In 2012, Joe Flacco carried the Baltimore Ravens to their first Super Bowl win since 2001. They defeated the San Francisco 49ers in the title game dubbed the “Harbaugh Bowl,” because brothers, Jim and John Harbaugh, coached against one another. 2012 also made Colin Kaepernick a hot commodity for collectors once he led the 49ers to the Super Bowl after several seasons on the bench.
Expectations for the 2012 NFL Draft were already high because of Andrew Luck and the “Suck for Luck” mantra that became the rallying cry for bottom-dwelling teams during the 2011 season. Add the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, Robert Griffin III, and star running back, Trent Richardson, from the defending National Champions, the University of Alabama, and the draft was full of potential.
In the long run, however, 2012 Football Card Sets did not deliver as deep a rookie class as it seemed. Russell Wilson is the key choice followed by Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III. Alfred Morris, Doug Martin and Trent Richardson round out the top running backs.
View our database of 2012 Football Card Set Information. Each product profile includes full checklists, set info, expert analysis, and deals on singles and Hobby boxes.
2012 Absolute Football promises either an autograph or memorabilia card in every pack. Highlights of the set include on-card rookie autographs and low-numbered autographed patch cards from football’s veterans and Hall of Famers.
2012 Bowman Football is highlighted by the first Topps autographs from the 2012 NFL draft picks. Every pack of the hobby version, dubbed Bowman Signatures, is guaranteed to have either an autograph or a signed relic card. The 200-card base set has 100 rookie cards.
2012 Bowman Sterling Football is a rookie-heavy set. Every pack comes with a rookie autograph, a jumbo memorabilia card and three additional rookie cards.
Combining one of the modern hobby’s longest running brands and the loaded rookie class, 2012 Certified Football looks to both its history and the future. Autographs, memorabilia, multiple levels of parallels and a challenging set structure give 2012 Certified Football broad collector appeal. Hobby boxes include a total of four hits.
Freshened up with an updated look, 2012 Elite Football promises two autographs, two memorabilia cards and four numbered rookie cards in every box. Highlights include dual-signed Passing the Torch autographs and Rookie Inscriptions autographs.
2012 Extreme Sports 100th Grey Cup Historical Football commemorates the history of the CFL’s top prize. The 200-card box set also comes with a commemorative coin.
2012 Fleer Retro Football sees plenty of 1990s inserts make the jump to the gridiron. Hobby boxes deliver six autographs and four inserts. Precious Metal Gems make their return to football.
2012 Leaf Autographed Football Jersey Edition delivers a signed replica jersey in every box. Signers include Aaron Rodgers, Barry Sanders, Joe Montana, Cam Newton and Robert Griffin III.
Following successful baseball and basketball sets, 2012 Leaf Best of Football brings the buyback concept to the gridiron. Every box delivers an autograph and a slabbed or graded buyback.
2012 Leaf Metal Draft Football promises three autographs in every single-pack box. Focusing on the best players in the 2012 NFL Draft, collectors can find signatures from Robert Griffin III, Justin Blackmon and Trent Richardson. Also included are US Army All-American autographs from the game’s best high school players.
2012 Leaf Ultimate Draft Football features many of the top prospects in the 2012 NFL Draft. Every box comes with three on-card autographs. Production is limited to 299 12-box cases.
Another all-autograph release from Leaf, 2012 Leaf Valiant Football comes with four signatures in every box. Players in the set include Robert Griffin III, Trent Richardson and Justin Blackmon.
Honoring the legendary coach, 2012 Leaf Vince Lombardi Legacy boxes include two inscribed autographs and a Lombardi-worn jacket card. The 40-card base set chronicles the career of the man many consider to be the greatest coach of all-time.
Panini takes a stab at a “black” line of their own with 2012 Panini Black Football. Boxes come with five hits including at least three autographs. Other highlights include autographed patch rookie cards and redemptions for sets of printing plates.
