Don’t let the lack of broken tables fool you, Canada is firmly a member of Bills Mafia.
On Friday, the NFL revealed the top 10 best-selling player and team jerseys in Canada ahead of the 2023 season. Unsurprisingly, the Buffalo Bills and their superstar quarterback Josh Allen topped both lists.
The Bills have long had strong support in Canada thanks to their close proximity to southern Ontario. However, the bandwagon has gotten bigger in recent years as the franchise has transformed from a cursed basement dweller into an annual Super Bowl contender.
The Bills went 13-3 in 2022 and won the AFC East for a third consecutive season. Allen threw for 4,283 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions while rushing for 762 yards and another seven majors, earning his second career Pro Bowl selection. Buffalo made it to the Divisional round of the playoffs but lost to the Cincinnati Bengals 27-10.
Last season’s two Super Bowl contenders, the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles, were next up on Canadian fans’ shopping lists, with quarterback Jalen Hurts taking the number two player slot behind Allen. Reigning NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes was the third most coveted buy north of the border.
In fourth place among players was veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers, as fans rushed to trade in their Green Bay Packers jerseys for his new threads with the New York Jets. Seattle Seahawks’ receiver D.K. Metcalf was the best-selling non-quarterback, followed closely by Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings.
Cincinnati Bengals’ QB Joe Burrow, Baltimore Ravens’ QB Lamar Jackson, and Dallas Cowboys’ linebacker Micah Parsons round out the list, while future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady remains in the tenth spot despite retiring this offseason.
When it came to teams, the Seattle Seahawks, Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys all remained popular choices. Also making the list were the San Francisco 49ers, Las Vegas Raiders, Miami Dolphins, and Green Bay Packers.
The 2023 NFL regular season is scheduled to kick off on Thursday, September 7 when the Detroit Lions visit the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs at 8:20 EDT. The Bills will wrap up Week 1 action on Monday, September 11 when they travel to New York to take on the new-look Jets at 8:15 p.m. EDT.