RG III's jersey sales took a hit

John Keim, ESPN Staff WriterJan 31, 2014, 08:50 AM ET
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Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III's popularity took a definite hit this past season -- but he remains a popular player. Griffin, despite a subpar season and some critical stories, ranked fourth on NFL Players Inc.’s Top 25 player sales list.

Of course, that represents a fall after what his jersey did during his rookie season when it set records for sales at NFLShop.com since the league started tracking such matters in 2006 -- and there was no doubt about his popularity then. Last year, ESPN reported that sales of Redskins merchandise increased 250 percent on fanatics.com, owed largely to Griffin's presence.

But, according to NFLShop.com, Griffin ranked fifth in jersey sales from April 1 to Sept. 30 this past year. But he dropped out of the top 10 when their next rankings came out earlier this month (though he's fifth on their website for most-searched jersey). The numbers mirror his struggles on the playing field this past season.

And for those keeping score on how he compares to Andrew Luck, the player selected above him, the Colts quarterback ranks 10th on the NFLPI list, though I'm sure he's eased his, uh, pain by dwelling more on consecutive playoff appearances and not jersey sales. But Griffin does trail other young quarterbacks in Russell Wilson and Colin Kaepernick.

Regardless, here's the list of the top 25 jersey retail sales from September to November 2013 that was released Thursday:

1. Russell Wilson, Seahawks

2. Colin Kaepernick, 49ers

3. Peyton Manning, Broncos

4. Robert Griffin III, Redskins

5. Tom Brady, Patriots

6. Aaron Rodgers, Packers

7. J.J. Watt, Texans

8. Drew Brees, Saints

9. Marshawn Lynch, Seahawks

10. Andrew Luck, Colts

11. Richard Sherman, Seahawks