WR Haley, QB Testaverde and OL Thomas and OL Thomas return for their second seasons with Arizona
(Phoenix, AZ) The Arizona Rattlers have re-signed four offensive players for the 2022 season including wide receiver Braxton Haley, quarterback Vincent Testaverde, offensive lineman Kenny Thomas Jr. and offensive lineman Eastwood Thomas.
WR Braxton Haley (6’0, 190, Illinois State University) will be returning for his second season with the team. Last year during his rookie season, Haley played in 11 games and started seven of them, recording 20 catches for 231 yards and three touchdowns. Haley was also a key special teams player in 2021, posting nine tackles.
Haley made a big impact during the Rattlers’ postseason run, appearing in all three games and notching six special teams tackles, as well as a key forced fumble late in the game vs. Duke City. During the United Bowl vs. Massachusetts, Haley caught a career-long 23-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter to open the scoring for the Rattlers and later in the second quarter, he threw a two-point conversion pass to quarterback Drew Powell to tie the game.
Over two seasons at Illinois State in 2018 and 2019, Haley hauled in 39 receptions for 494 yards and three touchdowns. Haley began playing collegiately at Dodge City Community College, before enrolling at Notre Dame College where he played his freshman and sophomore seasons. The Atlanta, Georgia native attended Monsignor Donovan High School, earning All-Conference honors his senior year with 44 receptions for over 1,200 yards and 25 total touchdowns.
QB Vincent Testaverde (6’1, 210, University of Albany) will also be returning for 2022. Testaverde suffered an injury in practice early in 2021 and spent his first year in the IFL learning the particulars of playing quarterback in the indoor game from the eventual league MVP, Drew Powell.
Testaverde has spent time in training camp with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFL and also the BC Lions in the CFL. Prior to playing professionally, Testaverde walked on as a true freshman at Texas Tech University, before transferring to Miami and ultimately, Albany. Starting in eight games his senior season for the Great Danes, Testaverde passed for 1,714 yards and 11 touchdowns, completing 53.4 percent of his throws.
The Odessa, Florida native attended Jesuit High School in Tampa, where he was MVP both his junior and senior seasons. Vince is the son of 1986 Heisman Trophy winner and Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ 1987 No. 1 overall draft pick Vinny Testaverde, who spent 21 years in the NFL.
OL Kenny Thomas Jr. (6’6, 330, University of Louisville) re-signs for year two with the Rattlers. During his rookie season, Thomas played in 11 games for the Rattlers and helped clear the way for league MVP Drew Powell, allowing Arizona’s offense to rank No. 1 in the league in touchdowns and yards gained.
Thomas played at both guard and tackle during college and spent the majority of his 41 career games at Louisville protecting 2019 NFL MVP Lamar Jackson, including during Jackson’s 2016 Heisman Trophy season. After graduating from Louisville, Thomas signed with the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent with an invite to mini-camp. The Montgomery, Alabama native graduated from Prattville High School where he helped the Lions finish as Class 7A runners up in his senior season.
OL Eastwood Thomas (6’6, 315, University of Louisiana-Monroe) also enters his second season with the Rattlers. Thomas began his collegiate career in 2015 at the University of Alabama. One year later, the Jackson, Alabama native transferred to ULM, where he went on to start a school record 47 consecutive games at offensive tackle. During each year that he played at ULM (2016-2019), Thomas was part of the school’s Academic Wall of Fame. Thomas concluded his career at ULM with Sunbelt All-Conference honors.
Press Release courtesy of the Arizona Rattlers – Abbey Rarick
