Topps announced this morning that it is moving away from the “PREM1ERE” Patch it used in the 2025 NFL season and will instead adopt the Debut Patch that has beenone of the biggest chases across multiple sports.
The decision comes right before the start of the 2026 season and falls in line with the rest of Topps’ properties to make a uniform chase for the biggest card for every rookie.
BREAKING: Debut Patches are coming to the NFL.
Beginning this season, all NFL rookies will wear a Debut Patch on their jersey.
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. These cards… pic.twitter.com/CtDmB4XiP7
— Topps (@Topps) August 26, 2026
The “PREM1ERE” Patch
The PREM1ERE Patch Autos never really caught on like Debut Patch Autos across various other sports. We’ve seen the Paul Skenes Debut Patch Auto eclipse $1 million, and Cooper Flagg bounties have nearly hit $4 million. However, the top sale for a 2025 Topps Chrome Football PREM1ERE Patch Auto is Patriots RB Tre’Veyon Henderson’s for $12,000.
Kyle Monangai, a late-round rookie running back for Chicago, was second with $9,000. These are far below what MLB and even the recent NBA sales have been. Most of the NFL PREM1ERE Patch Autos were closer to the $1,000-$3,000 range, which is more in line with MLS Debut Patch autos.
Switching the NFL to Debut Patches adds a level of gravitas that the “PREM1ERE” Patch could just never replicate.
This is a home run for the NFL and Topps.
Debut Patch Success in the NBA
2025-26 Topps Chrome Update Basketballdropped a few weeks ago, and the hunt for Cooper Flagg’s Debut Patch Auto was one of the more intense chases for the last few years. We’ve also seen a few of the lesser-known rookies hit auctions or sell as Buy It Now on eBay in the weeks since.
The top sale so far is Nolan Traore of the Brooklyn Nets, who sold for $26,100 and was the first sale of the new product. Four of the five top sales from the NBA eclipse the top sale from the NFL.
While the NBA market is certainly stronger than the NFL market, having someone like Will Richard, who was the 56th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, nearly double Tre’Veyon Henderson, an early-second-round pick in the NFL Draft, does seem crazy.
It speaks to the marketing around the Debut Patches and how well Topps has done it, making it such a sought-after card that even guys like Kam Jones are selling for $12,000.
When Will 2026 Debut Patches be in Products?
We can assume these will be available in 2026 Topps Chrome Football unless Topps adds an “Update” SKU to Football, as they did for Topps Chrome Basketball. The “PREM1ERE” Patches and the Gold Logomen were in 2025 Topps Chrome last year, and we should expect the same for 2026 until told otherwise.
The move to the Debut Patch is great for Topps, but also for the card market in general. The chase for Fernando Mendoza’s Debut Patch Auto is going to be massive – not quite on the scale of Cooper Flagg or Kon Knueppel – but the numbers on Mendoza are very strong early on from Flagship sales.
Even if Mendoza sits for most of 2026, he will remain the biggest chase – by far – in the 2026 rookie class, and that will certainly extend to his Debut Patch Auto coming later this year.
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BRENDAN DARR
Brendan has worked for various platforms, including The Washington Post, SB Nation, NBC Sports Washington, and more, covering everything from college basketball to fantasy football and betting. An avid collector as a kid, he got back into collecting in 2021 and is a dedicated soccer, football, and basketball collector.