Celebrating its 20th season in the hobby, 2012 Panini Contenders delivers five autographs in every box, including a pair of on-card signatures. Rookie Ticket Autographs are inspired by the landmark 1998 Playoff Contenders design.
2012 Panini Crown Royale Football see the return of the brand’s distinct die cut designs. Every pack has lots of variety, including either an autograph or memorabilia card. Popular Rookie Silhouettes Signatures return, falling one per box.
2012 Panini Gridiron Football sees a revamped lineup that focuses on a broad mix of autographs, inserts, memorabilia cards and a decent sized base set. Hobby boxes promise a rookie in every pack, two autographs and two additional hits.
Every card in 2012 Panini Limited Football comes numbered to 399 or less. Single-pack boxes promise three hits including at least one autograph.
2012 Panini Momentum Football is another resurrected brand from the Texas-based card maker. Every pack comes with either an autograph or memorabilia card with a lot of focus aimed at the deep 2012 rookie crop.
2012 Panini National Treasures Football is one of the premier sets of the year. Each single-pack box delivers six hits including plenty of ultra high-end patches and low-numbered rookie cards.
2012 Panini Playbook Football brings high-end book cards to the masses. Every single-pack box includes three of the premium hits, including one autographed rookie card.
Just as the name suggests, 2012 Panini Prime Signatures Football celebrates autographs. With one signature card falling in every pack, collectors can also chase multi-signed cards and autographed memorabilia cards. All rookie cards have on-card signatures.
2012 Panini Prizm brings lots of color and shine to the gridiron. Featuring a textured look and several colorful parallels, the inaugural set includes 100 rookie cards.
2012 Panini Prominence boasts five different and distinct autographed rookie cards for all 35 players who participated in the 2012 Rookie Premiere. Single-pack boxes come with three hits, including at least two autographs.
Entering its 15th season, 2012 Panini Rookies & Stars Football hobby boxes come with four total autographs and memorabilia cards, 24 rookie cards and a ton of inserts and parallels.
2012 Panini Totally Certified Football delivers a hit in every pack. Each box promises a numbered autographed rookie card. The set features distinct designs, several autographed memorabilia insert sets and the return of HRX video cards.
2012 Press Pass FanFare Football is an all-autograph release featuring signatures from the top names in the 2012 NFL Draft, including Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III.
2012 Press Pass Rookie Football promises the first autograph cards of the game’s top prospects, including Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III and Trent Richardson. Besides six autographs per hobby box, collectors can also chase a 50-card base set and several levels of parallels.
2012 Press Pass Showcase Football is bursting with high-end cards of the NFL’s top 2012 prospects. Every box comes with six autographs and one memorabilia card. Collectors can hunt for signatures from both Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III.
2012 Press Pass Sports Town Football is an all-autograph release. Every single-pack box comes with four numbered autographs. Signers include Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III and Russell Wilson.
2012 Prestige Football offers some of the first fully licensed cards of the deep 2012 NFL rookie class. Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III and Trent Richardson are among the first-year players pictured in their professional uniforms. Hobby boxes have four hits including at least two autographs.
Picking up where Low Series left off, 2012 SAGE Hit High Series Football adds another 75-card base set of more top 2012 NFL prospects. Hobby boxes burst with six autographs. Trent Richardson and Justin Blackmon are among the key players.
Prospects and autographs are the focus of 2012 SAGE Hit Low Series Football. Hobby boxes include six signatures from such players as Robert Griffin III, Michael Floyd and LaMichael James. Collectors can also look for imaginative Artistry inserts.
2012 SAGE Next Rookies Football is an all-autograph release. Featuring autographs from such 2012 rookies as Robert Griffin III, Trent Richardson and Justin Blackmon, every card is numbered to 50 or less.
For less than a dollar a pack, 2012 Score Football comes with plenty of rookies, inserts and parallels. Aimed at set collectors, the base set has 400 cards, including 100 rookie cards. Every hobby box has 24 rookies, and at least 60 inserts and parallels.
