Top Johnny Unitas Cards to Collect
Football changed quickly in the first decades of its American professional leagues. The 1920s and ’30s saw the forward pass become modernized – with Benny Friedman developing mechanics that would influence the game for decades to come. Then, Sid Luckman, Bobby Layne, and Otto Graham turned the quarterback position into something we can recognize today as the first steps toward a relatively efficient forward passing league. But it wasn’t until Johnny Unitas that we saw a genuinely prolific passer—someone who could effectively change the entire game with his offensive prowess.
As the popularity of football grew in the 1950s and ’60s, Unitas became the face of the league as the QB of the Baltimore Colts. Although his records, passer rating, and seasonal stats seem relatively quaint by today’s standards, he was head and shoulders above every other passer at the time, and it would take some of the best QBs of the modern-day to break his longstanding records.
His rise to prominence and 18-year-long Hall of Fame career coincided with the release of Topps Football’s earliest sets, which has led to a treasure trove of iconic cards and special inserts featuring Unitas’ time on the Colts (and his final season with the San Diego Chargers). None more sought after by collectors than his 1957 rookie card. Check out his RC and more Unitas cards you should collect below.
Top Johnny Unitas Cards
1971 Topps Football #1 Johnny Unitas
Player info
• three-time AP MVP
• THree Championship wins and one super bowl win (V)
Set info
• 263 card set with nearly 50% of the cards issued in smaller numbers than the rest
card back
• vitals and career stats up to that point in his career, a writeup declaring him the greatest QB of all-time, the 1958 title game the greatest of all-time, and a cartoon depicting him owning his own hot dog stand “restaurant”
1974 Topps Football #150 Johnny Unitas
Player info
• voted into the hall of fame in 1979
• at the time, had the most regular season wins at 118, which 10 other QBs have since surpassed
Card info
• 528 card set
• 72 hall of fame players in this set
card back
• career stats, vitals, and a short bio about Unitas passing 40,000 career passing yards and his ownership of nearly every passing record in league history at that point
1970 Topps Football Super Glossy #2 Johnny Unitas
Player info
• held the record for most Pro Bowl appearances by a qB (10) until Brett Favre broke his record in 2009
• Set the record for consecutive games with at least one touchdown pass at 47 games (broken by Drew Brees in 2012)
Card info
• exclusive 33-card set
card back
• a stamp with his name, position, and “2 of 33” authentication numbering
1960 Topps Football #1 Johnny Unitas
Player info
• most consecutive games with at least a 120 passer rating (4), tied by kurt warner
• led the league in passing yards four times
Card info
• 132 card set
card back
• Vitals, previous year stats and lifetime (cumulative) stats, and a scratch-off “football funny”
1968 Topps Football Poster #1 Johnny Unitas
Player info
• two-time MVP
• lifetime record of 118-63-4
Card info
• set consists of 16 5×7 posters
• were included as inserts of 1968 topps football cards
card back
• blank back
1957 Topps Football #138 Johnny Unitas Rookie Card
Player info
• Drafted by the Pittsburgh steelers in the ninth round and subsequently released
• played safety, punter, and QB for a semi-pro team for $6 a game before being signed by the Baltimore colts
Card info
• 155 card set
card back
• Vitals, career stats, and a cartoon showing him as one of the best running and throwing QBs in the league
