15 Most Valuable 1993 Topps Football Cards

1993 Topps #166 Jerome Bettis Rookie Card

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $100

Four weeks into the 1993 NFL campaign, it looked like Jerome Bettis’ rookie year would come and go with little fanfare.

Selected tenth overall by the Los Angeles Rams in the 1993 Draft, the bruising Notre Dame halfback wasn’t the team’s primary back until a Week 5 home loss to the New Orleans Saints.

Bettis accounted for 102 of the team’s 256 offensive yards and looked like the only Rams player worth his salt in a 37-6 debacle.

The 21-year-old RB remained the Rams’ starter for the rest of the season, and that was about the best thing you could say about 5-11 Los Angeles in ‘93.

The Rams finished in the bottom four of the league in both scoring offense and defense.

Unless Bettis was driving the ball down an opposing defense’s throat, there wasn’t much of anything happening.

Bettis finished second to Emmitt Smith for the league’s rushing title with 1,429 yards on 294 carries.

He rushed for 100 yards or more in seven games, including a 212-yard explosion in a Week 15 win at New Orleans.

In just twelve weeks of action, Bettis went from an afterthought to a First-Team All-Pro and the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year.

1993 Topps #604 Jerome Bettis

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $100

Bettis is one of multiple players who appear twice in this set, as Topps decided one base card wasn't enough for some.

Some may argue this is also a rookie card, while others wouldn't since it appeared later than card #166 in the set sequence.

Whatever your opinion, both are worth relatively the same amount and are only noticeably different because of the imagery.

While every other facet of the five-win Rams sputtered in 1993, Bettis keyed the league's fifth-ranked rushing attack.

He led the league in rushes of ten or more yards (38), rushes for a first down (79), and tied for the NFL lead with seven games of 100 rushing yards or more.

A First-Team All-Pro out of the gates, Bettis appeared poised to become the face of the franchise.

Thanks to one of the most baffling trades in NFL history ahead of the 1996 season, it wasn't to be.

With new head coach Rich Brooks opting to lean more heavily on the pass, Bettis wasn't called on much in 1995, carrying the ball only 183 times.

The Rams soon honored Bettis's request for a trade to the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he would carve out his Hall of Fame legacy for the rest of his career.

1993 Topps #200 Joe Montana

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $70

One of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history, Joe Montana faced a new challenge in 1993.

After twelve years as the uncontested GOAT, Montana's body was on the verge of giving out.

The former face of the San Francisco 49ers essentially lost both the 1991 and 1992 seasons to an elbow injury.

When he got healthy and received his desired trade to the Kansas City Chiefs, Montana was ready to put two hellish years in the rearview mirror.

For the most part, he did.

Injuries marred an otherwise fantastic year as Montana lost five games to a hamstring injury in the regular season and suffered a concussion in the AFC Championship Game.

Montana went 8-3 in his first year as a Chief, completing 60.7% of his passes for 2,144 yards with 13 touchdowns against seven interceptions.

At 36, the legendary quarterback was as good as ever.

At season's end, Montana was rewarded with his eighth and final Pro Bowl honor of his storied career.

At 11-5, the Kansas City Chiefs took the AL West Division, their first division title since 1971.

1993 Topps #340 Joe Montana

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $70

Montana averaged 233 yards per game in the playoffs, making an AFC championship appearance after a Wild Card victory against the Steelers in OT and an upset victory over the Oilers in the Divisional Round.

Both games were one-score victories, and Montana had to come up clutch to give his team the win.

It seemed as if Montana was in for another historic playoff run until the Chiefs fell 13-30 to a tough Buffalo Bills team in the AFC Championship game.

Down 6-20 at the half, the Chiefs' nightmares grew even worse when Montana suffered a concussion during the third play of the third quarter that forced him out of the game.

If Montana hadn't been knocked out, the Chiefs may have rewritten history with a comeback win over the Bills.

He'd done it plenty of times before.

"If we had been able to keep Joe healthy, we'd won a couple of playoff games for us in the last minute," former Chiefs GM Carl Peterson said. "He was the Patrick Mahomes of that day."

