When David asked me to put together a list of the best junk wax football cards from the ’80s and ’90s (after already tackling the top 101 junk wax baseball cards), I thought it was a great idea!
First off, it’s that time of year when visions of the gridiron begin dancing in our heads.
Also, when he suggested a Top 50 for football (baseball was Top 101), I thought it would be fun and easy as pie to come up with 50 legendary junk wax football cards.
I was right! This was a blast to put together, and it was not all that difficult to come up with, so the list almost fell into place.
As you likely know, we love rookie cards! That’s why we listed the Best NFL Rookie Cards Ever here, but the list below is primarily from just the Junk Wax Era. While many of these cards do happen to be rookie cards, there are actually several non-rookie cards that made the list, too!
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A couple of quick notes, I used the same “junk wax era” years as for baseball: 1981-1995. Also, I considered using the USFL Topps sets, but quickly dismissed this idea, as I think they may be just a bit too niche for the list. Anyway, please enjoy, and let us know where you agree and disagree. Thanks, and most importantly, enjoy football season!
David Gonos shares his thoughts in the italicized notes below!
Essentially the king of the ’80s football era, as the Decade’s Greatest Quarterback on the Greatest Team of the ’80s, Montana’s cards rank among the most expensive on this list, though. His rookie card is one of the earliest on this list, also, barely being ranked in the “junk wax” timeline.
Possibly the most exciting player to watch of this era, Barry had all the talent and highlights, but no championship trophies to go with it. Plus, his truncated career made his playing days stand up in a way his counterparts didn’t (see late careers Emmitt Smith and Thurman Thomas).
Going from being a three-time Super Bowl loser to a back-to-back Super Bowl champion to finish out his career, this guy is better remembered after his career, I feel, than during.
Breaking the touchdown passes in a season record in his sophomore season had us feeling different about him than his late career fizzle under Jimmy Johnson. Either way, Dan the Man is still considered one of the greatest pure passers the game has ever seen — and this 1984 Topps Football set ranks among the best football card sets ever!
Like Emmitt Smith rookie cards? Then this list is for you!
Our first (but not last) defensive player on this list — and L.T. lands inside the top 10!
Young’s USFL card goes for a pretty penny, which makes it tough to call anything that expensive “junk”! (Granted, Montana’s RC is expensive, too, but you get our point!)
A 2,000-yard rusher with stellar career stats and a big personality, Dickerson never seemed to get the same fanfare as Marcus Allen or Tony Dorsett.
I was so happy to see Bo land inside the top-10 on this list. Amazingly, he’s the only guy on both the baseball and football lists. (He was just top-15 in baseball, though.)
I present to you, one of the most beautiful sports cards ever created!
Not gonna lie, I was a little upset Favre’s 1991 Upper Deck misspelled card wasn’t in this spot! To be fair, this was his first card in a pro uniform and a Packers uniform.
The first non-rookie card on the list — and it happens to be one of Payton’s final cards, coming in the year of the Bears’ Super Bowl win!
That’s right — my man has FOUR cards listed among the top 5o best junk wax football cards! That leads everyone on this list and Emmitt’s not even a quarterback!
Any Bears fan worth his weight in bratwursts must have a card of The Fridge in his collection.
I love that this card made the list!
One of the most fun players to watch from back in the ’80s, every kid worth his trading cards was doing the “Ickey Shuffle” after scoring a touchdown in the sand lot next door. It’s one of my favorite “Cards That Make Us Happy!”
Some cards I was sad to see not make Scott’s list of the Best Junk Wax Football Cards includes the 1987 Topps Vinnie Testaverde RC card (just because I’m a Bucs fan!), the 1989 Topps Cris Carter RC (his Score made it, so I’m good with that) and the 1990 Topps Junior Seau RC.
How many of the best junk wax football cards did you own? Which ones are you getting ready to buy after seeing this list!?!
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