Jersey Sales

Here are the top selling NFL jerseys from 4/1 through the end of June:

1. Colin Kaepernick
2. Russell Wilson
3. Robert Griffin III
4. Adrian Peterson
5. Peyton Manning
6. Ryan Tannehill
7. Tom Brady
8. Ray Lewis
9. Aaron Rodgers
10. Brian Urlacher

When I've given this topic some thought, I've always figured that new players have the edge in each quarterly listing of jersey sales. After all, most New England Patriots fans have had their Tom Brady jersey for years. Peyton Manning was certainly in an interesting position this past year as he's had devout fans since 1998. Now, he's on a new team and in a new jersey. There were probably more than a handful of former Indianapolis Colts fans that were buying that brand new #18 Denver Broncos jersey. The top three in jersey sales have a lot going for them. The most significant being their spectacular play so early in their careers. They are three of the most exciting players in the game. Their jerseys will be top sellers for a long time. #6 Ryan Tannehill may not have exploded on the scene like his fellow young quarterbacks but he brings a lot of hope to south Florida. I'm very surprised that Andrew Luck is missing from the list. I'm not surprised that Adrian Peterson is on the list. I think that his jersey will be a top seller for as long as he's carrying a football but he may have gotten a boost this year by the Minnesota Vikings' decision to go with a new jersey this year. It's fantastic!

The two things that just leap out at me from this list are the linebackers at #'s 8 and 10. Not only are Ray Lewis and Brian Urlacher linebackers, they are retired linebackers. I'm curious to know if there's often a run on jersey sales when a player retires. Lewis and Urlacher will be missed in the NFL but their jerseys won't be.