Top 15 Most Valuable Fleer Football Cards from 1991 - Vintage Sports Cards (2023)

1991 Fleer #360 Joe Montana

PSA-10 Estimated Value: $75

Not that anyone would keep an eye on those things, but the 1991 preseason was the worst in franchise history for the San Francisco 49ers.

After back-to-back MVP campaigns, Joe Montana looked poised to clinch a third consecutive MVP.

The offense hit 9 of 11 starters, including its top three passing options in Jerry Rice, John Taylor and Brent Jones.

And then, on August 13, 1991, Montana injured his throwing arm throwing a 40-yard post pattern.

Montana was initially ordered to rest and give anti-inflammatory injections because the 49ers medical staff felt the injury was not severe enough to warrant further precautionary measures.

However, he quickly began experiencing even more intense pain in his elbow as he warmed up for the penultimate preseason game against the San Diego Chargers.

Additional testing soon exposed Montana's and the team's biggest fears: he would require surgery and be sidelined for the entire season.

Montana would only see action for San Francisco in the final game of the 1992 NFL season, which turned out to be their last in red and gold.

During the offseason, Team Montana traded Kansas City to end his career and signed a three-year, $10 million contract with the Chiefs.

1991 Large no. 363 Jerry Rice

PSA-10 Estimated Value: $65

In 1991, the San Francisco 49ers saw their eight-year playoff streak punctuated by playoff appearances.

Two eight-point losses to the Atlanta Falcons during the regular season earned the 10-6 Falcons the final NFC postseason berth against the 10-6 49ers.

It was a rough end to the year in the bay for sure.

Regardless, San Francisco believers were treated to another fantastic future GOAT year.

Without Joe Montana? No problem for the best wideout in the game.

Though legendary wide receiver Jerry Rice narrowly missed out on consensus first-team All-Pro honors for the first time in half a decade, he remained the NFL's most electrifying threat in 1991.

Rice finished the campaign with an NFL-high 80 receptions for 1,206 yards and 14 touchdowns.

His 75.6 yards per game average was his lowest since his rookie season in 1985.

However, his sixth consecutive 1,000-yard receiving season was far from a bad year by any measurable standard.

From 1985 to 1998, 1991 was the only season that did not precede a 49ers playoff appearance, so it was admittedly strange to witness a postseason without Rice running routes and catching passes.

1991 Fleer # 237 Emmitt Smith

Estimated value of PSA-10: $50

The 17th pick of the 1990 NFL Draft, Emmitt Smith of the University of Florida entered his first training camp with the Dallas Cowboys with high expectations.

The franchise hadn't made the playoffs since 1985, finishing 1989 with a miserable 1-15 record.

Two years later, Smith recklessly raced through the league and the Cowboys were preparing for their throne as one of the game's most notorious and successful dynasties.

Smith became the league's most prolific running back in 1991, rushing for 1,563 yards and winning his first of four rushing titles in five years.

He also finished the year leading the NFL in carries (365) and skill position touches (414), adding 49 receptions for 258 yards and one point.

The team's 11 wins matched the franchise's combined performance over the previous three seasons and earned them a wild card berth.

In the NFC Wild Card Game, Smith carried the ball 26 times for 105 yards and a touchdown in a thrilling 17-13 away win over the Chicago Bears.

In the NFC divisional round, Smith hit 15 carries for 80 yards and added a two-yard reception.

However, four turnovers in Dallas sealed their fate in a dismal 38-6 road loss.

In addition to the crash landing, Smith was one of the many reasons for the great optimism in North Texas.

1991 Fleer # 247 Barry Sanders

Estimated value of PSA-10: $50

During the 1991 regular season, Barry Sanders carried a one-dimensional Lions offense as he scored 342 carries for 1,548 yards and a league-high 16 rushing touchdowns.

His 103.2 rushing yards per game were a league record as he weaved through traffic to lead the Lions 12-4 to a Premier League title and playoff appearances since 1983.

And to top it off, he caught 41 passes for 307 yards and a score.

Sanders' brilliance on the field during the regular season earned him First-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors for the third straight year to launch his career.

But it's what happened after the season that Lions fans appreciate most to this day.

In the team's NFC Divisional Round home match against the Dallas Cowboys, Sanders posted nearly 100 yards from scrimmage as a dual threat weapon for the NFC Central champions.

He rushed 12 times for 69 yards and a touchdown and caught five passes for 30 yards, while frequently acting as bait in game action.

The Lions fought back and scored 24 unanswered points to win 38-6.

In the three decades since their Motown victory, the Lions are 9-0 in postseason competition.

That includes a disappointing 41-10 loss in the NFC Championship Game to the Washington Redskins next week.

1991 Fleer #110 via Jackson

Estimated value of PSA-10: $50

Sadly, Bo Jackson would not compete for a fifth season with the Los Angeles Raiders in 1991.

