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Patrick Mahomes Moves Past Tom Brady on NFLPA Top 50 List image

Patrick Mahomes Moves Past Tom Brady on NFLPA Top 50 List

A new player sits atop the year-end NFLPA Top 50 Player Sales List for the first time in three seasons. Patrick Mahomes moved past Tom Brady into the No. 1 position on the official list of top-selling players from March 1, 2019 through February 29, 2020.​ Brady finished the previous two seasons as the top player on the list, and currently sits at No. 2.

The NFLPA’s Top 50 Player Sales List, which reports sales of all officially licensed NFL player-identified merchandise, is compiled using the most up-to-date, comprehensive figures currently available. These are the only verified rankings of all officially licensed NFL player-identified product sold from online and traditional retail outlets as reported by more than 80 NFLPA licensees.

Licensed product categories include men’s, women’s and youth game jerseys, T-shirts and hoodies, backpacks, wall decals, pennants, collectible figurines, matted and framed photos, bobbleheads, plush, drinkware, pet products, and many more. For the sixth consecutive year, NFLPA licensees generated record retail sales, exceeding $1.9 billion during the year.

Mahomes’ popularity surged during the 2019 season as a result of dynamic performances on the field and personal traits that make him special off the field. Lamar Jackson has also rapidly ascended, going from No. 41 heading into the season to No. 3 on the current list.

Top 10 players among all officially licensed product sold:

  1. Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City
  2. Tom Brady, QB, New England*
  3. Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore
  4. Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Dallas
  5. Baker Mayfield, QB, Cleveland
  6. Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay
  7. Odell Beckham Jr., WR, Cleveland
  8. Khalil Mack, LB, Chicago
  9. Jimmy Garoppolo, QB, San Francisco
  10. George Kittle, TE, San Francisco
    (* – teams reflected are the teams for product sales period)

Below are year-end player sales highlights: 

  • Six players saw momentous leaps in sales from preseason to year-end rankings, highlighted by Lamar Jackson’s whopping 38-spot vault (No. 41 to No. 3) and George Kittle’s 32-spot jump (No. 42 to No. 10). Leighton Vander Esch soared 25 spots (No. 49 to No. 24), while both Jimmy Garoppolo (No. 24 to No. 9) and Russell Wilson went up 15 spots (No. 30 to No. 15), and JuJu Smith-Schuster catapulted 11 spots (No. 25 to No. 14) to round out the biggest gains start to finish.
  • The 2019 rookie class registered strong retail sales with five player representatives, including Nick Bosa (No. 16), Daniel Jones (No. 28), Josh Jacobs (No. 33), Kyler Murray (No. 37) and Gardner Minshew (No. 43).
  • Tom Brady’s sustained dominance includes two times as year-end leader and a record 18 straight appearances in the top three since the NFLPA introduced the Top 50 list in 2014.
  • Khalil Mack (No. 8) finished as the highest-ranked defender since Richard Sherman’s seventh-place year-end ranking in 2015. A total of nine defensive players landed on this year’s list, including Mack, Nick Bosa (No. 16), Leighton Vander Esch (No. 24), J.J. Watt (No. 32), Von Miller (No. 34), T.J. Watt (No. 35), Jamal Adams (No. 41), Minkah Fitzpatrick (No. 46), and Aaron Donald (No. 50).
  • Eight players rose from the 2019 NFLPA Rising Starsto the year-end list – Davante Adams, Nick Bosa, Lamar Jackson, Josh Jacobs, Daniel Jones, George Kittle, Phillip Lindsay and Kyler Murray. The rankings consider on-field performance, early demand from partners, fantasy league status and new faces in strong markets as factors for sales popularity analysis.
  • The five most popular Nike jerseys were Tom BradyKhalil Mack, Patrick Mahomes, Todd Gurley and Julian Edelman.
  • The five best-selling collegiate co-branded jerseys combined from adidas, Nike, Under Armour, and Fanatics included Tom Brady (Michigan), Ezekiel Elliott (Ohio State), Saquon Barkley (Penn State), Patrick Mahomes (Texas Tech) and Deshaun Watson (Clemson).
  • The hottest-selling Fathead wall decals and cutouts featured Patrick Mahomes, Tom BradyLamar Jackson, Saquon Barkley and Ezekiel Elliott.
  • Tom BradyPatrick Mahomes, Saquon Barkley, Aaron Rodgers and Baker Mayfield led sales of Funko Pop vinyl collectibles at year end.
  • Patrick Mahomes sold three times more Wincraft pins, koozies, posters and stickers than the next player, Baker Mayfield. Lamar Jackson, Larry Fitzgerald and Tom Brady rounded out the top five.
  • FY20 was a “sock-cess” as Patrick Mahomes, Tom Brady, Ezekiel Elliott, Baker Mayfield and Drew Brees sold the most socks from FBF, Freaker and Strideline.
  • Tom Brady sold the most calendars from Lang, cornhole boards from Victory Tailgate and cake toppers by DecoPac.
  • League’s greatest Party Animals? Patrick Mahomes, Ezekiel Elliott, Baker Mayfield, Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady sold the most player figurines and squishy toys from the new licensee.
  • Five quarterbacks were favorites among pet owners, as Pets First listed Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Patrick Mahomes, Carson Wentz and Jimmy Garoppolo as its top performers in pet accessories and apparel.
  • The top five best-selling players in youth apparel from Outerstuff included Patrick Mahomes, Tom Brady, Lamar Jackson, Odell Beckham Jr. and Baker Mayfield.
  • The top five player bobbleheads sold from FOCO featured Patrick Mahomes, Gardner Minshew, Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady and Lamar Jackson.
  • Patrick Mahomes led in sales of ornaments from Kansas City-based Hallmark, with JuJu Smith-Schuster, Zach Ertz, Todd Gurley and Alvin Kamara rounding out the holiday stars.
  • Hawaiian style shirts from new apparel licensee Shinesty were led by Patrick Mahomes, Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers and Khalil Mack.

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