Braves and Black Gold Make First Trade in CoFL History
On the morning of Saturday, April 25, 2026. CoFL fans woke up to history-the first trade in league history. The Fort Worth Braves traded Clark Riedel to the Tall City Black Gold for Baylee Ramsey and future cash considerations. Here is a brief history of each player and my grades for both teams:
A Trade of Transparency
The Continental Football League markets itself as a fan first league with team transparency to show each team’s fans what is happening within the organization. San Antonio Toros Owner, Joshua Mair, makes sure to post on X what are the key points in each meeting. The Braves and Black Gold gave us an inside look on how the trade went down by posting a screenshot of the South Teams group chat. This league is built off transparency and this trade proved it.
Black Gold gets Clark Riedel
Clark Riedel is a spring football veteran punter who makes his way to West Texas this summer. Riedel played collegiate football at UW Stout for 4 years between 2014-17. Over those four seasons as the Blue Devils starter, he totaled 199 punts with an average of forty-one yards per punt. His great plays lead him to be named Team Captain, 3x All-WIAC, 3x Special Teams MVP, and 2016 D3 Football All West Region. Riedel made a major impact for the Blue Devils Special Teams during his tenure.
Unfortunately, his punting performances did not receive national recognition due to him playing at a division three school. Most careers end at D3, but Riedel did not give up. His first professional opportunity came with the newly formed TSL Aviators in 2020. He would spend two seasons punting for the Aviators averaging 48.7 yards per punt. After the end of The Spring League in 2021, Clark had to find a new football home. Former Aviators head coach, Terry Shea, got hired by the MLFB’s Virginia Armada and brought Clark with him. The MLFB would never kickoff as the league folded before the season.
After spending the next 3 years out of football, Clark Riedel signed with the IFA’s Huntsville Astros last summer. Most teams in the International Football Alliance did not run well, but the Astros were one of two teams to play multiple games. The Astros were a dominant team, ending the season undefeated while out scoring their opponents 217-30. Those performances lead to few punts every game, but when he was out on the field, he made a difference. Riedel ended the 2025 season averaging 51.5 yards per punt.
The Astros were one and done as a team, so Clark Riedel took his talents to the CoFL’s Fort Worth Braves. His Braves tenure would not last long as the Black Gold needed a punter, and the Braves shipped him to Midland in the first trade in franchise history. I covered the Huntsville Astros last season for my YouTube series called, “All About the Astros” and met Clark Riedel during the last game. Clark Riedel is a guy that loves alternative football and wants to help leagues grow into a developmental league for the UFL or CFL.
Braves Get Baylee Ramsey and Future Cash Considerations
The Braves received a young LB and future cash considerations in the trade. Baylee Ramsey is a North Carolina native who played college at nearby Brevard College. In 4 years for the Tornadoes, Ramsey totaled 168 tackles (73 solo), 15 TFL, four sacks, one pick, and two fumble recoveries. He was named 2024 USA South Honorable Mention and 2025 USA South All-Conference First Team for his time playing for Brevard.
Knowing the probability of being drafted into the NFL was low, Baylee Ramsey moved his focus to alternative football. His first intro to the alt-football scene came earlier this year when he signed with the Tennessee Hornets and Coach Justin Golson for the Check Da Score Bowl. Coach Justin Golson switched paths from the Check Da Score Bowl to creating the Fort Worth Braves so Ramsey assessed the market to see if he could sign somewhere else.
Tall City Black Gold head coach, Rodney Blackshear, signed Baylee Ramsey on March 10, 2026. His time in Midland would be very short as he was traded to the Braves. This move reunites Ramsey with Coach Golson. This trade also involves future cash considerations. The league has not yet explained what the “future cash considerations” really means.
Grades
- Braves: A
- Black Gold: A-
My grade for the Fort Worth Braves is an A. Coach Golson gets a player he wanted to coach for at the Check Da Score Bowl with future cash. This is a trade that brings in a key player for the Braves defense and some cash to help the franchise. My Grade for the Black Gold is an A-. The Black Gold gets a superstar punter at a much-needed position of need. I would say the Braves won this trade due to the fact they got cash and a player. Both teams got needs in the first trade in CoFL history. I enjoy sports trades, and hopefully we will see more in the future. This trade is a new step for the Continental Football Leagues development.
The Toros will play the Hornets in preseason on May 24 at home before going on the road for their season-opener against the Syndicate.
The Toros’ first regular-season home game will be against the Tall City Black Gold on June 13.
To catch all the Toros action on the field, tickets are now available, including fan-ownership options.
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