It’s Patrick Mahomes’ world and we’re all just living in it — including Canadians.
On Saturday, the NFL announced their list of the top 10 best-selling jerseys in Canada for the 2023 calendar year, headlined by the Kansas City Chiefs’ 28-year-old quarterback.
Mahomes, who spent time in Edmonton as a child while his dad played for the Trappers minor league baseball club, captured the hearts of Canadians after winning his second career Super Bowl in February. However, the 2022 NFL MVP rose from third place in preseason jersey sales to first place over the past four months, completing 380-of-568 pass attempts for 3,938 yards, 26 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in 15 games this season.
Since being selected 10th overall in the 2017 NFL Draft, Mahomes has started 95 career games for the Chiefs, throwing for 28,179 yards, 218 touchdowns and 63 interceptions. He is a five-time Pro Bowler, two-time first-team All-Pro selections, and has two league and Super Bowl MVP trophies to his name.
Buffalo Bills’ quarterback Josh Allen and Philadelphia Eagles’ quarterback Jalen Hurts both dropped one spot after finishing first and second in preseason Canadian jersey sales respectively. Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals was the only other quarterback on the top 10, rising from seventh to fourth place despite an injury-plagued 2023 season.
Both Hurts and Burrow made headlines this year for wearing vintage CFL jerseys to games, each as a tribute to their fathers who played in the league.
Kansas City Chiefs’ tight end Travis Kelce and his brother, Philadelphia Eagles’ centre Jason Kelce, both received a Taylor Swift-sized bump in merchandise sales, coming from outside the top 10 in September to finish fifth and ninth respectively. The siblings were college roommates with Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ quarterback Zach Collaros and are noted admirers of Canadian football rules.
Dallas Cowboys’ edge rusher Micah Parsons, Seattle Seahawks’ receiver D.K. Metcalf, and Minnesota Vikings’ receiver Justin Jefferson reshuffled their preseason rankings to land in the sixth, seventh and eighth slots. San Francisco 49ers’ running back Christian McCaffrey snuck onto the list in the number 10 spot.
Dropping out of the top 10 entirely were the 2023 NFL MVP frontrunner, Baltimore Ravens’ quarterback Lamar Jackson, as well as New York Jets’ quarterback Aaron Rodgers and offseason retiree Tom Brady.
The Buffalo Bills (9-6) remain the top seller in Canada based on team jersey sales, as they battle for an AFC wildcard spot over the final two weeks of the regular season. Mahomes’ Chiefs (9-6) and Hurts’ Eagles (11-4) maintained podium positions in the lead-up to the playoffs.
The San Francisco 49ers (11-4) were the biggest risers from preseason, jumping from seventh to fourth, while the Pittsburgh Steelers (8-7) fell from fifth to eighth. The Dallas Cowboys (10-5), Seattle Seahawks (8-7), Miami Dolphins (11-4), Green Bay Packers (7-8) and Las Vegas Raiders (7-8) also made the list.
The NFL playoffs will begin in two weeks’ time on Saturday, January 13, 2024. Super Bowl LVIII will be played in Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Sunday, February 11.
