Fanatics takes over exclusive NFL card license

Fanatics, under the Topps brand, will produce fully licensed NFL cards for the first time since 2016 and is instituting its debut and award-winner patch program, the company announced Thursday.

Topps will include one-of-one-numbered Rookie PREM1ERE Patch Autograph cards and NFL Honors Gold Shield Autograph cards, featuring gold NFL shields taken from the jerseys of 2024 Associated Press award winners (MVP, Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year, and Rookie of the Year) worn during the 2025 season. It is a continuation of a program already used for MLB and NBA cards.

Fanatics is kicking off its 20-year deal with the release of 2025 Topps Chrome Football on April 15, after signing an agreement with the NFL Players Association that began in 2023.

"It's a spectacular moment for our company, for the industry and for collectors," Michael Mahan, Fanatics' CEO of collectibles, told ESPN. "The things we're doing with the PREM1ERE and NFL Honors Gold Shield patches deepen and strengthen connections and storytelling. ... We're enhancing fan experience."

Fanatics has been scooping up league licensing rights. In 2022, the company acquired Topps for $500 million after winning future MLB exclusive rights in 2021, and Fanatics became the exclusive NBA trading card licensee in October.

Fanatics' debut patch program takes patches from players' jerseys worn in their first regular-season game and inserts them into one-of-one-numbered, on-card autographed cards.

The gold shield autograph cards will feature shields taken from the 2025 jerseys of 2024 major NFL award winners: Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, Denver Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II, Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels and Los Angeles Rams linebacker Jared Verse.

The set also includes Fanatics Collectible exclusive athletes such as Daniels, Drake Maye, C.J. Stroud, Bo Nix, Jerry Rice and Tom Brady. Fanatics is also planning pack giveaways and live-breaking at the 2026 NFL draft, which takes place April 23-25 in Pittsburgh.

"We sat down with Fanatics and asked: What have we not been doing or giving our fans that they previously wanted?" said Casey Collins, NFL senior vice president of consumer products and licensing. "We felt relics was a place we needed to innovate, so we're bringing more game-worn merchandise -- jerseys, pants, footballs, coins, pylons, headbands, towels -- into trading cards. We know fans want more authentic, game-used merchandise embedded into collectibles, so we've got exciting plans in the next few months to let them know we listened."

Fanatics' deal with the NFLPA sparked an antitrust lawsuit from Panini, which previously had licenses to produce NBA and NFL trading cards. Panini alleges that Fanatics has "created an entirely new monopoly spanning multiple leagues and multiple players associations." Fanatics countersued, claiming "unfair competition, tortious interference with business relations, and breach of duty to negotiate in good faith."

The NFL and Fanatics declined to comment on the antitrust litigation between Panini and Fanatics.