Still, many throughout the league hailed Montana's first season with the Chiefs as a remarkable success.

1993 Topps #500 Jerry Rice

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $60

On December 6, 1992, during a blowout win at home against the Miami Dolphins in Week 14, Jerry Rice secured a twelve-yard pass to set a new NFL record with 101 career receiving touchdowns.

It was a monumental moment in a Hall of Fame career.

Ever since Joe Montana fell to injury during the 1991 NFL preseason, many wondered how he would fare with Steve Young.

In 1991 and 1992, the two built amazing chemistry and quickly proved any doubters wrong.

Looking to keep that momentum going in 1993, Rice delivered, leading the NFL with 15 receiving touchdowns, 1,503 receiving yards and 93.9 receiving yards per game.

For his success, Rice received his sixth First-Team All-Pro selection, an eighth Pro Bowl nomination and his second Offensive Player of the Year Award.

The 49ers ended the regular season with a 10-6 record, earning 1st in the NFC West and a spot in the playoffs.

Would this be the first Super Bowl for Young and Rice as a duo?

After dismantling the Giants 44-3 in the Divisional Round, they found themselves up against the defending champion Dallas Cowboys.

Unfortunately, Dallas slammed the door on their Super Bowl hopes, beating them 38-21.

1993 Topps #190 Barry Sanders

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $50

Since breaking into the NFL as a rookie in 1989, Detroit Lions running back Barry Sanders consistently finished as one of the top running backs in the league.

And he was just as good during his fifth season in 1993.

However, Sanders was limited in the amount of time he had to showcase his unbelievable talent thanks to an injury that kept him out of five games.

Over his 11 starts, Sanders scored only 3 rushing touchdowns.

But he still rushed for an impressive 101.4 yards per game (1,115 yards total ) and added 18.6 receiving yards a game.

His production earned him a fifth-consecutive Pro Bowl and Second-Team All-Pro honors.

More importantly for Sanders, though, the Lions' 10-6 record was good enough for first place in the NFC Central, leading to a Wild Card matchup with the Green Bay Packers.

Sanders was the key piece of the Lions' offense in the game.

He carried the ball 27 times for 169 yards rushing, and Green Bay simply had no answer for him.

Still, the Packers were able to sneak out a close win thanks to Brett Favre's 40-yard touchdown in the final minute.

1993 Topps #230 John Lynch Rookie Card

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $50

When John Lynch first signed on with the Tampa Bay Bucs in 1993, he was initially pegged as a depth option more than anything else.

Selected in the 3rd round of the 1993 Draft, Lynch opened the campaign as a special-teams player.

He excelled as a gunner and mid-field tackler, using his deceptive speed and savvy to angle into big hits.

Seeing Lynch's impact on kickoffs and punts, Tampa head coach Sam Wyche eased him into the defensive fold here and there.

The 22-year-old defensive back started four games for Tampa in '93, recording 13 combined tackles and forcing one fumble.

The Buccaneers were nearly a half decade away from lifting themselves out of the NFL cellar, and that gave Lynch plenty of time to learn the trade before his Hall-of-Fame push began.

Tampa didn't break their 14-year losing season streak until 1997, the same season that Lynch made his first Pro Bowl as the Bucs' starting strong safety.

Over fifteen years, Lynch earned 9 Pro Bowl nominations and a Super Bowl ring.

In 2021, Lynch was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame.

1993 Topps #275 Michael Strahan Rookie Card

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $50

Six teams drafted six defensive ends ahead of Hall of Famer Michael Strahan in the 1993 NFL Draft.

And only one of them, Chris Slade, would ever appear in a Pro Bowl.

Strahan turned out to be one of those cases where, though many teams couldn't decide if he had the skill set to succeed at the NFL level, he would prove them wrong in a big way.

The New York Giants weren't one of those teams.

They saw something in the youngster out of Texas Southern that gave them the confidence to use the 40th pick, their first in the draft, on Strahan.

He joined an unpredictable roster that had gone from winning the Super Bowl in 1990 to missing the playoffs in '91 and '92.

His time with the Giants didn't start out so hot.

During a preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Strahan tore some ligaments in his foot after celebrating a sack.

