The "Candy Cane" NFL Patch Is Cool... But Just Wait Until 2026 🍬❄️

If you were watching the Christmas Day triple-header (Cowboys vs. Commanders, Lions vs. Vikings, Broncos vs. Chiefs), you probably noticed the festive little detail on the jerseys.

For the second year running, the NFL added a special "Holiday Remix" patch to the uniforms—a classic NFL shield flanked by two crossed candy canes with "2025" stitched underneath.

They looked fantastic on the field. But if you are a collector hoping to pull one of these from a pack of Panini Prizm or Optic this year, I have bad news: You can't.

However, thanks to a massive announcement from Topps just this week, we now know exactly what the future holds for these patches when Fanatics takes over the NFL license in 2026.

Here is why the "Candy Cane Shield" is about to become the next biggest chase in the hobby. 👇

1. The Current State: You Have to Buy the Whole Jersey 👕

Right now, Panini still holds the exclusive NFL card license until March 2026. Because Panini is in the final chapter of their exclusive deal—and because Fanatics owns the rights to the actual jerseys—we aren't seeing these special event patches cut up into trading cards.

• Where are they now? If you want a piece of Patrick Mahomes’ or CeeDee Lamb's Christmas patch today, you generally have to go to Fanatics Authentic or NFL Auction and bid on the entire game-used jersey, which often sells for thousands.

• The Missed Opportunity: For card collectors, this is a massive "what if." A 1-of-1 "Candy Cane Shield" card would easily rival the value of a National Treasures Logoman.

2. The Blueprint: The New NBA "Snowflake" Announcement ❄️

We don't have to guess what Fanatics will do with the NFL license. They just showed us their hand.

On December 24, 2025, Topps announced a brand new program for the NBA called "Snowflake Game Patch Cards".

• The Concept: Select NBA players wore a special "Snowflake Logoman" patch on their jerseys during the Christmas Day games.

• The Card: Topps is taking those game-used patches and putting them into 1-of-1 autograph cards for future sets.

• The Impact: This creates "manufactured scarcity." It takes a standard game-worn jersey and turns it into a "Holy Grail" chase card that Panini never really utilized in the same specific way.

3. The Prediction: 2026 is the Year of the "Holiday Shield" 🛡️

Fanatics officially takes over the full NFL trading card license in 2026. Given the success of the MLB Debut Patch and now the NBA Snowflake Patch, it is virtually guaranteed that they will bring this model to the NFL.

What to expect in Christmas 2026:

• The "Candy Cane" 1-of-1: Imagine pulling a card that features the actual NFL Shield with the candy canes from the QB's jersey.

• The "Topps Now" Instant Card: Fanatics has the ability to print cards the next day. We could see "Holiday Relic" cards available on their site 24 hours after the Christmas games end.

The Bottom Line

The patches you saw on TV this week are just a tease. Right now, they are locked away on full jerseys that only high-end memorabilia collectors can afford.

But watch the market for these new NBA Snowflake cards closely. If they explode in value (and they likely will), you can bet your house that the NFL Candy Cane Shield will be the face of 2026 Topps Chrome Football.

TELL US: 👇 Would you chase a "Candy Cane" patch card, or is it just a gimmick?