Topps Is Back in the NFL: What Fully Licensed Football Cards Mean for Bears Collectors – Bleacher Nation
Topps Is Back in the NFL: What Fully Licensed Football Cards Mean for Bears Collectors
Aug 31, 2026
Aug 31, 2026
Collectibles
Mark Hoffman-USA TODAY NetworkMark Hoffman-USA TODAY Network
I’ll admit, I’m a bit of a casual when it comes to card collecting. Having said that, even I know how big of a deal it is that Topps is back in the game in the NFL. When I was a kid, there was nothing like getting a few bucks from my parents or grandparents and spending it on Topps baseball cards, hoping to rip open a pack and get a Ken Griffey, Jr. or Randy Johnson. Now, for the first time in over ten years, card collectors can rip open Topps NFL packs as well, as Panini’s exclusive license expired earlier this offseason.
So, what exactly changes with Topps re-entering the game? What Bears players should we be chasing? Let’s talk about it now that the NFL season is just about to kick off!
Topps Is Back In The NFL: What Does That Mean?
With Topps’ return to the NFL, they’ve become the league’s exclusive carrier. That means every new licensed NFL card will come from Topps until the deal runs out. However, that doesn’t devalue your Panini cards; it just means they’re now part of the past era. The biggest difference between a licensed card and non-licensed that you will notice is team logos will be taken off of the non-licensed product.
So what is new with Topps? First, they brought back 1957 Rookie Variations. Topps took this year’s rookie class and reprinted them in their iconic 1957 look. It’s a 50-card set, with 100 prints of each card. That means ending up with a Dillon Thieneman rookie card in the 1957 Rookie Variation could be one heck of a pull!
In addition to the 1957 Rookie Variations, Topps’ Golden Mirror Image Variation has certainly created some buzz. Every base card has a Golden Mirror Image Variation. Essentially, it’s the same player with a different image than the base card, and it has a gold Topps logo and a gold finish on the back. These cards are pretty rare, so if you can somehow track down a Caleb Williams or Colston Loveland Golden Mirror Image Variation, it would be an outstanding find!
Topps’ NFL cards are already a hot commodity. On their website, the Hobby Boxes, Jumbo Boxes, Mega Cases, and Jumbo Cases are already sold out. Hobby Boxes, Jumbo Boxes, and Jumbo Cases each guarantee one autograph and one relic card. Mega Boxes and Value Boxes are still available, however. So if you’re looking for an autograph or relic cards and don’t want to roll the dice on a Mega Box or Value Box, you might have to hit the secondary market.
For Bears fans, if you’re looking to track down some of the most valuable cards out there, the names currently to target are Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze. Unsurprisingly, after Caleb Williams‘ outstanding season last year, his value has skyrocketed among collectors, and he’s one of the most valuable pulls in the space right now. After Caleb, Odunze’s value is ascending in the market, and, as mentioned above, Dillon Thieneman’s rookie card is a hot one, too.
Topps’ return to the NFL is a huge moment for Bears collectors, and collectors in general. No matter what you ended up ripping growing up, this is a great time to either jump back in or go hunting for some value, as Topps is clearly doing their best to make a splash upon re-entry. Whether you’re looking for an elusive Caleb Williams variation or just wanting to rip open some packs, now is a great time to jump in!
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Matt is from the Chicagoland area and has been working in Chicago sports since 2015 with stops at WGN Radio, the Chicago Blackhawks, Stadium, and NBC Sports Chicago prior to landing at Betsperts. Matt covers just about everything for Betsperts and Bleacher Nation but focuses on the the Bears and college football.
