Tales From the Clearance Rack: A Blaster of 2014 Topps Football

A lot of months in between major card releases, for me, consist of scouring retail aisles for anything fresh or interesting even though I'll just be fueling my addiction anyway. I was in Wal-Mart, and in addition to nabbing another semi-successful rack pack of Archives (waitlist for that's in the sidebar, remind me again to talk about my anxieties about trading one of these days), I found...something kind of insane.

In the bargain bucket, a blaster full of Topps flagship Football...from SIX YEARS AGO.

2014 Topps Football, I believe, I must have nabbed like 1 or 2 packs of, as it was my first year of college and I was sort of fading out of football cards anyway. And yet there was a blaster at WalMart, just sitin there.

Since there is relevant football content this weekend, figured I'd bust it, regardless of my lack of attention to football cards. I'll award a point for each card that features someone who is not only still playing but I have heard of.

MANU-PATCH- LESEAN MCCOY OF THE EAGLES. 1 POINT RIGHT AWAY. This box is already off to a nice start, cause I adore Shady McCoy, even if he shat himself out of the league.

Pack 1-
174- PEYTON MANNING. Know him, but is a TV personality now.
7- Jordy Nelson. Definitely know him, but he retired this year.
67- JJ WATT. We're at 2 points. Had a hell of a night last week.
170- Mike Tolbert of the Panthers, GOLD #'D TO 2014. Heard of him, not still playing. I really wish Topps had done full stats on the back for these.
4000 Yard Club of TOM BRADY. 3 points. Ugh.
209- JASON PETERS. The immortal man himself. We're at 4 points, and I'm very impressed.
357- Cody Hoffman. Rookie that didn't make it.
366- Bradley Roby RC. 5 points. His Texans might sneak a bit further if they're lucky, but considering who they're up against, it's not certain.

Pack 2-
315- Ryan Kalil. 6 points, but I had no idea he was with the Jets.
244- Nick Perry
260- Mike Wallace. Heard of him, but he didn't play this year.
149- DeAndre Hopkins. 7 points. Man, this box has a lot of 2019 Texans so far
Greatness Unleashed of Knowshon Moreno of the Dolphins. Moreno's first season in Miami will be his last.
Power Players of Marvin Jones
415- Jalen Saunders. Didn't make it past 2014.
407- Josh Huff

Pack 3-
330- Justin Blackmon
52- Tom Brady. Well, at least we're at 8 points now.
129- Charles Clay
316- Kenbrell Thompkins
60s-minis insert of AJ McCarron. Well, he fulfills both categories, even if he's not good. 9 points.
Fantasy Strategies of...Tom Brady. Okay, now this is getting ridiculous. I appreciate the Shady, but...this is a lot of Brady, man. 10.
46- Domata Peko
389- Michael Sam RC. Okay, regardless of Sam's lack of NFL action, this is still a cool pull.

Pack 4-
148- Julian Edelman. I swear to god. 11.
277- Chris Johnson, who retired a few years ago.
21- NICK FOLES. BDN. THERE WE GO. 12 POINTS. Hell yeah.
228- Vernon Davis. 13 points, but I did have to check if he was still active.
1000 Yard Club of DeMarco Murray. Heehhh. Oh man.
14- ZACH ERTZ. 14. Good news is I'm pulling a lot of Eagles in addition to all the Pats.
375- Blake Bortles RC. 15. Tell Manny Jacinto.
397- Devin Street

Pack 5-
171- Sebastian Janikowski. Sadly retired last year.
45- Cam Newton. 16. Not bad.
104- Darrelle Revis. Another Patriot, even if it is a short-lived one like Revis.
60- Antonio Gates CAMO PARALLEL #'D TO 399. Sadly he retired last year, but this is pretty cool.
Fantasy Focus of NaVorro Bowman, which is a cool enough insert but, he's also inactive. A lot of inserts emphasizing fantasy football. Huh.
55- DARREN SPROLES. 17. I don't care how injury-prone he is, he's an Eagle and a favorite.
395- TIMMY JERNIGAN RC. 18. Man, the Eagles gods are smiling on me after last week.
428- Troy Niklas

Pack 6-
91- Anquan Boldin.
199- Janoris Jenkins. 19. Forgot the Saints nabbed him.
40- Calais Campbell. 20. Not only have I heard of him, but I met this man. Shared an elevator with him during Super Bowl weekend in ATL. Nice guy.
281- Cecil Shorts
Greatness Unleashed of Russell Wilson. Class act. 21.
60s Mini insert of...Johnny Manziel. Ahahahaha. Well, I've HEARD OF HIM..
334- Arthur Lynch RC
404- Scott Crichton RC

Pack 7-
18- Antoine Bethea.
169- Jermaine Gresham
150- Jairus Byrd
120- Marvin Jones. A few of these aren't big enough for me to have heard of them, sadly
215- Brandon LaFell. Another Patriot..
4000 Yard Club of Peyton Manning. Again, not bad
79- BJ Raji. Lovable kind of character.
349- Trent Murphy. If I was a Bills fan I'd probably know this guy

Pack 8-
270- Kiko Alonso, pre-Eagles. 22.
51- ADRIAN PETERSON. OKAY. 23.
175- Carson Palmer. Love him, but Kyler Murray's now QB in Phoenix.
1000 Yard Club of Jamaal Charles. Another great  one who's now inactive
Play60 of Matt Bosher
300- Keenan Allen in a great shot. 24.
396- Shaquelle Evans
362- Marcus Roberson

Pack 9-
41- Tyrann Mathieu. 25, and he's playing tomorrow.
166- Bears TC
29- Sheldon Richardson. 26. Had no idea he was on the Browns
182- Broncos TC
60s Mini- Frank Gore. 27.
Fantasy Strategies of Vernon Davis. 28. Lots of Niners today, as they're about to play Minnesota.
268- Browns TC
382- Xavier Grimble

Pack 10-
246- Ndamukong Suh. 29. Forgot he was with Tampa
282- Brian Cushing. Inactive, but Texans hero
65- Mike Glennon. Well...I know him, and he's active, but...he's Mike Glennon. Point still applies. 30.
195- Robert Mathis
113- Garrett Graham
Greatness Unleashed of Clay Matthews. Painful to see him on the Rams. 31.
337- Davante Adams. That helps. 32.
375- Allen Robinson RC. 33. Not a bad card to end on.

Lots of good stuff here- lots of feel-good Eagles and star cards, a few interesting parallels, and 33 cards of active players I've heard of, which is more than I was thinking. Not a bad way to spend the card offseason.