NEW YORK — Organized sports draws millions of fans annually, but arguably, the most exciting games are National Football League matchups. Pure power, athletic finesse and a battle of wits and brawn are on full display in football; fans could hardly ask for more. And what better way to show love for a favorite team than donning its official team apparel? The sports memorabilia market was estimated at $26 billion in 2022 and shows no signs of slowing down. Game-worn NFL football jerseys are a prime collectible.
Football jerseys are not created alike. Replica jerseys are great for everyday wear, but collectors almost exclusively target authentic jerseys, which they treat like holy relics rather than clothing. Those that were used during actual NFL games and signed by the players who wore them are, naturally, the most coveted. And if a player wore a particular jersey in a critical game, such as the Super Bowl, collectors who favor that team or player will pay a premium.
Football fans often have sentimental or idiosyncratic reasons for rooting for a certain team or player. Logical favorites include the home team for their region, or a team that appeared in the first NFL game they attended. Chief among fan favorites in the New York area has to be “Broadway Joe” Namath, who played football for 13 seasons (11 of which were with the New York Jets), and is best remembered for his play in the third Super Bowl when the Jets beat the Baltimore Colts. Dating to a decade later is a Namath-signed 1975-76 game-used Jets jersey that sold for $19,000 plus the buyer’s premium in January 2022 at Mynt Auctions.
Collectors also care about the era a jersey came from, where it fits within professional player’s career, and if it was worn during a memorable game. That includes jerseys from their pre-NFL college days. Checking those boxes is an Aaron Rodgers-signed game-used jersey from when he played for the Golden Bears at the University of California, Berkeley. Rodgers, who is currently a quarterback with the Green Bay Packers, wore the jersey shown above in a key game pitting UC Berkeley against the rival Stanford Cardinals in November 2004. The garment features sewn-on letters and numbers and was signed by Rodgers in black felt-tip ink on the number 8. Bidders pushed the jersey to $17,126 including the buyer’s premium at RR Auction in November 2019.
This photomatched Oakland Raiders Jerry Rice-signed game-used jersey from 2001 realized $15,000 plus the buyer’s premium in January 2023. Image courtesy of Mynt Auctions and LiveAuctioneers.
Jerseys worn by quarterbacks such as Namath, Tom Brady and Joe Montana are inherently collectible, but they are not the only game-worn garments coveted by collectors. An Oakland Raiders Jerry Rice-signed game-used jersey from 2001 earned $15,000 plus the buyer’s premium in January 2023 at Mynt Auctions. Rice played in the NFL for 20 seasons and is best known for his tenure with the San Francisco 49ers, during which they won three championships.
A mid-1960’s Jerry Kramer game-worn Green Bay Packers jersey sold for $11,000 plus the buyer’s premium in February 2016. Image courtesy of Heritage Auctions and LiveAuctioneers.
Vintage as well as contemporary jerseys are sought after. Proving the value of vintage examples is a mid-1960’s Jerry Kramer game-worn Green Bay Packers jersey that sold for $11,000 plus the buyer’s premium at Heritage Auctions in February 2016. Kramer is best known for his 11-year career as an offensive lineman with the Packers.
Given the matchup on Sunday, February 12 in the 57th Super Bowl between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles — kickoff is at 6:30 pm Eastern time — it seems only right to feature a jersey from each team. Jersey prices for the game’s MVPs and star players will no doubt soar immediately after the game, but in the last few years, prices for Super Bowl players’ jerseys have been refreshingly reasonable. A Patrick Mahomes-signed and framed Kansas City Chiefs jersey earned $1,120 in November 2020 at Canuck Auctions, and a Brian Dawkins-autographed Philadelphia Eagles jersey realized $360 plus the buyer’s premium in January 2023 at Mynt Auctions.
Collecting game-worn NFL football jerseys is similar to collecting in most other popular categories. Whether it’s theater programs, trading cards or watches, there are usually fond memories attached to each item. The last of those three, watches, shares something else in common with football jerseys in that both can be worn. Fans can don their favorite player’s jersey Sunday evening to watch the Super Bowl and not only connect with the game but bring back memories of past games attended with friends and family.