Clocking in at 385 playing cards in complete, the 2003 Topps soccer card guidelines comprises a number of superstars and a incredible rookie card class.
Although Andre Johnson is the one a type of rookies who has but achieved Corridor of Fame honors, different superstars like Jason Witten, Terrell Suggs, Anquan Boldin, Kevin Williams and Larry Johnson made their cardboard debuts on this set alognside him.
It could be ignored in at the moment’s market, however there are a lot of nice playing cards on this set…
Some collectors might draw back from the full-color borders.
However others actually get pleasure from it.
Regardless, the participant names stamped in gold foil provide an attention-grabbing aesthetic to steadiness out the design.
General, although it flies beneath the radar, there’s loads to get pleasure from contained in the set guidelines.
And on this information, we’ll check out the 15 Most worthy.
Let’s bounce proper in!
2003 Topps #258 Tom Brady
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $115
The primary nice Patriots workforce of the Tom Brady period made its mark as a defensive juggernaut.
All Brady wanted to do in 2003 was steadiness the offense and restrict errors to unlock the workforce’s potential.
As a substitute, he put himself proper in the midst of the MVP dialog, starting his journey to GOAT standing.
The uncooked numbers of Brady’s 2003 season do not essentially scream off the web page.
The 26-year-old Michigan product accomplished 60.2% of his 527 passing makes an attempt in the course of the common season, a marked drop in accuracy in comparison with his first two seasons as a starter.
He completed sixth within the league in passing yards (3,620), tenth in passing TDs (23), and close to the center of the pack in interceptions (12).
His passer ranking (85.9) barely cracked the highest ten.
So, how precisely did Brady end third within the league’s MVP race?
Adrenaline and magic.
Brady made the Pats must-watch soccer, orchestrating an AFC-best 5 game-winning drives.
2003 Topps #314 Terrell Suggs Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $90
One begin, one hell of a rookie yr for Terrell Suggs.
Chosen tenth total out of Arizona State, Suggs was shuffled right into a deep, star-studded Baltimore Ravens protection.
Flanked within the linebacking corps by Ray Lewis, Ed Hartwell, and Peter Boulware, Suggs was a reserve for all however one sport in his debut season.
And if not for a late-season harm to Boulware, his begin complete would have been zero.
Regardless, Suggs match Baltimore’s 3-4 scheme completely, ending seventh within the NFL with 12.0 sacks.
That is spectacular sufficient, but completely daffy in a part-time function.
Suggs additionally registered a decide, three passes defensed, 5 compelled fumbles, 4 fumble recoveries, and 29 tackles (20 solo).
An image-perfect Lawrence Taylor impersonation was all it took to earn him the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Yr award.
“Each rookie within the NFL is aware of it is arduous to return into the league and carry out ok to get an award for it,” Suggs stated. “I am sort of overwhelmed with the entire thing.”
The Ravens’ prize as division champs was a Wild Card Spherical showdown towards co-MVP Steve McNair and the Titans.
Suggs registered only one help within the contest as Baltimore fell 20-17 on a late Gary Anderson area objective.
2003 Topps #372 Jason Witten Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $90
After a university profession that remodeled him from a defensive participant to a good finish, Jason Witten declared for the NFL with a outstanding NCAA legacy.
He left school as one of the vital elite tight ends within the nation and among the best tight ends in Tennesee Volunteers historical past.
Finally, the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Yr award can be named after him.
As proof of his efforts in school soccer, the Dallas Cowboys drafted Witten within the third spherical with the 69th total decide.
Regardless of being one of many youngest gamers within the NFL, Witten shortly earned a key function, beginning seven video games and enjoying in 15, regardless of a jaw harm that he performed by way of for a lot of the season.
Witten had 35 receptions for 347 yards, averaging 23.1 yards per sport, incomes All-Rookie honors and enjoying an integral half in serving to new head coach Invoice Parcels flip over a brand new leaf for the Cowboys.
After three 5-11 seasons in a row, the Dallas Cowboys lastly returned to the postseason due to their 10-6 file.
Nonetheless, they have been fully outmatched by the 3-seed Carolina Panthers, ending their season in a 29-10 blowout.