In January of that year, Jackson severely injured his hip during a playoff game against the Cincinnati Bengals, ending his NFL career for good.

He managed to salvage his MLB career by spending parts of two seasons with the Chicago White Sox in 1991 and 1993 and one with the California Angels in 1994 before finally retiring from professional sports.

In the late 1980s and 1990s, Bo Jackson was one of the biggest names in all of sports as his dual-sport fame took the world by storm as a star player for the Kansas City Royals and a professional player for the Raiders.

Those who grew up seeing him dominate in both fields as children have now built up an extensive collector base that keeps his cards in high demand.

1991 Fleer # 45 John Elway

Estimated value of the PSA-10: $30

While the traveling QB in Canton changed his narrative with some magic at the end of the Super Bowl, Elway's reputation going into the 1991 NFL season was that of a big bust.

Elway was predictably strong during the regular season, leading the Broncos to a 12-4 record and an AFC West title by completing 53.7% of his passes for 3,253 yards, 13 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

Denver entered the 1991 NFL playoffs with one punch in a Super Bowl run thanks to Elway and the third-best defense in the league.

Five years after throwing a 98-yard touchdown against a stunned Cleveland Browns team near the end of the 1986 AFC Championship game, Elway has put together a streak worthy of The Drive.

24-23 in the final showdown of the AFC Divisional Round against the Houston Oilers, he led Denver from the 2-yard line to the Houston 11-yard line with a dizzying series of clutch shots.

Kicker David Treadwell broke the posts with 16 seconds left and sent the Broncos into the AFC championship game.

Ecstasy turned to frustration the following week when Elway was smothered on the street in Buffalo, completing just 11 of 21 passes for 121 yards and an interception.

The Bills defense sacked him three times and completely derailed Denver's offensive offense, earning him a Super Bowl berth with a 10–7 victory.

1991 Fleer #124 Dan Marino

Estimated value of the PSA-10: $30

The 1991 NFL season was similar for Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino.

The prolific future Hall of Fame quarterback was a one-man wrecking crew, tearing apart opposing defenses with impressive aerial attacks week after week.

He started all sixteen games for the Dolphins and completed 57.9% of his passes for 3,970 yards, 25 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.

And while the 30-year-old quarterback was never considered a rusher, he did add 32 yards on the ground and one score.

With Marino at the helm, Miami finished third in the NFL in passing, sixth in points scored and seventh in overall offense.

With a reasonable defense, the Dolphins could have been a playoff team.

But that's not how it happened, as opposing attacks hit the front of Miami with seven more frequencies.

The Dolphins finished the year second to bottom in total defense and bottom five in points allowed (24th of 28) and total defense (25th).

Miami ended the year 8-8 and was knocked out of the playoffs for the fourth time in five seasons.

1991 Fleer #228 Troy Aikman

Estimated value of PSA-10: $25

Things began to come together for Troy Aikman during his third season in the NFL, as he, Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin began to forge a high-profile Cowboys offense that would dominate for years to come.

Aikman led the Cowboys to a 6-5 record with 2,754 passing yards, 11 touchdowns and a significantly improved 65.3% completion rate through the first 11 games of the season.

Unfortunately, during a Week 12 away game against the divisional rivals Washington Redskins, Aikman was forced to pull out of the game due to injury.

Steve Beurelein came off the bench to help Dallas cap off a 24-21 victory that kicked off a winning streak that saw the team win the rest of the season and finish 2nd in the NFC East 11-5.

After Beurlein and the Cowboys defeated the no.

Unfortunately, Aikman fared no better as the Lions defeated the Cowboys 38-6.

Dallas fans didn't have long to wait for victory when Aikman led America's Team to a 52-17 victory over the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXVII the following year.

1991 Nice não. 319 Lawrence Taylor

Estimated value of PSA-10: $25

Legendary linebacker Lawrence Taylor's incredible career finally began to wind down in the 1991 season.

After his second Super Bowl triumph in five years and ten consecutive Pro Bowl seasons early in his career, everything changed for Taylor and the New York Giants.

Before the 1991 season, Hall of Fame head coach Bill Parcells decided that two Super Bowls and eight seasons as head coach of the Giants was enough and retired (for the first time).

Taylor was very close to Parcells, so his departure took a toll on him and the rest of the Giants' dominant defense.

Fatigue and injuries from a decade of hard work also took their toll on Taylor.

Under new head coach Ray Handley, Taylor played in fourteen games, recovering two fumbles and finishing with seven sacks as the team stumbled to an 8-8 record and missed the playoffs.

There would be no eleventh trip to the Pro Bowl for Taylor, and he would fold for good after a 44-3 playoff loss to the 49ers on January 15, 1994.

1991 Fleer #336 Reggie White

Estimated value of PSA-10: $25

If you were to argue that Reggie White was the greatest defenseman in NFL history, few would argue against you.

Perhaps no one would argue with you.

