The Baltimore Ravens, a dominant force in the NFL last season, won 13 regular season games and secured the top spot in the fiercely competitive AFC North. Spearheading their offense was none other than quarterback Lamar Jackson, who, after a stellar performance, earned his second MVP title. However, the disclosure of player merchandise sales via the NFLPA on Tuesday brought a surprising twist, with Jackson’s ranking in revenue sitting far outside the top 15, a stark contrast to his on-field prowess.
According to NFL insider Ari Meirov, the Baltimore Ravens passer ranks 19th in merchandise sales, behind Detroit Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, and the media darlings that are the Kelce brothers. Jackson won the MVP last season while playing on the best team record-wise but finished 19th in merchandise sales among his position group.
Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson: 19th in Merchandise Sales
There’s no denying that Lamar Jackson is a top-tier NFL quarterback. His on-field performance is stellar, with three Pro Bowl appearances, two MVP titles, and a recent All-Pro honor. So, seeing him ranked just 19th in merchandise sales as we head into the 2024 season is puzzling. A combination of lackluster playoff performances, fans’ growing familiarity with Jackson over his six-year career, and playing for a single team likely contribute to his unexpected placement.
The most recent memory of Jackson on the gridiron is his failure to lead the Baltimore Ravens to the Super Bowl despite his defense holding Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs scoreless in the second half of the AFC Championship. Jackson played terribly down the stretch, including throwing a back-breaking interception late in the contest, sealing the win for Kansas City. The playoffs have been a disaster for Jackson in his career, going 2-4 with a brutal 75.7 passer rating. The Louisville product has thrown as many interceptions as touchdowns during his postseason career.
The top 20 NFL players in merchandise sales, via NFLPA:
1) Jalen Hurts
2) Jason Kelce
3) Patrick Mahomes
4) Travis Kelce
5) Christian McCaffrey
6) Aaron Rodgers
7) Joe Burrow
8) Brock Purdy
9) Micah Parsons
10) Justin Jefferson
11) Josh Allen
12) Jordan Love
13) CeeDee Lamb… pic.twitter.com/ulK5wbPYF8— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) June 11, 2024
Despite winning the MVP last year, Jackson has failed to replicate his standout season circa 2019. Jackson dominated the NFL during his second pro season, throwing for a league-best 36 touchdowns against just six picks while rushing for a ludicrous 1,206 yards. The 27-year-old had a solid but not Pro Bowl-worthy season in 2020 before two exceptionally down seasons in 2021 and 2022.
Jackson again hoisted the MVP in 2023, but his 29 touchdowns to 13 turnovers hardly resemble that of the MVPs before him. Jackson’s jersey sales also likely take a hit with him entering his seventh NFL season, all of which have come in Baltimore. Of the 18 players listed before Jackson regarding merchandise sales, only Jason Kelce, Travis Kelce, Patrick Mahomes, and George Kittle enter 2024 with more consecutive years with their current team.
Kelce Brothers Dominate Merchandise Sales
Among those in the top 20 in merchandise sales, the combo of Jason and Travis Kelce is easily the least surprising. The younger Kelce, Travis, remains at the center of the media world after his relationship with country music icon Taylor Swift became public last season. Swift and Kelce’s relationship drew massive viewership ratings to Kansas City Chiefs games, with Swift regularly in attendance. Meanwhile, with the help of the podcast New Heights, Jason Kelce’s personality began to attract new fans. It also helps that he earned six All-Pro nods during his fantastic 13-year professional career.
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