2003 Topps #97 Peyton Manning
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $85
The Indianapolis Colts and star QB Peyton Manning had underperformed to their expertise stage 3 years in a row after a profitable 1999 season.
2003 was the yr Manning seemed to place the previous behind him.
He and the Colts began the yr trying extraordinarily spectacular for the hopeful fan base in Indianapolis.
The Colts acquired off to a 5-0 begin and by no means seemed again, by no means actually doubtful of lacking the playoffs and ending with a 12-4 file.
They gained the AFC South, and Manning stuffed the stat sheet, averaging a league-high 266.7 yards per sport with a 67% completion share.
Lastly, after ending second in voting in 1999, Manning gained his first MVP trophy.
The Colt’s Wild Card matchup with the Denver Broncos resulted in a lopsided 41-10 win, however their subsequent battle towards the 13-3 Kansas Metropolis Chiefs wasn’t simple.
The groups have been pretty evenly matched, with Indy narrowly edging out a 38-31 victory at Arrowhead.
Manning’s subsequent take a look at got here towards Tom Brady and the New England Patriot’s elite protection.
That Patriot’s protection stifled the Colt’s offense, eliminating them 24-14 and chopping Manning’s Tremendous Bowl hopes quick with a powerful thud.
2003 Topps #131 Drew Brees
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $85
Over nineteen years as an NFL quarterback, Drew Brees put collectively only one season that many thought-about “beneath common.”
That season got here in 2003.
One yr after wresting the San Diego Chargers’ beginning job away from Doug Flutie, the third-year professional practically gave it again.
To place it bluntly, Brees was terrible within the workforce’s first eight video games.
His struggles have been amplified even louder when juxtaposed towards one of many worst defensive models within the league.
San Diego sleepwalked to a 1-7 begin with Brees beneath heart, reopening the door for Flutie.
Nonetheless, Flutie wasn’t significantly better, and Brees returned to the beginning function in Week 15.
General, the Purdue product’s numbers have been ghastly.
He went 2-9 as a starter, finishing 57.6% of his passes for two,108 yards, 11 touchdowns and 15 interceptions.
Because it turned out, it was solely a bump within the street.
A yr later, Brees went from zero to Professional Bowler and gained the NFL Comeback Participant of the Yr award.
2003 Topps #250 Jerry Rice
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $85
Legendary vast receiver Jerry Rice was coming into his nineteenth NFL season at 41 years of age.
Most vast receivers would have lengthy since retired by then, however most vast receivers aren’t Jerry Rice.
Not solely was he nonetheless enjoying, he was nonetheless enjoying at a excessive stage, coming off a Professional Bowl look the season earlier than.
The Wealthy Gannon-Jerry Rice connection had additionally helped carry the Oakland Raiders to a Tremendous Bowl look the yr prior.
Rice averaged 54.3 yards per sport however had solely 2 touchdowns regardless of enjoying each sport of the season.
Oakland began 2-2 however misplaced defending MVP Wealthy Gannon to a shoulder harm.
The consequence was a workforce continually in vary of profitable video games however may by no means shut them, because the Raiders proceeded to lose seven video games by a landing or much less.
A 4-12 file introduced an unceremonious finish to Rice’s Oakland profession.
The loss can be the beginning of a tough stretch for the Oakland Raiders, who would not return to the playoffs for over a decade.
2003 Topps #380 Andre Johnson Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $65
Whilst a rookie, Andre Johnson wasn’t shy in regards to the enterprise aspect of soccer.
After the Houston Texans chosen him with the third total decide of the 2003 NFL Draft, Johnson fired one company for one more in hopes of leveraging a big-time contract.
Negotiations continued as coaching camp approached.
Reasonably than risking a preseason with out their new blue-chip WR, the Texans agreed with Johnson on a six-year, $39 million deal.
It turned out to be a steal in the long run.
In yr one, nonetheless, there wasn’t a lot Johnson may do to raise a woeful Houston squad.
The Texans did nearly nothing effectively of their second yr as a franchise.
That they had a bottom-five offense, a bottom-five protection, and a ho-hum particular groups unit.
It was an ideal recipe for a 5-11 file and a last-place end within the AFC South.
As for Johnson, he did the perfect he may with an unequivocally tough quarterback state of affairs.