In his glittering 15-year career, White dominated the offensive lines, won two Defensive Player of the Year awards, was named an eight-time All-Pro, made the Pro Bowl thirteen times and won one Super Bowl title.

The "Secretary of Defense" used every tool and technique at his disposal, from the arm stroke to the bull run to the forearm twitch, to beat countless double-team efforts.

He was dominant again in the 1991 season, as he collected fifteen more sacks, forced two fumbles, cleared three fumbles, and even caught one of his three career interceptions in his sixth straight Pro Bowl campaign.

White also set the season record for most passes defended by a quarterback at age thirteen, a record since held by J.J. Watt.

Despite White's menacing defensive efforts, the Philadelphia Eagles finished third in the NFC East with a 10-6 record and were eliminated from the playoffs.

1991 Fleer # 367 Steve Young

Estimated value of PSA-10: $25

Although it was at the expense of Joe Montana, who missed the entire 1991 season with an elbow injury, Steve Young finally got his chance to be promoted to the starting lineup for the San Francisco 49ers.

After settling into his new role, Young led the 49ers to a 4-4 record in the first eight weeks of the season.

Unfortunately, Young's world came crashing down during a Week 9 game on the road against the Atlanta Falcons when a knee injury forced him out of the game.

Backup Steve Bono replaced Young admirably and played well enough for coach George Seifert to keep him in the starting line-up even after Young recovered.

Then things changed again in Week 15, when Young had to replace an injured Steve Bono late in the Chiefs game.

Young ended the season with an exclamation point when he decimated the Chicago Bears' home defense in a Week 16 game on Monday night and solidified himself as a dual threat.

In front of the Candlestick home crowd, Young rushed for 338 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 63 yards and another touchdown.

Young capitalized on that momentum and turned it into an MVP-winning campaign the following season.

1991 Fleer # 14 Thurman Thomas

Estimated value of PSA-10: $25

Going into the 1991 NFL season, Thurman Thomas had already built a reputation as a multidimensional threat that could beat him both on the ground and in the air.

In back-to-back 1989 and 1990 seasons, Thomas led the NFL in yards from scrimmage with 1,913 and 1,829 yards, respectively.

But Thomas decided he wasn't done yet and began a career year in 1991.

With the Buffalo Bills' high-profile offense firing on all cylinders, Thomas became the eleventh player (then) to pass 2,000 all-purpose yards.

The versatile defender rushed 288 times for 1,407 yards and seven touchdowns, while catching 62 passes for 631 yards and five points.

His 2,038 all-purpose yards made it the third consecutive year he led the NFL.

Amazingly, he did it again in 1992 for the fourth straight year, racking up 2,113 yards from scrimmage.

Thomas was one of the opposing defense's biggest nightmares from the late '80s through the mid-'90s, but the 1991 season saw him take home MVP and Offensive Player of the Year honors.

1991 Fleer #408 Joe Montana League Leader

Estimated value of PSA-10: $25

The League Leaders subset included several players who excelled in various offensive categories during the 1990 season.

Montana won his second consecutive MVP award for his performance in the 1990 season, but unfortunately the 49ers were denied the chance to jump into the Super Bowl when the New York Giants defeated them 15-13 in the NFC Championship Game.

The back cover provides an excellent description of Montana's accomplishments and legacy as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time.

1991 Fleer #415 Barry Sanders Ligaführer

Estimated value of PSA-10: $25

During the 1990 NFL season, Barry Sanders led all football with 1,304 rushing yards and 16 total touchdowns, while his 1,784 scrimmage yards led the NFC.

As a dueling threat, Sanders was a nightmare for opposing defenses, but most will remember his incredible zigzag runs that left would-be defenders utterly baffled.

Fleer did an excellent job highlighting Sanders' general skills and also pointing out some one player successes.

1991 Flotte No. 418 League Leaders Emmitt Smith

Estimated value of PSA-10: $25

The back of Emmitt Smith's "League Leaders" card captures the high expectations the NFL had not only of the winning runner-up, but of itself.

After earning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors for his efforts during the 1990 season, Smith truly lived up to everyone's expectations.

By the time he retired after the 2004 season, Smith had become the all-time rushing leader with 18,355 yards, along with eight Pro Bowl selections, an MVP award, and three Super Bowl rings.

1991 Fleer Football Cards in retrospect

The 1991 Fleer football deck features several stars and Hall of Famers, but doesn't have a lot of deck power for beginners.

The checklist isn't overwhelming at just 432 cards, making putting together a complete set less challenging than other sets at the time.

There were also some interesting subgroups, including:

• Club (#396 - 407)
• League leaders (#408 - 419)

While I think there's a lot of nostalgia on set, it seems to go unnoticed by others at the time.

The basic design probably has a lot to do with it.

Still, this set offers plenty of great memorabilia from some of the greatest legends in gaming history, at a relatively affordable price.