The sports card market has a new hot commodity, and his name is Jarrett Stidham. Following the news that the Denver Broncos backup quarterback would start in Sunday's AFC Championship Game against the New England Patriots, collectors have rushed to acquire Stidham's trading cards, creating an unprecedented surge in value for a player who hasn't thrown a pass all season.
The frenzy began immediately after starting quarterback Bo Nix suffered a season-ending ankle fracture in the closing moments of Denver's 33-30 overtime victory over the Buffalo Bills in the divisional round. With the Broncos' Super Bowl hopes now resting on Stidham's shoulders, the sports card collecting community is betting big on his moment in the spotlight.
Historic Value Increase for Jarrett Stidham Cards
According to Card Ladder, a platform that monitors sports card market trends and sales histories, Stidham has had the largest week-over-week value change of any athlete (minimum five cards sold), rising 788.48%. This dramatic spike represents one of the most significant short-term increases in the sports card market in recent memory, driven entirely by Stidham's unexpected opportunity to start in a conference championship game.
The surge isn't just theoretical. Real transactions are happening at prices that would have seemed unthinkable just days ago. Andrew Arnold, owner of Texas' Beast Sports Cards, sold a Stidham card after picking it up during the Dallas Card Show, which ran Jan. 15-18, as part of a larger lot of older cards. When Nix's injury was announced, Arnold immediately listed the card for sale.
Arnold initially thought the card would sell for around $1,000 after Stidham was named the starter, but a buyer paid the full asking price, demonstrating the intense demand among collectors looking to capitalize on Stidham's sudden prominence.
High-End Cards Hit Market with Six-Figure Price Tags
While most Stidham cards are trading in the hundreds or low thousands, some sellers are aiming much higher. There are currently three 1-of-1 Stidham rookie cards for sale on eBay with six-figure asking prices: the non-autographed 2019 Panini Prizm Black Finite ($500,000 or best offer), the on-card autographed 2019 Panini National Treasures NFL shield card ($450,000 or best offer) and the autographed 2019 Panini Prizm Sensational Signatures Black Finite card ($225,000 or best offer).
These astronomical asking prices reflect the speculative nature of the current market. The highest price ever publicly paid for a Stidham card was $3,300 in April 2020, during his tenure as Tom Brady's backup in New England when speculation swirled about his potential as a future starter.
Stidham's Market Compared to Other AFC Championship Quarterbacks
Despite the recent surge, Stidham's card values still pale in comparison to the other starting quarterbacks playing this weekend. Stidham's high public price falls far short of the other three starting quarterbacks playing this weekend: Sam Darnold's, $10,300 in September 2021; Matthew Stafford's, $55,000 in February 2022; and Drake Maye's, $164,700 in November 2025.
The disparity highlights just how speculative the current Stidham market is. Collectors engaging in what's known as "prospecting" are buying cards of players they believe will increase in value based on anticipated on-field performance, hoping to sell high after a breakout moment.
The Unprecedented Challenge Facing Stidham
Stidham gets the nod after starting quarterback Bo Nix fractured his right ankle in the closing moments of Denver's 33-30 overtime victory over the Buffalo Bills in the divisional round. The circumstances are historically rare. It's the first time since 1972 that a quarterback's first start of the year came in the AFC championship game.
Stidham, a 2019 fourth-round pick by New England who spent 2022 with the Las Vegas Raiders before backing up Russell Wilson and Nix in Denver, hasn't started a game in more than two years and is 1-3 as an NFL starter, having passed for 1,422 yards, 8 touchdowns and 8 interceptions in 20 career games played.
Despite the long odds, Broncos head coach Sean Payton has expressed complete confidence in his backup. Payton said Stidham is "going to rip it" and noted that "he's got this calm demeanor that suits him well".
The Super Bowl Factor: Potential for Card Market Explosion
The real prize for collectors isn't just this weekend's game—it's the potential Super Bowl run. If Stidham can take Denver to Super Bowl LX in San Francisco, his market might skyrocket. A Cinderella story featuring a backup quarterback leading his team to the Super Bowl would create a feeding frenzy in the sports card market, potentially justifying some of the speculative prices currently being asked.
For his part, Stidham is focused solely on the task at hand. Stidham said Wednesday that he's "not focused on anything but Sunday, what is my job on each and every play," adding "How can I help my teammates succeed on Sunday? I don't care about anything else other than the next five days and what my job is".
Prospecting: The High-Risk, High-Reward World of Sports Card Collecting
The Stidham card surge exemplifies the speculative nature of modern sports card collecting. Prospectors buy cards of relatively unknown or backup players at low prices, hoping that a sudden opportunity or breakout performance will dramatically increase their value. When it works, the returns can be substantial. When it doesn't, collectors are left holding cards that return to their previous low values.
The Jarrett Stidham situation represents a perfect storm for prospectors: an unexpected starting opportunity on the biggest stage, a compelling underdog narrative, and the potential for a historic upset. Whether these bets pay off will be determined on Sunday when the Broncos face the Patriots with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line.
As collectors continue to chase Stidham cards, one thing is certain: the sports card market moves faster than ever, with values fluctuating wildly based on real-time developments. For those who bought Stidham cards before Nix's injury, this week has been incredibly profitable. For those buying now, it's a gamble that Stidham can deliver one of the most unlikely performances in playoff history.
Sources & Original Reporting