[MIJB#19]

2045 - 2056 The Bryson Chow era

And then there was Bryson Chow. Without hesitation, the Merchantmen started the 2045 off-season with a blockbuster trade. Result of the worst season in quite some time, the Merchantmen held the #12 overall pick. The Merchantmen packaged their 2045 draft picks and first and second round picks in 2046 for the #1 overall pick. Everybody in the IHOF knew one thing for sure: quarterback Bryson Chow was the top prospect and a hall of famer in the making. Chow was the Merchantmen's new man under center. As early as training camp 2045, the Merchantmen started to realize that Chow wasn't a generational player, but still had the potential to be a starting quality quarterback. Chow struggled in his rookie campaign, but despite having future hall of famer Coleman still around, the Merchantmen committed to Chow. His rookie season turned out to be the only losing season of the Merchantmen with Chow on the team.

In 12 seasons, Chow had to work with wide receivers far below the franchise's standards as 2047 first round pick Marvin Badger and 2051 first round pick wide receiver Braxton Carter both turned out to be a disappointment. Despite sticking around for 10 and 11 seasons, they combined for just 2 1,000-yard seasons. Luckily, in his first couple of seasons, past his prime Terry Haskell continued to be a force. In 2046, Chow posted his first winning season, division title and a victory in the playoffs over the Bordeaux Vineyards. In 2047, the Merchantmen started the season 1-4, with their only victory being a 52-24 hammering of the Tucker Tigers. But starting in week 7, the team was off for a monstrous series of 11 straight victories, only once winning by less than 10 points and somehow earning the #1 seed in the playoffs. They beat the Houston Mustangs, but fell to the San Antonio Tidal Force in the AOC Championship game.

In 2048 the Merchantmen traded their first round pick for veteran defensive end Andrew Matthews, but even more importantly they sent their 2049 first round pick to Snapfinger for running back Norbert Talley. With Talley, the Merchantmen returned to a run-heavy approach. At the same time, one by one, the other stars of the team quit the game and the Merchantmen failed to find replacements of similar quality. Terry Haskell and Wesley Devine retired in the 2049 off-season, Daniel Duncan in the 2050 off-season and Dennis Lucas, Marc Crum and Mark Pomato in the 2051 off-season. In 2049 the Merchantmen took linebacker Jeremiah Collier, but he failed to reach the standards of Devine and Duncan. In 2052 the Merchantmen drafted cornerback Everett Heiser in the second round, who turned out to be the best cornerback since Randall Allen and Ben Greer from 29 and 34 seasons earlier.

The Chow-Talley lead Merchantmen set a new standard for mediocrity, finishing at 8 or 9 wins season after season. The rare 11-win season in 2051 was a rare feat, but the Merchantmen still managed to miss the playoffs. In 2055, Chow finally posted his first 4,000-yard season and repeated that in 2056. That season, former fourth round pick running back Fernando Scott had taken the place of Norbert Talley. Talley finished his career after the 2055 season as the all-time IHOF leader in rushing attempts and second overall in rushing yards. 2054 first round pick wide receiver Kai Oburn had ended the trend of bad receivers and had 105 catches for 1,520 yards in 2056. The Merchantmen posted three impressive victories in the last three regular season games and sneaked into the playoffs at 9-7 as the last AOC wild card. The streak continued as the Merchantmen posted close victories in Gothenburg and North Plainfield to reach the AOC Championship game in Toronto. In a shootout, Chow threw for 295 yards, but was unable to avoid the 42-34 deficit. At last, Chow had managed what the hall of famers Louie Flannery and Rusty Harrison also achieved: to reach and lose with the Merchantmen in the AOC Championship game.

2045 7-9 (12th)
2046 10-6 (3rd) conference semifinals
2047 12-4 (1st) conference finalist
2048 9-7 (4th) conference semifinals
2049 8-8 (8th)
2050 8-8 (7th)
2051 11-5 (7th)
2052 9-6-1 (7th)
2053 9-7 (4th) conference semifinals
2054 8-8 (8th)
2055 8-8 (11th)
2056 9-7 (6th) conference finalist