2012 SP Authentic Football promises three autographs in every box including an SP Rookie Auto Patch card. Other highlights of the NCAA-licensed set include acetate Stadium Authentics cards and SP Threads bonus packs.
2012 SPx Football marks the brand’s debut as a standalone collegiate set. Boxes boast four hits, including a numbered Rookie Auto Jersey. Additional rookie content includes numbered SPx Finite inserts and SPx Rookie Signatures.
2012 Topps Chrome Football arrives with its popular mix of rookies, Refractors and autographs. The rookie-heavy set has three new Refractor versions, inserts based on classic designs and a big mix of signature possibilities.
2012 Topps Finest Football has a definite first-year focus with lots of different rookie Refractors and autographs. Every box comes with a Rookie Autograph Patch, a Jumbo Autographed Relic, a handful of inserts and a bunch of Refractors.
2012 Topps Five Star Football delivers five high-end hits in every box, including four autographs. One of the most popular and most expensive sets of the year, autographed patch rookie cards are among the major pulls.
2012 Topps Football declares itself as the year of the quarterback. Headlined by the Quarterback Immortals program, highlights include metal-infused cards, relics and lots of autographs. Rookies like Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III figure prominently into autograph and relic sets.
One of the hobby’s most rooted traditions, the 2012 Topps Baseball Complete Set Hobby Edition comes with all 440 base cards plus a pack of five numbered Orange parallels.
2012 Topps Inception Football sees the return of the dark and distinct design along with tons of rookie signatures. Single-pack boxes promise two autographs or autographed relics and one relic card. Robert Griffin III, Andrew Luck and Trent Richardson are among the autograph highlights.
2012 Topps Magic Football promises three autographs in every box. The set has an old-school feel that includes tons of inserts, bonus relics, mini cards and one of the most comprehensive signature lineups of the season.
Catering to a wide mix of collectors, 2012 Topps Platinum Football really pushes the rookie content with two on-card autographs and one autographed patch card per hobby box.
2012 Topps Prime Football focuses on rookie hits. Every box comes with four hits: an autographed relic, autograph and two relic cards. Large checklists and several relic combinations help ensure individual hits are printed in low quantities.
2012 Topps Strata Football is a new rookie-inspired brand. The centerpieces are layered cards that have an autographed piece of clear acetate place over top of a jumbo memorabilia swatch. Hobby boxes promise at least three hits.
2012 Topps Supreme Football delivers a low-numbered autograph, relic or autographed relic in every pack. Mixing rookies, veterans and legends, the checklist presents a lot of intriguing options for collectors.
2012 Topps Triple Threads Football sees the return of the big hits collectors have come to expect from the brand. Autographs and memorabilia swatches fly once again in this high-end release.
Offered as an online exclusive, 2012 Topps Turkey Red Football is an all-rookies product. Single-pack boxes deliver 11 cards including one autograph.
Presenting the NFL’s rookies and greats, 2012 Topps Valor Football delivers three autographs and one rookie patch card in every single-pack box. The new brand uses bold designs throughout.
The high-end beauty of Exquisite returns. 2012 Upper Deck Exquisite Football combines young stars with current and past greats. Every six-card box delivers 5 autographs including one Rookie Auto Patch.
2012 Upper Deck Football focuses largely on rookie players. First-year players outnumber veterans and legends 4:1 in the base set. Rookies are also a major part of the autograph checklist. Three autographs come in every box.
2012 Upper Deck University of Alabama Football is an in-depth look at one of the nation’s most accomplished pigskin programs. Every box comes with an autograph and more than 40 inserts.
One of the few football prospecting sets, 2012 Upper Deck USA Football has the first cards of Jameis Winston and Todd Gurley. Every sealed factory set includes two autographs, a patch card and five additional memorabilia cards.
