2024 Panini Contenders Football: A Classic… To Avoid

2024 Panini Contenders Football is set to release on June 11, 2025, with a retail price of $299 per hobby box.

As a longstanding staple in the football card collecting community, Contenders is renowned for its iconic Rookie Ticket Autographs, which have historically been among the most sought-after rookie cards in the hobby.

This year’s edition maintains the traditional format, offering collectors a chance to chase autographs and parallels of NFL players.

However, the 2024 release faces significant challenges. Due to exclusive autograph agreements between Fanatics and several top 2024 NFL Draft picks—including Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, and Bo Nix—these high-profile rookies are absent from the autograph checklist.

This omission significantly impacts the product’s appeal to collectors and investors seeking autographs of the most anticipated rookies.

Box break of 2024 Panini Contenders Football

Hobby Box Configuration:

• 6 packs per box
• 8 cards per pack
• 5 autographs per box, including 1 on-card autograph
• 10 inserts or parallels per box
  

Each hobby box offers a total of 48 cards, with a focus on autographs and inserts. The inclusion of five autographs per box, including one on-card, continues the tradition of Contenders delivering a high autograph count.

A few red flags with 2024 football products

Like every 2024 Panini football product, there are a few caveats that come with 2024 Contenders Football. Many of the top 2024 draft picks are working exclusively with Fanatics on autographs, meaning they are not included in Panini products. This list includes:

Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, Bo Nix, Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers, Brian Thomas Jr., Xavier Worthy, Rome Odunze, AD Mitchell, and Brendan Rice, to name a few.

While Contenders doesn’t derive all of its value from autographs alone, the lack of top-tier signers certainly rains on the parade. These omissions significantly limit the long-term appeal and rip value for many collectors.

2024 Panini Contenders Foortball checklist review

The base set features a mix of current NFL players and rookies. However, the absence of autographs from top-tier rookies like Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, and Bo Nix—due to their exclusive deals with Fanatics—diminishes the product’s allure.

Collectors may find the checklist lacking in terms of high-impact rookie autographs, which have traditionally been a cornerstone of the Contenders brand.

While the set includes autographs from other rookies and veterans, the missing top-tier talent creates a noticeable void. This gap may lead collectors to seek alternative products that feature autographs from the most anticipated rookies of the 2024 class.

Parallels

Contenders Football offers a variety of parallels to enhance the collecting experience:

• Cracked Ice
• Gold
• Bronze
• Platinum
  

These parallels provide collectors with opportunities to find rare and visually appealing versions of base and insert cards. The Cracked Ice parallel, in particular, has been a fan favorite due to its distinctive design and limited print run.

However, without the inclusion of top rookies, the appeal of these parallels may be limited. Collectors often chase parallels of high-profile rookies, and their absence could impact the desirability of these variations.

Autographs and Inserts

Autograph Sets:

• Rookie Ticket RPS Autographs – Featuring on-card signatures from select rookies.
• NFL Ink Autographs
• Legendary Contenders Autographs
• Contenders Autographs
  

Insert Sets:

• Supernatural
• Crown Jewels
• Superstar Die-Cuts
  

These inserts and autograph sets aim to provide variety and depth to the product. The Supernatural and Crown Jewels inserts offer visually striking designs, adding to the overall appeal of the set.

Despite the creative insert designs, the lack of autographs from top rookies may overshadow these features. Collectors who prioritize rookie autographs might find the insert sets insufficient to compensate for the missing high-profile signatures.

Investing in Panini Contenders Football

From an investment perspective, 2024 Panini Contenders Football presents several challenges. The product’s historical value has been closely tied to its Rookie Ticket Autographs, especially those of top draft picks.

With the absence of autographs from the most anticipated rookies due to exclusive agreements with Fanatics, the potential for significant returns diminishes.

Additionally, the base rookies and parallels in this set traditionally hold limited value compared to other products. Without the draw of high-profile rookie autographs, the product may struggle to maintain its position as a must-have for investors.

Collectors focused on acquiring rookie autographs and exploring a product with diverse parallels and inserts may find value here. However, those seeking cards of current NFL stars or concerned with long-term investment potential might consider other products.

Should you buy, rip or fold

While 2024 Panini Contenders Football maintains its classic format and offers a range of autographs and inserts, the absence of autographs from top 2024 rookies significantly impacts its appeal.

Collectors and investors seeking autographs of the most anticipated rookies may need to look elsewhere due to exclusive agreements limiting their availability in this product.

For those who appreciate the traditional aspects of the Contenders brand and are interested in autographs from other players, this set still offers value. However, for those focused on securing autographs of the top 2024 rookies, this release may not meet expectations.

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