Brandon Lombana: The Underdog With Faith, Peace, And Blazing Speed

In the aftermath of the Washington Wolfpack’s loss to Minnesota, a name rose above the final score. Brandon Lombana was named the team’s Player of the Game after having 61 yards and scoring two touchdowns. For most, that performance would be the headline. For Lombana, it was simply another verse in a longer story. One written with resilience, quiet conviction, and an unshakable belief that he is exactly where he is meant to be.

From Southlake to the Gridiron: Forging the Underdog

Football entered Brandon Lombana’s life early. Growing up in Southlake, Texas, he watched his older brother take the field first. His parents were hesitant, but after his brother’s strong first year, young Brandon finally got his chance in third grade.

“I watched my older brother start playing first. My parents weren’t too happy about it, so they didn’t let me play until he had a great first year, and then that following year I started playing tackle football.”

His parents have always been very supportive, but it was his brother who became his constant guide. He offered wisdom about what was coming next and walked with him every step of the way. What also helped from those early days was that Lombana carried something with him everywhere. An unwavering belief in himself.

“As soon as I started playing, the love I had for the game was always great, and I always had this unwavering belief in myself that I could play. I always stuck to my roots with that ever since I was a kid.”

That belief would be tested repeatedly. After beginning his college career at Monmouth University, injuries and the disruptions of COVID led to a detour. He transferred to Marist for his final two seasons, where he found a program that welcomed him with open arms. There, in 2022, he posted a strong season with 329 receiving yards, 21 receptions, and two touchdowns while earning a spot on the academic honor roll. Through it all, he learned lessons that would define him.

“You really learn from the losses, and I’ve lost a lot throughout my football career. That shaped me to just be always level-headed. Never too high, never too low, and that’s helped me in my day-to-day life.”

Balancing academics and athletics taught him the power of discipline. Doing the hard things at a high level, even when you don’t feel like it. Lombana has always carried the label of underdog. Through school and now his professional career. 

“I feel like I’ve always been an underdog. It’s more just being about staying level-headed, and I know how the story’s always gonna end type of thing. I have really high beliefs in my abilities, and I like to believe I show that on a day-to-day basis. I just always let the course run itself.”

The Grind and the Breakthrough: Claiming His Opportunity

After graduating from Marist, Lombana trained for nearly a year. His pro day was canceled at the last moment and conversations with the Philadelphia Eagles and Houston Texans went cold once they couldn’t verify his numbers through a pro day. Many would have folded. Lombana kept working.

He acted as his own agent, posting route-running and workout videos on Instagram. One comment caught the eye of a coach. “I just need one opportunity,” he told someone who commented. The Washington Wolfpack coach JR Wells reached out and Lombana had found his door.

“My mindset was, ‘Alright, I’m my own agent. I have to just get myself out there and show people what I could do.’ The videos took off a little bit, and coach actually told me halfway through the season, ‘I found you from Instagram.’ He saw that comment and reached out. He watched my film from college and did his research.”

As a rookie in the 2026 AF1 season with the Wolfpack, he arrived ready to prove that one opportunity was all he ever needed.

Speed, Instincts, and Arena Fire: Moments That Define

Arena football is a different beast. It’s a smaller field, faster pace, and constant chaos. What surprised Lombana most wasn’t the speed of the game. It was the talent level around him.

“You see these rosters and the schools that they’re coming from. These are big-time programs. You realize how many talented players are here in the United States. Only 53 guys per team get allowed in the NFL, but there’s a lot more guys that could play at the same level. It’s just an opportunity thing that guys miss out on sometimes.”

His football IQ became his greatest asset in the chaos. He learned to be decisive, keep his head on a swivel, and play smart football. Coach JR Wells has told him to trust his instincts and let the speed take over. Lombana describes it as something deeper.

“A lot of it’s muscle memory. I call it God taking over at that point and showing what I can do.”