The previous Solar Satan lined for the terrible play of David Carr, Tony Banks, and Dave Ragone, posting a team-high 66 receptions for 976 yards and 4 touchdowns.
No different Texans wideout tallied greater than 460 yards.
2003 Topps #100 Brett Favre
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $50
After a powerful 2002 common season that resulted in a devastating house playoff loss to the Falcons, Brett Favre and the Inexperienced Bay Packers have been on the lookout for redemption.
Nonetheless, they flirted with mediocrity for a lot of the season.
The primary half of the season noticed the Packers play .500 soccer till lastly getting right into a groove and shutting the season on a four-game win streak to complete 10-6.
Brett Favre performed robust soccer even by his lofty requirements, main the league in 32 complete touchdowns and getting sacked a career-low 19 instances (other than his rookie yr, the place he didn’t see a lot enjoying time.)
The efficiency helped Favre make his eighth Professional Bowl and set the Packers up for one more playoff look.
Inexperienced Bay confronted the Seattle Seahawks within the Wild Card spherical, and the battle was shut all through.
The 2 groups ended up in time beyond regulation, the place it was defensive finish Al Harris, somewhat than Favre, who delivered the game-winning landing for Inexperienced Bay.
His interception set Inexperienced Bay up for a Divisional Spherical matchup with the Philidelphia Eagles.
The sport as soon as once more went into time beyond regulation, however this time, it was Favre who threw an interception within the further interval, costing Inexperienced Bay one other NFC Championship Sport look.
2003 Topps #150 Emmitt Smith
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $50
Even when Emmitt Smith wasn’t the All-Professional power of years previous, he was nonetheless a worthwhile addition to a younger, impressionable Arizona Cardinals roster.
“They’d see me present up at 5 o’clock within the morning to go work out,” Smith stated. “I might been there on my own, and so they are available in about 6:30 or 7, like, ‘Dude, why are you right here so early?’ ‘That is what I do. That is the best way we work.’ They usually began doing it. And that half was superior.”
That is to not say that the Cardinals have been any good.
Even a wholesome Smith would not have been sufficient to avoid wasting a badly assembled Arizona roster from itself.
Smith broke his left shoulder blade in early October and by no means seemed proper after.
He performed in ten video games in yr one in every of a two-year deal, speeding 90 instances for 256 yards and two touchdowns.
His 2.8 yards per carry set a brand new profession low by a yard.
It was a sobering sight.
Smith’s 11-year streak of 1,000 speeding yards or extra had barely ended, and he missed #12 by simply 25 yards in his ultimate yr as a Cowboy in ’02.
Along with his physique breaking down and his manufacturing dwindling, Smith’s profession was now formally in its twilight stage.
2003 Topps #293 Tom Brady
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $45
The “Weekly Wrap-Up” subset spanned playing cards #291 – #310 and showcased highlights of various gamers from the 2002 season.
In Tom Brady’s case, the reverse of his card particulars his efficiency in a 41-38 time beyond regulation victory towards the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs by which he threw for 410 yards and 4 touchdowns, each profession highs at that time.
It was a glimpse of what was to return in 2003.
In 2003, Brady was unshakable.
He was even stouter in crunch time.
Brady’s sport administration put the D able to shut out playoff wins over Tennessee (17-14) and Indianapolis (24-14).
And in Tremendous Bowl XXXVII towards Carolina, he went from efficient to legendary in a single breath.
Brady went 32-for-48 on the night time for 354 yards, a landing, and a decide.
He saved his most sensible second for final, a franchise-defining one-minute drive to arrange Adam Vinatieri’s buzzer-beating, game-winning area objective.
After Panthers QB Jake Delhomme’s two-minute hero flip tied the sport at 29, Brady threw the ultimate punch.
He went 5-for-6 for 67 yards throughout the span of 64 seconds.
Vinatieri transformed from 41 yards with time expiring, cementing Brady as a two-time Tremendous Bowl MVP and two-time champion.
2003 Topps #359 Kevin Williams Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $45
Oklahoma State College defensive sort out Kevin Williams had simply completed his profession with an elite OSU Cowboys unit.
The workforce completed 8-5 and was rewarded with a bowl sport, a privilege that had change into uncommon for the college.
After declaring for the NFL draft, Williams was finally chosen sixth total by the Minnesota Vikings.
