Tom Brady has been on top of the NFL player sales for three whole years.
However, this year the Patriots former quarterback has been dethroned by one of the youngsters, the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, to top the NFL’s merchandise sales chart.
Even though Brady fell to No. 2, he has finished in the top three for 18 straight years which is pretty impressive. And, given his departure from New England to join Tampa during the offseason, it is pretty obvious he will stay in the top 3 next year, perhaps even stealing back the first spot from Patrick Mahomes.
The top 3 is pretty logical with the Superbowl winner and MVP on top, Tom Brady still hanging in second position, and the 2020 league MVP, Lamar Jackson, in third position.
It is not surprising to see quarterbacks dominate the top merchandise sellers. The position is still considered the most important one in American football and receives the most attention because quarterbacks touch the ball on every snap.
Some of the top-selling products among the top three are jerseys, trading cards, wall decals, t-shirts and bobbleheads.
The reason why Mahomes is leading the sales list this year is because he has become a household name. Not only because he led his team to win their second Super Bowl in 50 years and his amazing alien throwing skills on the field, but also through endorsements. His more notorious ads are widely known, such as the State Farm promotionals alongside Green Bay Packers quarterback, Aaron Rodgers. But he also has endorsements from big brands like Oakley and Hy-Vee, among others.
The Midwest-based company of grocery stores, Hy-Vee, initially expected to sell 50,000 boxes of his Mahomes Magic Crunch cereal. In the months since the launch back in August 2019, Hy-Vee has sold 300,000 boxes of Mahomes Magic Crunch, a company spokeswoman told Forbes.
Mahomes has taken over as the face of the NFL, especially in 2020 literally leading by example and playing a big role in ending Kansas City’s 50-year Super Bowl drought. At just 24 years old, it looks like he will be in the top 5 in merchandise sales for many years to come.
Mahomes finished last season with 26 touchdowns, 4,031 passing yards, and added 10 additional touchdowns in the postseason. Although, the Super Bowl was not his best game of the season, his leadership made the difference and he became one of the most beloved players in the NFL.
This top selling merchandise spot is just the cherry on top for Mahomes this season, who, by the way, should be signing a pretty big contract anytime soon. The timing couldn’t have been any better.
Mahomes will certainly bring back multiple times his cost in in merch sales and ticket sales, so the Chiefs know he needs to stay in Kansas City for a long time. Since he brings attention to the franchise, he also raises the profile of the organization overall.
In 2019/2020, the NFLPA licenses generated record sales for a sixth straight year, exceeding $1.9 billion.
