Josh Allen tops NFLPA merchandise sales list, winning even when Bills’ season ended early

Josh Allen’s 2025 season ended in the Buffalo Bills’ divisional-round loss, a result that stung a fan base still focused on the sport’s biggest prize. But in a different scoreboard, Allen is clearly No. 1. According to the NFL Players Association’s year-end player sales report, Allen finished atop the league in overall merchandise purchases for the March 2025 through February 2026 retail window, powered by strong sales across everything from jerseys to collectibles and other licensed products.

The NFLPA tracks that demand through consumer purchases measured across online and in-store retail, and the league-wide results underscore the scale of the market. The NFLPA reported that NFL player merchandise generated more than $1.9 billion in retail sales during the period. In that context, Allen’s top finish is not just a popularity nod, it is a measurable market peak for an individual player within a massive merchandising ecosystem.

Allen was also not a one-time standout in the rankings. The report says it was the fifth time in his career that Allen landed in the top 10 of the NFLPA’s year-end player sales list. That consistency matters because it suggests his appeal is sustained across seasons, even as on-field narratives shift from one year to the next.

The NFLPA’s top-50 list also showed how concentrated merchandising can be around the quarterback position. The report states that seven quarterbacks made the top 10, including Allen, Drake Maye and Patrick Mahomes. It also notes that Patrick Mahomes has continued a streak of eight consecutive seasons in the NFLPA’s top 10, indicating a rare combination of elite performance, cultural presence, and sustained retail momentum.

Beyond the established stars, the list pointed to emerging rookies who captured early consumer attention. Shedeur Sanders was listed at No. 31 among the top 50, joining four other rookies in the ranking: Travis Hunter, Cam Ward, Ashton Jeanty and Jaxson Dart. The NFLPA’s report further states that Sanders produced a record-topping $17.7 million in licensing income, with the bulk attributed to trading cards rather than traditional apparel categories.

For Buffalo, the merchandise ranking will not change the team’s postseason record or standings stakes. But it does speak to the organization’s most marketable commodity, the quarterback at the center of the offense and the primary figure fans rally around. In an NFL where team-building decisions and quarterback timelines are often evaluated over multiple years, the fact that Allen remains the league’s merchandising driver can influence how quickly a franchise keeps its fan engagement steady during rebuilding cycles or roster turnover.

Looking ahead, the NFLPA’s next report will be a useful barometer for whether consumer attention stays aligned with performance. If Allen’s on-field results in 2026 match the strength of his retail draw, he will likely remain positioned near the top. If not, the list could still reflect his established brand, though the gap between brand power and sustained statistical achievement is often where fans and franchises begin to diverge. Either way, this year-end snapshot provides a clear answer to a simple question: when it comes to player merchandise in the NFL, Josh Allen is currently the measuring stick.

keyFacts