Professional career
After going undrafted in the 2012 NFL draft, Mudge signed with the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League on May 29, 2012.[5] He was released by the Lions on June 22, 2012.[6]
Mudge was assigned to the San Jose SaberCats of the Arena Football League (AFL) on February 20, 2013.[7] He was placed on inactive reserve on April 3 and activated on April 17, 2013.[7] He recorded one assisted tackle and one rushing attempt for five yards during the 2013 season.[1] Mudge was placed on injured reserve on April 1, 2014.[7] Mudge re-signed with the SaberCats on March 7, 2015.[7]
On March 19, 2015, Mudge and claim order position were traded to the Portland Thunder for Donte Paige-Moss.[8][7] Mudge was placed on recallable reassignment on May 25 but activated the next day.[9] He was placed on inactive reserve on June 27 and later injured reserve July 8, 2015.[9] Overall, Mudge played in nine games for the Thunder during the 2015 season.[10]
On March 10, 2016, the newly renamed Portland Steel traded Mudge to the Arizona Rattlers for Colt Lyerla.[10] Mudge was placed on refused to report on March 11 but activated on March 14, 2016.[11] He earned first-team All-Arena honors at center in 2016 while also being named the AFL Offensive Lineman of the Year.[12]
Mudge was signed by the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League on April 8, 2017.[4] The 2017 Bills media guide stated that Mudge's hidden talent was making balloon animals.[13] Mudge was released during final roster cuts on September 1 but was signed to the team's practice squad the next day.[14] He was released from the practice squad on October 16, 2017.[14]
Mudge was assigned to the Washington Valor of the AFL on March 28, 2018.[15] He was placed on refused to report on March 29 and later activated on April 24.[15] He was placed on league suspension on June 9, activated on June 14, placed on recallable reassignment on June 27, and activated on June 28, 2018.[15] The Valor finished the season 2–10 but all AFL teams made the playoffs that year.[16] On July 28, 2018, the Valor beat the Baltimore Brigade in ArenaBowl XXXI by a score of 69–55.[17]
Mudge was assigned to the AFL's Albany Empire on March 26, 2019.[18] He posted one solo tackle during the 2019 season.[1] The Empire went 10–2 in 2019 and won ArenaBowl XXXII against the Philadelphia Soul by a score of 45–27.[19][20] The AFL folded after the season.