Fernando Mendoza leads Topps Flagship Football return

Topps Flagship Football returns to the NFL

Topps is back in the NFL hobby with 2026 Topps Flagship Football, a release that launched on Aug. 21 and marks the brand's first football set since 2015. The product brings together current NFL stars, a deep rookie class and a lineup of all-time greats in a format built around the familiar Topps Flagship style.

At the center of the release is Fernando Mendoza, the Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 draft pick who headlines the rookie class as the set's cover athlete. The Las Vegas Raiders quarterback also gets a notable first of his own, becoming the inaugural No. 1 draft pick featured as the cover athlete of a Topps trading card set.

Fernando Mendoza and the rookie class headline the checklist

The strongest chase in the product starts with the rookie autographs. Topps Flagship Football features the first in-uniform autograph cards for several of the top newcomers, including Mendoza, running back Jeremiyah Love, wide receivers Carnell Tate and Jordyn Tyson, and quarterback Ty Simpson.

Among the key rookie autograph formats are Flagship First Signatures and Flagship First Dual Signatures, giving collectors multiple ways to target the class's top names. The set also includes 1957 Rookie Variations, which place the 2026 rookie class on the 1957 Topps Football design. Starting in 2026, Flagship Football becomes the exclusive home of the 1957 Topps design.

Veteran stars and legends round out the set

Topps Flagship Football is not built only around rookies. The checklist also includes a mix of established NFL stars and Hall of Fame caliber legends. Among the current players listed are Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, Caleb Williams, Joe Burrow, Justin Jefferson and Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

The legends side of the checklist features Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Rob Gronkowski and Ray Lewis, giving the set a broad appeal for collectors who want both modern stars and historic names in the same release.

Hobby box format and release details

Each Hobby Box of 2026 Topps Flagship Football contains 20 packs with 12 cards per pack and one autograph or relic card. Hobby boxes are priced at $129.99.

The product's launch on Aug. 21 marks a significant return for Topps Football and reintroduces the Flagship name to the NFL market after a long absence. The set leans into familiar Topps design cues while adding new chase elements and a rookie class that gives collectors a fresh entry point into the brand's football lineup.

Insert themes and chase cards

Beyond the base set and autograph content, Topps Flagship Football includes several chase card themes designed to add variety across the checklist. The insert lineup includes All Kings, Billboard Material, Touchdown, Struttin and Golden Mirror Variations.

The Golden Mirror Variations use a unique alternate image for every player in the base set, creating an additional layer of chase across the checklist. That format gives collectors another reason to track down base cards beyond the standard player selection.

Autograph themes include rookie and legend content

The autograph checklist stretches beyond the rookie class and into themed veteran and legend content. Victory Ink is part of the autograph lineup, along with Hawaiian-themed Island Ink cards featuring Pro Bowl legends.

Another autograph theme, Ring of Honor Autographs, honors championship legends and iconic Super Bowl moments. Together, those autograph sets give the product a mix of modern rookie signatures and nostalgia-driven veteran content.

Memorabilia cards and relic options

Topps Flagship Football also includes a range of memorabilia cards. Field Fit Swatch Collection relics feature players' alternate jerseys, while Real One Relics bring another memorabilia chase into the product.

The release also includes 1991 Topps Football Relics on the classic design, along with Topps Rookie Patch Autograph Cards. With both relic and autograph-relic content in the mix, the product gives collectors several routes to chase hits outside of the standard autograph checklist.

A flagship-style return built for collectors

The return of Topps Football under the Flagship banner is notable not just because of the long gap since the last NFL release, but because of how much of the brand's identity is built into the product. The 2026 edition blends the classic Topps look with rookie-first content, legends, memorabilia and multiple insert tiers.

For collectors, the biggest story is the combination of Fernando Mendoza's cover placement and the first-in-uniform rookie autographs across a class that includes several of the most talked-about names in the 2026 NFL rookie crop. Add in the presence of established stars and legends, and Topps Flagship Football arrives with a checklist that touches nearly every corner of the football card market.

With hobby boxes offering one autograph or relic per box, the product is positioned as a broad-based return for Topps Football and a new home for the 1957 Topps design starting with the 2026 rookie class.

The release gives collectors a first look at how Topps plans to build its NFL presence again, with Flagship Football serving as the foundation for rookies, stars, legends and classic design elements moving forward.