2026 Bowman Football to Include NFL, Collegiate Stars For First Time
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The NFL season is right around the corner, and collectors in the hobby are getting excited. The first licensed rookie cards of the 2026 class have hit the market, and everyone is hoping to pull the biggest names out of their boxes and packs. Since the release of 2026 Flagship Football, hobbyists have been waiting for news about what the next release will be. Just the other day, Topps teased that 2026 Bowman Football will be on the horizon, with a pre-order date coming in just a couple of weeks. The product will also bring a unique twist to the hobby for the first time, adding some intrigue.
Here's the latest information on 2026 Bowman Football and why the brand matters within the hobby.
2026 Bowman Football Includes NFL and Collegiate Stars Within the Product
For the first time, Bowman Football will include both NFL and collegiate stars within the product. As of now, it is currently scheduled to be up for pre-order on September 8th. In prior years, the product either featured only NFL players in it or was a standalone collegiate release. Blending both sides of the sport isn't unprecedented, as 2025-26 Bowman Basketball also featured this same setup. The same design will also appear in the Football release, with player information located at the bottom of the card, while the player is surrounded by either a white or colored border depending on the parallel.
Within the past couple of years, Bowman Chrome University has helped drive the popularity of collegiate cards within the hobby. With many offensive and defensive prospects getting ready to start their seasons over the next couple of Saturdays, this component of 2026 Bowman Football has the potential to get collectors chasing very quickly. Certain prospects will have their "1st Bowman" card in the release, with CJ Carr one of the first names confirmed. Once a checklist is released, collectors will have a clearer scope of who all earned a card.
Bowman Returns to The Football Hobby As A Standalone Release and Continues an Iconic Legacy
The first Bowman Football release came out in 1948 and was a staple release for many years. Outside of the vintage era, perhaps the most notable Bowman Football card ever released was the Tom Brady rookie card in the 2000 set. Bowman has long been known for featuring players drafted not only in the 1st and 2nd rounds, but later rounds as well. Due to this, Bowman can sometimes be the only rookie card a player has. In the case of Tom Brady, it became one of, if not his most iconic rookie cards. Time will tell whether this year's release repeats that trend, but there can always be that potential.
2026 Bowman Football will include both NFL and collegiate players in the product for the first time. Collectors will have to stay tuned for more information as a checklist is revealed, but the continuing presence of the Bowman brand looks to be a positive sign.
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Dylan is a collector based in Central Pennsylvania, and sports fan rooting for the Indianapolis Colts, Pittsburgh Pirates, and LA Lakers. He is currently attempting to collect a complete run of Topps flagship sets across football, baseball, and basketball. He is passionate about the history of the hobby including its continual growth and evolution.