The Panini America Quality Control Gallery: 2011 Playoff Contenders Football
Spoiler alert for all of us card collectors: Tuesday is Valentine’s Day. But it’s the following day, February 15, when we’ll likely fall in love all over again. That’s when 2011 Playoff Contenders Football hits hobby shops nationwide.
There’s certainly much about the product to be enamored with, not the least of which are landmark Rookie Ticket autographed Rookie Cards (including 36 top newcomers who signed on-card), vibrantly hued Legendary Contenders that almost literally jump off the foil and the return of buzz-generating Golden Tickets (52 new ones for 2011 that have taken a decidedly dark turn).
But perhaps the most compelling development in the product this year is one that might get missed on first glance (I certainly overlooked it the first time around and received a solid scolding from Panini America NFL Brand Manager Carlos Torrez). Each card in the Playoff Ticket parallel set (as you’ll see in some of the images that follow) includes that particular card’s left-side serial number in the “Seat” section of each card front, and then is repeated on the back.
It’s a small touch, but it certainly resonated with me. So be sweet to your better half on Valentine’s Day next week. If you play your cards right (pun intended), you just might get lucky — and receive a box or two of 2011 Playoff Contenders Football.
Enjoy the exclusive first look now, and stay tuned to The Knight’s Lance for additional developments.
Trackbacks
- The Panini America Quality Control Gallery: 2011 Playoff Contenders Football - Blowout Cards Forums
- 2011 Playoff Contenders Football 12 Box Case Team Draft - Page 9 - Blowout Cards Forums
- Lexus2903 12 month Break FEBRUARY POLL - Page 6 - Blowout Cards Forums
- Preview - 2012 Panini Contenders - Page 2 - Blowout Cards Forums
The Knight's Lance 
Love the Design, Pretty sweet!
Looks like another milestone edition of this product, this IS the definition of the Rookie autograph for every player in 2011!
Great stuff!! Nice Gmen thrown in there!
I love the landscape design this year! The legendary contenders look very nice as well!
Not bad a little too busy for me, too much color. Tone down the colors some.
You showed 33 of the Autoed Rookie Tickets….
Is Bilal Powell among the other 3???
and I am assuming his will be a redemption??
Thanks for the great pics Tracy!!
There are actually way more than 36 autographed Rookie Tickets, but the 36 mentioned are just the on-card Rookie Tickets from the guys who attended the 2011 NFL PLAYERS Rookie Premiere. I’ll check on the status of Powell, but he is in the set.
Tracy any chance the Cowboys 2nd round pick Bruce Carter is in the set?
Tracy…I am hoping he is part of the 36 on card autos! He was at the premiere! Can’t Wait!!
He is, yes.
Does Giants TE Jake Ballard have a card yet? I know he isn’t a rookie this year, but without any cards yet that I know of..is he in here? Or is he in a future Panini product? I know others have also asked this question as well.
ps. hope you got my email 🙂
Meaning…his first card should be called a rookie.
love the team colors for the cards . Makes the card pop .
be nice if these cards had their numbering on them instead of a later list, otherwise awesome as usual
I’m with everyone else on the team colors makes the everything just stand out that much more!
is there a Muhammad Wilkerson auto rookie ticket???
Love how the Eagles kicker is in there! Go Eagles. Great Design Tracy!
This is Awesome! I like that added numbering on the playoff ticket parallel. Will definitely get my hands on some of these again this year!
Pug ugly. Pugly. Fugly. Just awful.
Ehhh. I like the design of the Rookie Roll Call, and Legendary Contenders Design. The Bold colors of the Rookie Tickets look Great. The Rookie ticket photos can be a lot better. Heres an idea how about getting full new photos of the players instead of cutting older pictures, photoshopping, and pasting them for once. Redemptions is also gonna make it or break it for me. I love the way LIMITED had redemptions in every other box (sarcasm). Hopefully the wait was worth it, as you all should know in most of our calenders the Football season ends after the Super Bowl. I’m already breaking down the 2012 Draft Combine, and NFL Draft. I’ve already lost focus on last years rookies, i. e. the hobby for collecting Contenders, National Treasures. MAKE THE WAIT WORTH IT!
So, are hobby shops getting this today? I keep hearing Friday, but this blog says today.
Is 2011 Playoff Contenders Football LIVE today? It says the 15th in the post but I’m seeing Friday the 17th on a bunch of other sites.
Shops are getting Contenders Football on Friday. My apologies for the confusion.
Tracy,
I just want to say a special thanks to you for all the things you do for the hobby community. I have always enjoyed watching you on you tube when you do the busting of the new boxes and love when you go behind the scenes to show how the product is being put together- I have a 9 yr old son who really enjoys collecting football and we do it together and even though money it tight we always watch your stuff on you tube to see what is coming out and what it looks like so we know what to save our money for. I just wanted to reach out to you and say thank you for everything, you are such an awesome asset to the hobby community. Hope you have a blessed week
Wow, Russell. I really appreciate the kind words, man. You really know how to make a guy feel good. Thanks for your support and for checking us out here on The Knight’s Lance. I wish you and your son many happy years of collecting. You guys have a great week and stay in touch.
Great job on the rookies. The Rookie Tickets actually look great. HOF/Legends list was off way off, Danny White and Bob Greise only retired QBs you put on cardboard, ULTRA FAIL! Still too many redumps as well.