The NFL Players Association announced late Monday the league leaders in jersey sales for 2013, and one Minnesota Viking finished near the top.
Running back Adrian Peterson ranked 13th in the NFL for jersey sales during the NFL Player Inc’s 2013 fiscal year, according to ESPN. The league’s fiscal year begins in March and ends on the last day of February, hence the reason for a late-April news release.
Jersey sales aren’t the only product measured. Other NFL items in the report include T-shirts, bobblehead dolls, photos and other licensed memorabilia.
The top three on the list were all quarterbacks, with Seattle’s Russell Wilson – the Super Bowl MVP – leading the way. Denver’s Peyton Manning came in second and Colin Kaepernick of the 49ers placed third.
Peterson finished second in the NFC North, just behind Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Packers linebacker Clay Matthews finished one spot behind Peterson, who was the only Viking in the top 50.
As for jersey sales alone, NFL.com says Peterson ranked eighth in the league.
In 2012, Peterson was the highest ranked non-quarterback. He ranked fourth among non-quarterbacks this year, with Seattle running back Marshawn Lynch, Seattle defensive back Richard Sherman and Texans defensive end J.J. Watt.
According to the NFL’s release, nine of the top ten players on the list were quarterbacks. Joining Wilson, Manning and Kaepernick were Rodgers, Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Eli Manning, Robert Griffin III and Andrew Luck.
