Dez Bryant Remains No. 1 on NFLPA Top 50 Player Sales List

Dez Bryant continues to hold the top spot on the NFLPA Top 50 Player sales list, based on total sales of all officially-licensed merchandise, from March 1 through August 31 of 2016. The Q2 Top 50 list measures sales leading up to the start of the 2016 football season. The Dallas Cowboys wide receiver made news this summer, when he became the first non-quarterback to attain the top spot on the list.

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who was the top-ranked player at the end of 2015, returned to the top five, in the No. 2 spot. Joining him in the top five were two more quarterbacks – Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers at No. 3, and Russell Wilson of the Seattle Seahawks at No. 4. Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. of the New York Giants rounded out the top five.

Cowboys players were well-represented in the NFLPA Top10 for the second quarter in a row. In addition to Bryant, quarterback Tony Romo was No. 6, while tight end Jason Witten was No. 10, with rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott just outside the top 10, in the 11^th spot. Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski (No. 7), Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (No. 8) and Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt (No. 9) round out the top 10.

While the Cowboys placed three players in the top 10 – and four overall – the Seattle Seahawks placed five players in the Top 50 list for the second straight quarter. Green Bay had four players ranked as well, while the Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers each had three players represented. Nine other teams were represented by two players on the list.

As was the case with the previous quarter’s list, 17 quarterbacks found themselves ranked in the NFLPA Top 50 Player sales list. Wide receivers again were the next position most-represented, with 15 players. Nine defensive players were ranked.

The Top 50 Player list is released quarterly by the NFLPA, via its licensing and marketing arm NFL Players Inc., and is based on overall sales of all NFL player licensed products via online and traditional retail outlets as reported by more than 80 NFLPA licensees, including Fanatics, Nike, VF Imagewear, Outerstuff, Fathead, McFarlane Toys, OYO Sports, Bleacher Creatures, FBF Originals, Forever Collectibles, 500 Level and more. Licensed product categories include men’s, women’s and youth game jerseys and t-shirts, wall decals, figurines, vinyl collectibles, matted and framed photos, bobbleheads, plush keyrings, drinkware, socks, holiday ornaments, and memorabilia, among others.

Highlights from the NFLPA Top 50 Player Sales list:

• Dez Bryant sold 81,000+ items with Dallas Cowboys Merchandising leading the way among all Cowboys players.
• OYO Sportstoys’ No. 1 construction toy figure was Tom Brady. Rookie Carson Wentz made his way into the top five. Brady also led sales of Funko’s Pop Vinyl figures.
• Packers Aaron Rodgers and Clay Matthews, Russell Wilson, J.J. Watt and Brady led sales of VF Imagewear’s Majestic brand apparel sales.
• Across the apparel category, including licensees Nike, VF, FBF Originals, Fanatics, FanPrint, 500 Level, and Dallas Cowboys Merchandising, Rodgers, Wilson, Watt, Brady, and Rob Gronkowski topped sales.
• Brady, Rodgers and Odell Beckham led sales of FBF Originals socks, with each selling more than 5,000 units. Elliott (Ohio State) jumped to No. 1 in collegiate co-branded sales, dethroning Brady (Michigan). Three Ohio State players who participated in the 2016 NFLPA Rookie Premiere topped the charts in collegiate co-branded sales. Elliott was joined by former teammates Braxton Miller (No. 2) and Cardale Jones (No. 3).
• Brady, Rodgers, and Watt were the top sellers of Nike jerseys.
• Brady, Gronkowski, Rodgers, Wilson, and Newton were the top five best-selling players in Toys. Rodgers had the most sales off bobbleheads, with Von Miller following closely behind.
• Wilson was No. 1 in puzzles from Masterpieces.
• Watt led drinkware product sales by licensees Boelter Brands, Tervis and Williams Industries.
• Watt led the way in tailgate tables and cornhole toss boards, based on strong sales by Victory Tailgate and Wild Sports. Von Miller reigns supreme for player-identified caps from New Era and Lids.

NFLPA Top 50 Player Sales List Report YTD (June 1 – August 31, 2016)

1. Dez Bryant, WR, Dallas Cowboys
2. Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots
3. Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers
4. Russell Wilson, QB, Seattle Seahawks
5. Odell Beckham, WR, New York Giants
6. Tony Romo, QB, Dallas Cowboys
7. Rob Gronkowski, TE, New England Patriots
8. Cam Newton, QB, Carolina Panthers
9. J.J. Watt, DE, Houston Texans
10. Jason Witten, TE, Dallas Cowboys
11. Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Dallas Cowboys
12. Antonio Brown, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
13. Von Miller, LB, Denver Broncos
14. Derek Carr, QB, Oakland Raiders
15. Todd Gurley, RB, Los Angeles Rams
16. Luke Kuechly, LB, Carolina Panthers
17. Amari Cooper, WR, Oakland Raiders
18. Khalil Mack, LB, Oakland Raiders
19. Richard Sherman, DB, Seattle Seahawks
20. Clay Matthews, LB, Green Bay Packers
21. Carson Wentz, QB, Philadelphia Eagles
22. Jordy Nelson, WR, Green Bay Packers
23. Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Minnesota Vikings
24. Marcus Mariota, QB, Tennessee Titans
25. Le’Veon Bell, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers
26. Andrew Luck, QB, Indianapolis Colts
27. Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers
28. Navorro Bowman, LB, San Francisco 49ers
29. Julian Edelman, WR, New England Patriots
30. Jared Goff, QB, Los Angeles Rams
31. DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Houston Texans
32. Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Arizona Cardinals
33. Jameis Winston, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
34. Eli Manning, QB, New York Giants
35. Demaryius Thomas, WR, Denver Broncos
36. Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans Saints
37. Julio Jones, WR, Atlanta Falcons
38. Alshon Jeffery, WR, Chicago Bears
39. Jimmy Graham, TE, Seattle Seahawks
40. A.J. Green, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
41. Carlos Hyde, RB, San Francisco 49ers
42. Eddie Lacy, RB, Green Bay Packers
43. Jarvis Landry, WR, Miami Dolphins
44. Brandon Marshall, WR, New York Jets
45. Kirk Cousins, QB, Washington Redskins
46. Adrian Peterson, RB, Minnesota Vikings
47. Joe Haden, DB, Cleveland Browns
48. Tyler Lockett, WR, Seattle Seahawks
49. Kam Chancellor, SS, Seattle Seahawks
50. Ryan Tannehill, QB, Miami Dolphins