The injury held him back all season, and he appeared in only nine games, recording three tackles with one sack.

Years later, Strahan would transform into a defensive threat and sack machine that gave opposing offensive coordinators nightmares.

1993 Topps #6 Willie Roaf Rookie Card

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $50

Throughout his four years at Louisiana Tech, Willie Roaf made big enough waves to be the first offensive tackle taken in the 1993 NFL draft.

Roaf was known for his incredible speed and large frame, a combination that made him a widely desired young tackle.

Looking to bolster their offensive line and keep the momentum going for a decent offense, the New Orleans Saints used the eighth pick on the Arkansas native.

Roaf started all 16 games his rookie year for a mediocre Saints team that finished second in the NFC West at 8-8.

The Saints got off to a hot start befitting of a roster that finished 12-4 the previous season, winning their first five games.

However, despite having a talented roster that added a top draft pick, the Saints went 3-8 in their last 11 games, missing the playoffs for the first time in four years.

It wasn't exactly the result that Roaf had in mind to start his career.

But there would be plenty more successes over the rest of his thirteen years in the NFL.

As an eleven-time Pro Bowler, Roaf left a legacy as one of the greatest offensive linemen in NFL history.

1993 Topps #100 John Elway

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $45

The 1993 Denver Broncos used their fifth-ranked offense to squeak into an AFC Wild Card spot at 9-7.

And it often felt like John Elway was the only thread tying their playoff hopes together.

The star QB put together arguably his finest individual regular season, capturing his only league passing title with a career-best 4,030 yards through the air.

He also led the NFL in completions (348) and passing attempts (551), both of which were career highs.

When nothing else clicked for Denver, Elway got to work.

He papered over the team's inconsistencies, willing the Broncos to their second playoff berth in three years.

The Second-Team All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowler couldn't push them any further, though.

Despite throwing for 302 yards, three touchdowns, and a pick in the team's Wild Card showdown with the division-rival Los Angeles Raiders, the Silver and Black ran away with an emphatic 42-24 win.

It was a fitting end to an unbalanced season for the Broncos.

And it was yet another playoff disappointment for Elway en route to his late-career redemption arc. 

1993 Topps #120 Emmitt Smith

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $45

After fulfilling his previous contract following the team's Super Bowl XXVII win over Buffalo, Smith engaged owner Jerry Jones in a months-long standoff at the negotiating table.

Jones wasn't looking to break the bank.

Neither side budged, and Smith missed training camp and the first two games of the regular season, both of which were excruciating losses.

At 0-2 and overseeing a nervous locker room, Jones gave in and handed Smith a four-year, $13.6 million contract.

Smith responded by ripping through the league, capturing the rushing title with 1,486 yards in fourteen games.

He also led all of football in rushing yards per attempt (a career-best 5.3), rushing yards per game (106.1), and yards from scrimmage (1,900).

The Cowboys went 12-2 with Smith in tow, winning the NFC East and earning the conference's top seed.

From there, the league's regular-season MVP took it one step further.

After a solid performance in the team's Divisional Round win over Green Bay and a two-way masterpiece in an NFC Championship Game win over San Francisco, Smith strapped the Cowboys to his back in Super Bowl XXVIII.

The 24-year-old controlled the game from whistle to whistle, rushing for 132 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries to win game MVP honors.

1993 Topps #250 Brett Favre

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $45

Brett Favre was adapting well to the Green Bay Packers offense in his second year as a starter, starting all 16 games for the first time in his career.

Boasting a completion rate of over 60% while averaging over 200 yards per game with 19 touchdown passes, Favre raised eyebrows with his high-level numbers.

But his gunslinging ways also drew groans from the Packers' sideline and fan base, as his 24 interceptions were the most in the league.

While Favre was high-risk, his performance was strong enough to make a Pro Bowl and the playoffs.

At 9-7, the Packers reached the playoffs for the first time in over ten years.

In the Wild Card, Green Bay faced off against a difficult opponent that few expected them to beat: the division-rival Detroit Lions.

