Saquon Barkley Ranks No. 1 on NFLPA’s Top 50 Player SalesList
Saquon Barkley's historic 2024 campaign cemented him as one of the NFL's most marketable players-and his popularity was evident in stores nationwide as fans opened their wallets to show support for the league's reigning rushing leader.
Barkley ranked No. 1 on the NFLPA's year-end Top 50 player sales list, which captures sales from March 1, 2024, to Feb. 28, 2025. The annual ranking encompasses all officially licensed NFL player products, collectibles and merchandise sold online, and through retailers from the union's roughly 85 licensees, such as Fanatics, Fathead and Funko.
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Saquon had a perfect storm this season," NFLPA vice president of consumer products and strategy Ben Ruiz said in a video interview. He's a generational talent with individual star power and joined a team in free agency that a lot of people felt were on the cusp of a championship. He came in and delivered in spades."
The three-time Pro Bowler, who broke the league's single season rushing record including playoffs last season, is the first running back to lead the list since former Dallas Cowboys star Ezekiel Elliot in 2017.
Barkley was followed in the top five by four quarterbacks: Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes, Philly's Jalen Hurts, Washington's rookie of the year Jayden Daniels and Houston's CJ Stroud. The other running backs to make the list were Baltimore Ravens workhorse Derrick Henry, Detroit Lions' Jahmyr Gibbs and Atlanta Falcons Swiss Army knife Bijan Robinson.
The 28-year-old also delivered some of this past season's most memorable moments, including a reverse hurdle over a defender against Jacksonville in November. The iconic play was recreated for the cover of the Madden NFL 26 video game.
Barkley, who didn't make the Top 50 list last year, won the Super Bowl in his first season with the Eagles after spending six seasons with the New York Giants. The former Penn State star's historic season was rewarded with a $41 million contract extensioni n March that makes him the highest-paid running back in NFL history.
The union believes Barkley's appointment could signal a resurgence of commercial power for the position group, which adds Boise State Heisman Trophy finalist Ashton Jeanty (Las Vegas Raiders) and Arizona State powerhouse Cam Skattebo (New York Giants) to the mix this season.
You'll absolutely see some of those rookie running backs pop up on this Top 50 list this time next year," Ruiz said.
Ruiz also highlighted how new media has helped raise player profiles. Two players on the Netflix series Receiver made the Top 10, including Minnesota Vikings wideout Justin Jefferson (No. 10) and Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown who made a leap from No. 33 last year to No. 8 this year.
Overall, 16 players, including freshly minted Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers, have been on the list for five years in a row. But Barkley took the top spot, another distinction to add to his bountiful 2024 season.
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