeks.
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