Walk to the back corner of the “Museum of Greatness” at Fanatics Fest in New York’s Javits Center, and you’ll find what many consider the exhibition’s crown jewels: seven game-worn Super Bowl jerseys belonging to Tom Brady. Among them sits the infamous Super Bowl LI jersey—the one that vanished after the game only to be tracked down later by FBI agents.
A Last-Minute Panic Over Missing Jerseys
But here’s the thing—just hours before crowds streamed through the doors, those Brady jerseys were nowhere to be found.
“Brady lost his Super Bowl jerseys!” Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin announced on ESPN’s First Take that Friday morning, his voice carrying the kind of panic you’d expect at a three-day sports extravaganza missing its star attraction.
Turns out Brady had simply misplaced them—a pretty human mistake considering he’d been busy setting up his new Hall of Excellence museum in Las Vegas, which now houses his collection of Super Bowl rings.
Emergency Flight to Miami Saves the Day
Realizing the museum would feel hollow without these centerpiece jerseys, Rubin didn’t hesitate. He sent a plane straight to Miami to fish the jerseys out of Brady’s personal safe. Cost wasn’t even a consideration—not when you’re dealing with an exhibit showcasing nearly $250 million in sports cards and memorabilia.
“This is the biggest collection of trading cards and memorabilia ever put together in one place,” Rubin explained. “We’re building something fans will genuinely love. Those jerseys? They were non-negotiable for completing this experience.”
A Sports Memorabilia Paradise
The 10,500-square-foot temporary museum reads like a who’s who of sports greatness. Brady’s jerseys share space with pieces from LeBron James, Shohei Ohtani, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Lionel Messi, Serena Williams, Billie Jean King, Lewis Hamilton, Babe Ruth, and Mickey Mantle. Rising stars like Caitlin Clark, Paul Skenes, and Elly De La Cruz get their moments too.
What makes this collection special? Many items have never seen public display before, pulled from athletes’ private stashes and 30 different private collectors. Brady contributed personally, as did Kevin Durant and Logan Paul—who loaned his legendary 1998 Pokémon Pikachu Illustrator Holo PSA 10 card, the same one he sported during his WrestleMania 38 entrance.
Something for Every Type of Collector
Nick Connolly, Fanatics’ vice president of collector relations, put it best:
“Whether you’re brand new to collecting or you’ve been at this for decades, walking through here hits different. Some stuff you’ll recognize immediately, other pieces will blow your mind. That’s what we’re going for.”
Fort Knox-Level Security
The security setup here doesn’t mess around. Every display case has its own guard, and alarms scream if anyone—even museum staff—gets too close without proper clearance. We’re talking more than 25 armed guards, round-the-clock surveillance cameras, both undercover and uniformed police, plus K-9 units prowling the premises throughout Fanatics Fest.
Yet despite all this protection, visitors still get remarkably close to items that usually exist only in collectors’ dreams.
The Museum’s Greatest Hits
Beyond Brady’s jersey collection, the museum showcases some serious heavy hitters:
- Honus Wagner’s T206 Sweet Caporal card graded 1.5 by PSA
- More than 30 premium Tom Brady cards
- Shohei Ohtani’s 2024 All-Star Game uniform alongside three rookie cards worth roughly $1 million
- Freddie Freeman’s World Series grand slam ball
- Michael Jordan’s 1998 “Last Dance” NBA Finals Game 3 jersey and his rookie-year game-worn Nikes
- Kobe Bryant’s 2010 NBA Finals game-worn jersey
- Jordan’s 1997 Fleer Precious Metal Gems Green and 1998 Fleer Metal Gem Masters one-of-a-kind cards
- LeBron James’ 2024 Topps Chrome Superfractor PSA 10—his very first Superfractor
- Over 50 Topps MLB Debut Patch autographed one-of-one cards
- Game-used bats from both Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle
Industry Veterans Are Impressed
Mike Mahan, CEO of Fanatics Collect and the guy who oversees trading card powerhouse Topps, walked through the exhibit before opening day. His reaction? Pure amazement.
“From a business perspective, I’m stunned by what they’ve pulled together and how fast they made it happen,” Mahan said. “For just the second year of this event, it’s genuinely remarkable. But honestly? The kid in me who used to rip packs hoping for something special—seeing all this displayed with such respect is just incredible.”
He continued:
“This represents everything we’re trying to achieve—elevating collectibles to match their cultural importance. When kids tear open card packs, they’re chasing that dream of finding something legendary. This exhibit? It’s that dream made real.”
