NFL rookies to wear 'Debut Patch' this season as Topps returns as trading card licensee
Every first-year player will sport a jersey patch that becomes a 1-of-1 autographed card after his on-field debut, the league's latest tie-in with Topps.
Topps is back as the NFL's official trading card partner, and the league is marking the return with a jersey twist aimed squarely at collectors.
Beginning this season, every rookie will wear a 'Debut Patch' on his jersey until he makes his first regular-season appearance. Once the player debuts on the field, the patch comes off and is encapsulated into a 1-of-1 autographed trading card.
Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter): Beginning this season, all NFL rookies will wear a Debut Patch on their jersey as part of Topps returning as the league’s official trading card licensee. After players make their on-field debut, the patch will be removed from their jersey and placed into a 1-of-1 autographed trading card.
The arrangement restores Topps — a brand long synonymous with football cards — to the league's licensed fold and gives first-year players a tangible keepsake tied to their pro debut. For fans, it is a new chase item; for the rookies, a marker of the moment they officially arrive.