by Nikki Adams
What are the top selling NFL jerseys at the start of the 2021-22 NFL season? In this column, we look at some of the top selling jerseys since last season.
The Top 10 NFL selling jerseys is an ever-changing list that’s impacted by real-time events in the league and as the performance of players inspires and captures the imagination of fans of all ages.
No two Top 10 lists are identical, they change from retailer to retailer, month to month, and year to year. For instance, with the Kansas City Chiefs and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers reaching Super Bowl 55, Patrick Mahomes’ and Tom Brady’s jersey’s emerged as the top sellers by the end of the 2020 season. Mahomes’ jersey reached No.1 while Brady’s jersey reached No.2 on the sales charts, according to Fanatics.com.
The third-best selling jersey with last season was Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and the fourth-best selling jersey went to Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson rounded out the Top 5 with Fanatics.com.
Going into the 2021-22 NFL season, the Top 10 list revealed some interesting changes however. Especially at the top of the list, with some of the league’s newest additions drafted in 2021 making an appearance and fourth-year quarterback Josh Allen making his first-ever appearance at the top of the list.
According to Fanatics, the top selling jersey belonged to Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills in August. Allen had a breakout season and lifted the Bills to the AFC Championship game for the first time in over two decades, and most recently, Allen and wide receiver Stefon Diggs graced the cover of Sports Illustrated Kids: The BFF Issue.
Former top seller, Patrick Mahomes, fell four spots down the ladder and slipped into to fifth place overall in jersey sales last month. Mahomes led the Kansas City Chiefs to a victory over the Allen and the Bills in the AFC Championship game last season, making a second-straight Super Bowl appearance as a result. However, Mahomes and the Chiefs succumbed to quite the humiliating 31-9 defeat to Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in SBLV. Perhaps, the lopsided loss impacted Mahomes’ jersey sales amongst fans.
The first new addition to the Top 10 list comes in the form of New England Patriots’ rookie quarterback Mac Jones, who emerged second on the jersey chart list. This is a most surprising turn of events, considering he was yet to make his NFL debut and had only featured in a few preseason games in August. Then again, the New England Patriots have been one of the most popular teams in America since the start of the 21st Century.
The hope amongst fans is that last season was an anomaly, and the Patriots will enjoy a renaissance behind the No.15 pick of the 2021 NFL draft, Mac Jones. The Alabama Crimson Tide were one of the most popular college football picks last season and Jones played a huge part in their success and ultimate National Championship victory over the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Whether Jones can replicate his college football success in his first year in the NFL, remains to be seen. However, he does bear an uncanny resemblance to a young, fresh-faced Tom Brady, who led the Patriots to Super Bowl glory in his rookie season. Perhaps, that has something to do with the overall allure of Mac Jones.
Jones’ sales in fact beat out Brady, the former Patriots stalwart who delivered six Super Bowls to the Patriots. In the month of August, Brady came in third on the sales chart, only a few weeks before the Tampa Bay Buccaneers kicked off their championship-defense campaign against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1 of the NFL season in primetime Thursday night Football..
Another newbie to the NFL is Justin Fields, who makes the Top 10 list and comes in just behind Tom Brady in jersey sales. Fields was selected 11th overall in the 2021 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears. The hype and buzz surrounding the Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback is quite something. He hasn’t been named the starter for the Bears this season – just yet – but his jersey sales are through the roof, underscoring the anticipation of Chicago fans and NFL fans alike for this young quarterback’s career to get started.
Beyond the Top 5, the next best selling NFL jerseys is CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys wide receiver, at No.6. The Cowboys’ speedy receiver beats his own quarterback, Dak Prescott, in jersey sales. That’s something to take stock of. Prescott comes in eighth overall, behind Lamb and San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle.
Justin Herbert, the Offensive Rookie of the Year winner in 2020, has the ninth best-selling jersey amongst NFL fans. While Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers comes in at tenth overall to complete the Top 10 list.