Williams had a incredible rookie yr with the Vikings, ending the yr with 10.5 sacks, 51 mixed tackles, and compelled each 1 interception and 1 fumble.
Williams completed 4th in Defensive Rookie of the Yr voting and made the All-Rookie workforce.
The Vikings seemed like authentic contenders in direction of the beginning of the season, starting with a powerful 6-0 file.
Nonetheless, they might not sustain their spectacular tempo and dropped their subsequent 4 video games, finally ending with a file of 9-7.
Minnesota narrowly missed the postseason after dropping their ultimate sport to a below-average Arizona Cardinals workforce that they have been closely favored to defeat.
Nonetheless, the long run seemed vivid with Williams on the roster.
In eleven seasons with the Vikings, Williams earned six Professional Bowl alternatives and 5 First-Workforce All-Professional honors as he quickly developed into one of many NFL’s finest defensive linemen.
2003 Topps #240 Kurt Warner
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $40
An
2003 Topps #265 Ray Lewis
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $40
An
2003 Topps #348 Anquan Boldin Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $40
After a strong profession at Florida State College, former highschool quarterback turned collegiate vast receiver Anquan Boldin declared for the NFL Draft.
Boldin was chosen with the 54th total decide by the Arizona Cardinals, falling within the draft because of his efficiency on the NFL Mix.
Nonetheless, Boldin shortly proved to be a standout among the many rookie class, setting the NFL file for debut receiving yards by a rookie with 217.
He averaged 86.1 yards per sport for 8 complete touchdowns on the season.
Boldin completed the season with the AP Offensive Rookie of the Yr award.
He additionally made the Professional Bowl, making him the lone Professional Bowler in a struggling Arizona Cardinals roster.
The Cardinals completed the yr 4-12, with their lone spotlight being an upset win to shut the season towards the playoff-hopeful Minnesota Vikings.
The loss knocked the Vikings to 9-7, and the Cardinals efficiently dragged the workforce out of playoff rivalry.
2003 Topps #365 Larry Johnson Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $35
Throughout his senior yr at Penn State College, Larry Johnson rushed for over 2,000 yards and helped the Nittany Lions to a 9-4 file and a Citrus Bowl look towards Auburn.
The Kansas Metropolis Chiefs drafted Johnson at twenty seventh total to be a backup or doable alternative for defending Offensive Participant of the Yr Priest Holmes, because the entrance workplace wasn’t positive if Holmes would return.
Nonetheless, Holmes returned and maintained his kind as one of many league’s finest working backs.
Whereas Holmes was combating for Offensive Participant of the Yr and even MVP votes, Larry Johnson was left to play backup working again.
He performed in solely six video games throughout his rookie yr.
Nonetheless, he did handle to run for a landing regardless of solely having 20 makes an attempt on the season.
The Chiefs completed with a 13-3 file, incomes themselves a first-round bye right into a playoff sport with the Indianapolis Colts.
Peyton Manning and firm proved to be an excessive amount of for the Chiefs, and Larry Johnson watched your complete sport from the sidelines as his counterpart Priest Holmes rushed for a powerful 176 yards and a couple of touchdowns in a slim 38-31 loss.
In time, Johnson would change into an elite runner in his personal proper.
2003 Topps Soccer Playing cards In Overview
Whether or not you are a fan of the design or not, there is no denying the quantity of star energy discovered inside this set.
Huge-name quaterbacks like Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees and Brett Favre together with superstars like Emmitt Smith and Jerry Rice are an enormous draw.
However the rookie card class is probably the most spectacular factor about this set.
Andre Johnson is the one Corridor of Famer amongst them.
However there are different big-name rookies like Jason Witten, Carson Palmer, Terrell Suggs, Larry Jonnson, Kevin Williams, Willis McGahee, Dallas Clark and extra who had spectacular careers.
Like most units of the period, Topps included a number of completely different subsets to spice up collector curiosity:
- Weekly Wrap-Up (#291 – 310)
- Rookies (#311 – 385)
- Transaction (All through guidelines)
Not one of the playing cards on this set are going to interrupt the financial institution in relation to large worth factors.
However there may be a whole lot of nice worth packed throughout the 385-card guidelines.
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