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It finally happened. On April 2, 2026, Fanatics Collectibles, the NFL, and the NFLPA announced a new multi-year exclusive trading card licensing deal, and Topps is back as the official NFL card maker for the first time since 2016. The first product under the new partnership is 2025 Topps Chrome Football, dropping April 15, 2026.
The announcement was a long time coming, since we knew that the license would transition on April 1, 2026. But what we didn’t expect was just the amount of images and info Topps would drop all on one day.
Topps posted four simple words on social media: “WE ARE SO BACK” and the hobby erupted.
Why This Is Such a Big Deal
A Decade Without Licensed Topps Football
To understand why this announcement matters so much, you need a little history.
Topps and the NFL had one of the most iconic partnerships in sports card history. From 1956 through 2015, Topps produced officially licensed NFL trading cards featuring real team logos, uniforms, and branding. Their flagship products, including Topps Football, Topps Chrome Football, and Bowman Chrome, became cornerstones of the hobby and introduced generations of collectors to the concept of chasing Refractors, rookie cards, and autographs.
That era ended in 2016 when Panini acquired the NFL exclusive license, pushing Topps out of the football market entirely. Panini went on to define NFL card collecting for the next decade through products like Prizm, Select, Mosaic, National Treasures, and Flawless.
When Fanatics acquired Topps in 2022, collectors immediately began speculating about whether Topps would eventually reclaim the NFL license, especially as Fanatics was simultaneously building out its own sports licensing empire. That speculation became reality on April 1, 2026, when the Fanatics/NFL/NFLPA deal officially took effect, with the public announcement following on April 2.
What Happened in Between
During the years without the NFL license, Topps still produced football cards, but they looked noticeably different. The 2024 Topps Chrome Football release, for example, was built entirely around unlicensed imagery. No NFL logos. No official team marks. Players were photographed in generic settings or cropped to avoid trademarked uniforms. The product still had its signature Chrome finish and Refractor rainbow, but it lacked the visual identity collectors had come to expect.
That changes with 2025 Topps Chrome Football. Real logos. Real jerseys. Real team marks. The cards in the preview images make that immediately clear, and they look exactly like what fans of the brand have been waiting for.
First Look: The Preview Cards
Topps gave collectors their first look at the 2025 set alongside the announcement, and the cards are stunning. Here is a breakdown of what has been revealed so far.
The Rookies
The 2025 rookie class is exceptional and arrives at exactly the right time for Topps to make a statement. The preview images show several of the most anticipated first-year players in the NFL, all rendered in full licensed gear.
Jaxson Dart: New York Giants quarterback and one of the most buzzed-about rookies of the 2025 class. He appears on a Topps Chrome Rookie Patch Autograph 1/1. The card features an NFL shield patch, on-card signature, and the clean chromium design that Chrome collectors love. For a quarterback on one of the league’s most high-profile franchises, this is exactly the kind of card that defines a rookie year in the hobby.
Cam Skattebo: The New York Giants running back makes his Chrome debut on a white parallel numbered autograph card /30. Skattebo had one of the most compelling stories in the 2025 draft class, and his early cards are already generating collector interest.
Ashton Jeanty: The Las Vegas Raiders rookie shows up in multiple forms across the preview cards. His black chrome rookie auto is numbered /10, featuring a clean Raiders black design with full team branding and an on-card signature. He also appears on a “Chromographs” autograph numbered /50. Jeanty was one of the most productive college running backs in recent memory, nearly breaking Barry Sanders’ single-season FBS rushing record. His NFL cards will be closely watched all season.
Emeka Egbuka: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver appears on a Chrome RC Patch Autograph numbered /5, featuring a multi-color player-worn memorabilia patch, the Buccaneers skull flag logo in chrome foil, and a bold on-card signature. Worth noting: these are player-worn patches, not game-used, a distinction collectors should know going in. That said, the combination of licensed team branding, premium memorabilia, low print run, and on-card signature makes this one of the standout rookie cards in the entire preview set.