That divine takeover was on full display in the Albany game earlier this year. With the score close heading into halftime, a bad snap on the extra point sent the ball rolling toward Lombana, the holder. In slow motion, instincts took over. He rolled out, scanned the field, saw tight end Tyler Stevens boxing out his defender in the corner of the end zone, and delivered a perfect throw for the two-point conversion. He had played some quarterback in Pop Warner but learned his throwing mechanics watching his brother in the backyard.

In the recent loss to Minnesota, that same blend of speed, instincts, and preparation earned him Player of the Game honors with 61 yards and two touchdowns. 

Peace Amid the Chaos: Faith as the Foundation

Lombana’s measure of success has nothing to do with stats or even wins.

“I find success in being at peace. I believe I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be, and I’m doing all the right things to put myself in the best position. I’ve been trying to stay present in where I am now and enjoy that process. Wins or losses, they’re all lessons. If I can have peace with where I’m at, what I’m doing, and where I believe I’m going, that’s success to me.”

That peace, he says, comes from one source.

“I truly believe the secret is God. He’s the one that’s given me that peace. When you’re at peace, you’re having fun, and when you’re having fun, you’re playing well.”

His faith doesn’t just comfort him. It fuels his performance. The same level-headedness forged through years of losses now allows him to stay present, trust the process, and let God take over when the moment demands it. In the fast, physical world of arena football, where decisions must be made in a split second, his peace becomes his greatest competitive edge.

Building Men, Building Legacy: Lessons On and Off the Field

Coach Wells doesn’t just coach football. He coaches life. One simple lesson has stuck with Lombana.

"Never shake a man’s hand sitting down. It’s something so little, but it speaks volumes. Just show respect. If you’re sitting down, have that respect to get up and shake that man’s hand.”

It isn’t just talk. I had the pleasure of meeting Brandon this weekend during their road game against Minnesota. He firmly shook my hand while looking me in the eye, and then turned to my nephew and niece and treated them with the same type of care and respect. 

The Wolfpack locker room reflects the standard that Coach Wells preaches. Lombana’s favorite part of the season isn’t any single play.

“Honestly, just the day-to-day is really awesome. Coach Wells did a great job recruiting, and I’m surrounded by a talented team and a bunch of good guys. We all get along really well. We’re all chasing the same thing. This season we’re chasing a ring, and we’re all on the same page about that. In life, we’re just chasing bigger dreams. It’s cool to have everybody on the same page, pushing each other and having a good time while doing so.”

When he’s not on the field, Lombana channels his creativity into video editing and his own clothing brand. He told me he started it after he was frustrated by expensive mall T-shirts he didn’t even like, so he started designing and manufacturing his own.

“It’s really for myself. I make exactly what I like for a lot cheaper. I found a good manufacturer, and I make my own designs. My whole marketing strategy is, ‘I don’t want any of you guys to buy it. If you really do like it, here’s the link.’ I’ve been enjoying that. It’s a cool little thing to ease my mind and try something new.” You can check out his clothing here. 

When asked what he would tell young athletes looking up to him, Lombana doesn’t hesitate.

“I’ve been through a lot in my career and in life. I truly believe the secret is God. You can’t do this alone. Even though we all like to think we’re big and strong and could take on everything, which we can, but we can only do that with God. Seek Him, because every dream these kids have, I don’t believe they’re there for no reason. Continue to get close with God to live those out.”

As for the legacy he hopes to leave when he eventually hangs up his cleats?

“As a player, that I didn’t take no for an answer. As a person, somebody that they could look up to. I want to do all the right things. I always say I want to do the right thing the first time around. This life, there’s only one time around, so I really try to do everything in my power to do everything the right way and give a blueprint to the younger generation on how to go about their life.”

Brandon Lombana runs routes with blazing speed, but he lives with something even more powerful. The quiet certainty that every setback has been preparation, every “no” has been redirection, and every moment of peace is proof that he is walking the path meant for him. On the field for the Washington Wolfpack, he is more than a receiver. He is living proof that the underdog who refuses to quit and who trusts his instincts and his speed will always find his moment.