Who Gains the Most From Winning the Super Bowl?

With 12 of the 14 playoff spots already secured, let’s do a little pre-playoff preview (that’s definitely a thing).

Which quarterback has the most to gain by winning a Super Bowl this season? I’ll look at it through a combo of cards and real-life legacy, with more credence given to hobby relevance.

1. Drake Maye

I don’t think anyone gains more by winning a Super Bowl this year. Some analysts already have him as the best QB in the entire league… and he’s only 23. The hobby will start wondering if the Patriots have another all-timer, someone who could win several Super Bowls under Vrabel’s leadership. His market would explode.

2. Caleb Williams

You’ll notice a theme: young star QBs are catnip for the hobby. Williams is young enough to create an all-time resume, and he’s putting it all together on a good team. A Super Bowl would catapult him to new heights.

3. Josh Allen

From a historical perspective, a Super Bowl launches him into a new stratosphere. Of course, it would be great for his hobby values, but I don’t think as much as the two guys ahead of him, given what he’s already accomplished.

4. Trevor Lawrence

I think people forget that he was a generational prospect, and he’s still just 26. His prices had hit rock bottom on a dysfunctional team… but that seems to be over? This team is red-hot, and I’m not sure who’s playing better in the NFL right now than him. Winning a Super Bowl would rehabilitate his image lightning-quick.

5. C.J. Stroud

He already blew us away with his rookie year, and he’s done it again in the second half of this year. He’s gone a bit under the radar, and the Texans’ defense seems to get most of the credit. A Super Bowl run where he blows everyone away would skyrocket his prices.

6. Jordan Love

He was a legit MVP candidate for chunks of the season, but that talk has trailed off. Still, if they were to pull it off… well, there’d be lots of love for Love. He plays for a great offensive coach, and some will use that as a way to dismiss Love’s achievements.

7. Justin Herbert

I had a hard time ranking him. Of course, winning a Super Bowl would be awesome for his hobby, but it’s just a feeling I have that he still wouldn’t get the props he deserves. Like somehow he’d have a great postseason, but people would say it was the defense, the coaching, run game…anything else besides him.

8. Bo Nix

He gets knocked down further than other young QBs for a few reasons. One, he’s turning 26 in a few months, and it’s only his second year. Two, he clearly doesn’t have the talent of the top QBs. Without Payton, I think he’d be a backup. Three, the perception is that the defense carries him.

9. Sam Darnold

Being 28 and sub-par for most of his career definitely hurts. If they win, his defense will get much of the credit. However, he’s been better for two years now, and they won’t win the trophy if he doesn’t have some excellent games.

10. Brock Purdy

I think what hurts him the most is how well Mac Jones played after being an afterthought. Could any half-decent QB get plugged in here and play well?

11. Jalen Hurts

Winning a second one is never as impactful as the first, and it would likely be a dominant defense that propels them to the Lombardi Trophy.

12. Matthew Stafford

He’s my favorite player on this list… yet his age and having already won hurt him. The hobby loves to go after guys who have a chance at becoming the best ever, and Stafford’s too old to do that…even if he wins it again this year (his MVP chances going down the drain hurts him too).

Buy/Sell Targets

This doesn’t constitute investment advice, more just a window into my overall strategy as well as for entertainment purposes. All pricing and screenshots are taken from Card Ladder—the only pricing & inventory tool I use.

✔️ Jalen Brunson 🏀 - Jalen Brunson has always been a bit undervalued to me. It feels a bit like “his” year. If I had to bet right now, I’m guessing he’ll finish on the All-NBA 1st Team and the Knicks make the Finals. If that happens, his pricing will continue to climb.

✔️ CJ Stroud 🏈 - He’s slept on. A Prizm PSA 10 rookie goes for barely $30, yet his team is on a roll and plays either the Ravens or the Steelers in round 1. His hype was THROUGH THE ROOF just two years ago, and even last year his pricing stuck around $45 - $55.

✔️ Joe Burrow 🏈 - I’ve pointed this out a few times, but the opportunity is still there! I don’t like guys who get injured a lot… but man, he’s just so good. They’re 5-2 when he plays this season. If we see this version of the Bengals to start next year, his pricing skyrockets. His price for Prizm PSA 10 is $80, down from $140 at the beginning of the season.

❌ Sam Darnold 🏈 - I know, all the guy has done is win games the past few years. But remember, at the end of last year, his play fell apart, and the team fell off. I just don’t trust him in big moments, and he actually leads the league in turnovers this year. If the Seahawks do well, I bet it’s the defense. Anyway, his pricing is up significantly, so it seems like a good time to sell high.

Quick Hits

News From Around the Hobby

+ Top 10 Most Expensive 2025 Cards - “Of the top 10 transactions, more than half involved either Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant.” I always wonder when football cards will start cracking these lists, considering the sport’s immense popularity.

+ Are They Still 1/1? - “The snowflake logoman patches will be worn by select players and placed into one-of-one autograph cards.” At some point, there are just too many 1/1s, right? Of course I’d be over the moon to pull one of these, so am I part of the problem? (Yes.)

+ “Merry Christmas, we got robbed.” - It’s always sad to see these types of crimes in the hobby, but even more so against a store that’s only been open 2 months.

How to Flip Sports Cards: Aligning Passion, Risk & Budget

There’s money to be made, if you know what you’re doing. However, flipping sports cards is just like anything out there with profit—you can’t just jump in and hope to get rich week 1.

There are so many different ways to make money with flipping sports cards. Do you want to rip boxes? Buy and sell singles? Long-term? Short-term…[Keep Reading]

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The content in this newsletter is for entertainment purposes only and is not intended to be actual financial or investment advice.