Luther Burden III: The Chicago Bears wide receiver appears on a Radiating Rookies insert, a concept that originated in Topps Cosmic Chrome before making its way into the flagship Chrome lineup thanks to strong collector demand. The insert has since appeared in Topps Chrome Baseball, where Radiating Rookies are short prints and consistently sell well on the secondary market. Whether Topps Chrome Football follows that same model remains to be seen, but the early buzz suggests collectors will be chasing them either way. The Bears’ orange and navy color scheme pops against the energy burst background, and Burden arrives as one of the more intriguing young pass-catchers in the NFC.
Cam Ward: The Tennessee Titans quarterback is featured on the Let’s Go insert, a short-print case hit. Ward appears in both his light blue and white Titans jerseys across the dual-image design, an energetic card for one of the most athletic young quarterbacks entering the league.
Shedeur Sanders: The Cleveland Browns quarterback and one of the most talked-about players entering the NFL appears on a base Chrome 1/1 Superfractor. Sanders’ cards will generate attention all season.
The Stars and Legends
The preview set is not just about rookies. The cards shown so far confirm that 2025 Topps Chrome Football goes deep on current stars and all-time legends.
Josh Allen: The Buffalo Bills quarterback and reigning NFL MVP appears across multiple cards in the preview set. His Genies insert card features a swirling smoke design that immediately stands out, and he also appears on arguably the most significant card in the entire preview: a Josh Allen / Jim Kelly Dual Autograph Superfractor 1/1. Pairing the current face of the Bills franchise with Hall of Famer Jim Kelly on a single chrome card numbered 1/1 is exactly the kind of concept that only a licensed product can execute well. It announces Topps’ return to NFL collecting in the boldest way possible.
Patrick Mahomes: The Kansas City Chiefs superstar appears on a “Fortune 15” 1/1 card, one of the most visually striking cards in the preview set. The playing card-inspired design with gold filigree suits Mahomes perfectly, and a 1/1 version of the NFL’s most recognizable name is exactly the kind of hit that defines a product.
Saquon Barkley: The Philadelphia Eagles running back and NFL Offensive Player of the Year is featured on a 1/1 with an electric teal and gold design. Barkley’s 2024 season combined with a Superfractor 1/1 in a long-awaited licensed set makes this one of the biggest preview cards shown.
Drake Maye: The New England Patriots quarterback appears on a Red Refractor autograph /5. Maye is one of the most exciting young quarterbacks in the league.
Caleb Williams: The Chicago Bears quarterback and Iceman himself appears on an Orange Refractor autograph /25. Williams was the number one overall pick in 2024 and with his eccentric performance in the playoffs last season, it will be a card many collectors are chasing. These will be his first licensed set with autographs.
CeeDee Lamb: The Dallas Cowboys wide receiver appears on a Helix insert, a short-print case hit that look like Panini’s Color Blast. Helix cards in other Topps products have proven to sell well on the secondary market, so let’s hope that these follow suit. The swirling rainbow chrome design suits Lamb’s explosive style, and collectors who know Chrome from other sports will already be familiar with Helix as a reliable chase.
Joe Burrow: The Cincinnati Bengals quarterback is featured on the Fanatical insert, a full-bleed stadium photography card. The card captures Burrow mid-celebration with a packed Bengals crowd in the background. If you are building a Burrow player collection, this one goes straight to the top of the want list.
Jahmyr Gibbs: The Detroit Lions running back appears on the Lightning Leaders insert, which Topps officially describes as “featuring the most electrifying stars.” The teal and silver chrome design fits perfectly with the Lions’ aesthetic, and Gibbs has emerged as one of the most dynamic backfield weapons in the NFC.
Tom Brady: A Topps Chrome Football set reconnecting with its brand history would not be complete without legends, and the preview shows Tom Brady in a classic Patriots throwback Chrome design. Brady’s Topps cards from his early career are among the most valuable football cards in existence. Seeing him back in a licensed Topps Chrome set is a powerful signal of what this partnership represents.