However, Favre threw a game-winning touchdown pass for 40 yards to Sterlin Sharpe, closing a close game in style and cementing himself as a legend in Green Bay for years to come.

Sadly, the powerhouse Dallas Cowboys ended the Packers' run in the Divisional Round, beating them 27-17.

1993 Topps #290 Dan Marino

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $45

One moment on an October afternoon was all it took to turn a promising start to the 1993 season into a nightmare for Miami Dolphins QB Dan Marino.

After a 3-1 start, Marino led a confident squad on the road for a Week 6 clash with the Browns.

And then, late in the first half, the legendary signal-caller tore his right Achilles tendon, ending his season on the spot.

"It was really devastating," Marino said later on. "A ruptured Achilles is one of the most difficult injuries to come back from."

The injury snapped Marino's streak of 145 consecutive starts and derailed his chances of making a third postseason trip in four seasons.

The Dolphins rallied together after his injury, winning in Cleveland and then five of their next six for an improbable 9-2 start.

However, their luck turned ghastly and a season-ending five-game losing streak eliminated them from playoff contention.

A cloud of doubts loomed over the Dolphins organization entering the offseason.

There was no guarantee that Marino would ever return to his original form, leaving the franchise at an abrupt crossroads.

1993 Topps #130 Drew Bledsoe Rookie Card

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $40

After years of mediocrity and constant failure to compete in the AFC East, the New England Patriots made sweeping changes ahead of the 1993 season.

Bill Parcells was hired as head coach, Ray Perkins took over as offensive coordinator, and Al Groh assumed the defensive coordinator position.

The Patriots weren't messing around.

And one of the most significant moves on the roster was drafting quarterback Drew Bledsoe first overall in the 1993 draft.

However, he got off to a rocky start.

The first four games of Bledsoe's career resulted in a 0-4 record and a minor injury that kept him out of a few games.

After playing 12 games total, Bledsoe averaged a 49.9% completion percentage on 191.8 yards per game to finish with 2,494 yards and fifteen touchdowns.

Bledsoe showed his most promise toward the end of the season, leading the miserable 1-11 Patriots to 4 straight wins, which resulted in a more respectable 5-11 regular-season finish.

In an otherwise forgettable season, the highlight for the Patriots was eliminating the Miami Dolphins from playoff contention in an overtime thriller to close the season.

1993 Topps #400 Drew Bledsoe

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $40

Drafted first overall in the 1993 NFL Draft, Washington State quarterback Drew Bledsoe was the New England Patriots' ticket to move from laughing stock to legitimate contender.

Entering Bledsoe's rookie campaign, the Patriots had missed the playoffs in six straight years.

They were coming off a two-win season in 1992, one victory more than their dismal 1990 campaign.

Under new head coach and two-time Super Bowl champion Bill Parcells, the Patriots set out to rebuild the roster and change the culture in Foxborough.

Bledsoe was the most important building block of all, and Parcells treated him that way.

The former New York Giants coach gave veteran Scott Secules an opportunity, but his 0-4 record as a starter pushed Parcells to commit to Bledsoe as the team's starter from that point.

Like Bettis, Bledsoe has a couple of cards in this set and, though the previous one is widely considered his "true" rookie, this one has much greater eye appeal.

1993 Topps Football Cards In Review

The 1993 Topps football set featured the same straightforward design as their flagship baseball set that year.

Fantastic action shots anchored by colorful nameplates and borders along the bottom gave them excellent eye appeal.

And along with many stars and Hall of Famers, there are multiple Hall of Fame rookie cards that give the 660-card checklist plenty of collectible value.

Like many sports card releases of that time period, Topps included several different subsets in the checklist, including:

• Record Breakers (#1 - 2)
• Franchise Players (#82 - 90)
• Future Stars (#121 - 129)
• Team Leaders (#171 - 184; #261 - 274)
• League Leaders (#216 - 220)
• Field Generals (#291 - 300)
• Draft Picks (throughout checklist)

And they continued to release their "Topps Gold" and "Topps Black Gold" inserts randomly for hopeful collectors to stumble upon as chase cards.

All in all, given the design, rookie cards, and the big-name stars, there is a lot for collectors to enjoy.