Gardner’s first pro touchdown with the AAF was a historic one.

After shattering records at Humboldt State, former Lumberjack running back Ja’Quan Gardner is becoming a rising star in the newly formed Alliance of American Football.

After a breakout 104-yard, two touchdown performance over the weekend in his second-ever pro game, Gardner is tied for first in rushing yards among all AAF players.

League rushing leaders | AAF website.

His first pro touchdown, seen in the video above, was also a historic moment for his new franchise: the San Diego Fleet. Although the touchdown came in the 4th quarter of team’s second game, it was the franchise’s first-ever touchdown.

Gardner followed up the historic score with another touchdown late in the 4th quarter to seal the franchise’s first-ever win, which came against the Atlanta Legends.

While Gardner is thriving with his new team, the AAF is reportedly struggling financially.

The Athletic reported yesterday, that the new league was “running short on cash” and almost missed payroll just two weeks into its inaugural season.

Fox Business reporter Tom Barrabi, meanwhile, tweeted that AAF’s spokesperson denied these reports, saying “players were never in danger of not getting paid.”

However, the power structure of the league shifted today, after the owner of the AAF Carolina Hurricanes Tom Dundon reportedly invested $250 million into the league, making him the chairman of its board of directors.

Despite any reported financial worries, the leagues’ TV ratings have been better than expected. The AAF reportedly had six million viewers in its opening weekend, and even had more viewers than ABC’s competing NBA game between the the Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder.

Despite receiving only eight carries last week (he rushed 15 times on Sunday), Gardner also played well during his first game. He even earned HSU a shoutout on CBS following his breakout run against the San Antonio Commanders in the 2nd quarter. Check out the nod in the video below.