Adrian Peterson: The Vikings legend appears on a black-bordered Chrome autograph /10. Peterson’s Chrome cards have always been collector favorites, and his inclusion here speaks to how deep the licensed checklist will go.
What Makes 2025 Topps Chrome Football Special
NFL Honors Gold Shield Autographs
One of the most significant new subsets announced is the NFL Honors Gold Shield Autographs, all numbered 1/1. The first wave will feature the AP Award winners from the 2024 NFL season:
- Josh Allen, Most Valuable Player
- Saquon Barkley, Offensive Player of the Year
- Patrick Surtain II, Defensive Player of the Year
- Jayden Daniels, Offensive Rookie of the Year
- Jared Verse, Defensive Rookie of the Year
Each of these 1/1 cards ties directly to a specific on-field achievement, making them instant landmark cards. A Josh Allen MVP Gold Shield or a Saquon Barkley OPOY Gold Shield is not just a rare pull. It is a permanent record of a historic season, preserved in chrome.
NFL PREM1ERE Patch Autographs
The set will also feature 1/1 NFL PREM1ERE Patch Autographed cards, combining game-worn memorabilia from a rookies first game with on-card signatures. Think of the MLB Debut Patch Autographs, but for the NFL.
Box Configurations and Pricing
Pre-orders open April 3, 2026 at 12 PM EST. Box configurations and pricing are:
- Hobby Box: $349.99 (EQL)
- Jumbo Box: $649.99 (EQL)
- Mega Box: $69.99
- Value Box: $39.99
- Hanger Box: $19.99
The EQL format on Hobby and Jumbo means collectors enter for a chance to purchase rather than buying directly, a format Fanatics/Topps has used to manage high-demand releases and reduce reseller advantage.
The Bigger Picture
This is not just a product announcement. It is a realignment of the entire NFL card hobby.
For collectors who grew up with Topps Football, who chased Tom Brady rookie cards and knew exactly what a Chrome base card looked like before Panini ever touched the NFL license, this moment has been a long time coming. The 2015 Topps Chrome Football set was the last one before the decade-long absence. A lot happened in those years. Prizm became the dominant NFL chrome product. A generation of collectors built their hobby knowledge entirely around Panini’s design language.
Now Topps returns with a fully licensed set, a stacked rookie class, one of the best player checklists possible, and a clear intention to announce themselves back at the top of football card production.
According to reporting from The Athletic and multiple hobby journalists, this is a multi-year exclusive deal, meaning Panini’s run with the NFL is over, not just paused. This is a long-term shift.
For collectors, the smart move is to pay attention now. First licensed Topps Chrome Football sets have historically become landmark releases. The 1996, 2000, and 2015 sets are all referenced constantly in hobby conversations. The 2025 set will be talked about for the same reasons. It is the first one back after the longest gap in the product’s history, featuring one of the deepest and most talented rookie classes in years.
For more on another major Topps Chrome release happening right now, check out our full breakdown of The Best Cards to Look For in 2026 Topps Chrome WWE.
Photograph Your 2025 Topps Chrome Football Pulls the Right Way
Chrome cards are notoriously difficult to photograph. The Refractor finish catches every light source unevenly, which means your Gold Refractor, numbered parallel, or Superfractor pull looks nothing like itself under normal room lighting. Foil shifts, glare washes out serial numbers, and colors never quite come through the way they look in hand.
The Ludex Light Box is built specifically for trading cards. Its diffused lighting eliminates glare on chrome and foil finishes while the black background keeps colors accurate and serial numbers sharp and readable. Whether you are scanning cards into the Ludex app, sharing your pulls on social media, or listing singles for sale, consistent lighting makes every card look the way it is supposed to look.
For a set this significant, presentation matters. The first licensed Topps Chrome Football cards in a decade deserve a clean photo.
The Ludex app is here to help you track and manage your trading card collection. Click HERE to download the Ludex mobile app for FREE!
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