In what has to be the biggest news of the offseason for the San Antonio Brahmas, the team has signed former Texas A&M star quarterback Kellen Mond.
Mond started eight games as a true freshman with Texas A&M and never relinquished his starting role. After four seasons (2017-20), he finished as the Aggies’ all-time leader in career passing yardage (9,661), passing touchdowns (71), and completions (801). He was one of the three SEC quarterbacks to record over 9,000 career passing yards with 1,500 rushing yards, with Peyton Manning and Dak Prescott being the two others.
After a Covid-shortened 2020 season where Mond guided the Aggies to a 9-1 record and a #4 nationwide ranking in the final AP poll, he declared for the NFL Draft and was selected in the third round by the Minnesota Vikings. His professional career got off to a bumpy start as he struggled in the preseason before going on to spend most of his rookie season as a third-stringer behind Kirk Cousins and Sean Mannion, only coming in to throw three passes during Minnesota’s week 17 game against the Green Bay Packers.
After another underwhelming set of performances in the 2022 preseason games, Mond was waived by Minnesota at the end of training camp. The Cleveland Browns subsequently picked him up off waivers, and he was able to stick around with them for a season. However, the team waived him about a year later after claiming him; again, after not impressing in training camp and the preseason games.
Mond has since bounced around a few NFL practice squads. His last stint, which came with the New Orleans Saints, only lasted about a month and ended on May 8, 2024.
For years, many have talked about how someone like Mond—who starred at the power-five level in college but didn’t quite live up to his potential in the pros—would benefit from being in a spring football league.
Now, Mond, a San Antonio native, returns home to play in the UFL where he certainly has the pedigree to become a starter. He will play in offensive coordinator A.J. Smith’s innovative offense, which is a mix of both the classic air raid and run-and-shoot systems.
So far, only veteran quarterback Kevin Hogan has re-signed with San Antonio for next season. He threw for 38 yards in one game against the Houston Roughnecks after being picked up midway through the season. The statuses of San Antonio’s other quarterbacks from last season, Chase Garbers and Quinten Dormady, remain up in the air.