The Walking Dead Unveils Special Edition Digital Topps Trading Cards Featuring NFL Players Turned Walkers

Debi Moore |

Feb 3, 2017

Just in time for Sunday’s Super Bowl, AMC’s “The Walking Dead” has released a special edition digital card set featuring “zombified” professional football players from the Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots, and more.

Greg Nicotero, executive producer, director, and special FX make-up designer for “The Walking Dead,” has created hand-drawn walkers out of Malcolm Jenkins, Geno Atkins, Cole Beasley, Jesse James, Shea McClellin, and John Kuhn, among others, on digital trading cards that football and series fans can collect, at no charge, for a limited time.

“The Walking Dead,” now in its seventh season, is the No. 1 show on television. With “The Walking Dead: Card Trader” app from Topps Digital, fans can collect over 5,000 cards that feature favorite characters, thrilling moments, and locations from the show and trade with fellow fans around the world. The app is available in the iTunes App Store and Google Play Store with hot new digital card releases daily including never-before-seen content covering the entire history of the TV phenomenon. This special-edition set is part of a co-branded licensing effort with the NFL Players Association and made possible through Topps Digital – which is a mutual licensee.

“As far as we’re concerned, the only thing missing from the Big Game is zombies, and we are pleased to rectify that with these special edition ‘The Walking Dead’ cards,” said Theresa Beyer, senior vice president, brand activation and promotions, AMC. “As the #No. 1 show on television for five years running, ‘The Walking Dead’ has a huge fan base that includes many pro football players who enthusiastically signed up to become zombified walkers. We are committed to serving our passionate fans in a variety of ways and can’t think of a better way to celebrate the Big Game and the return of ‘The Walking Dead’ on February 12 than these special edition cards.”

That’s a sentiment echoed by Malcolm Jenkins of the Philadelphia Eagles: “I am a huge fan of ‘The Walking Dead,’” Jenkins said. “In fact, preparing for a zombie apocalypse is my off-season hobby. So I had to jump on the opportunity to become one through the NFLPA’s collaboration with AMC and Topps Digital. I’m excited to see how the other players’ artwork comes out. I think mine turned out pretty cool – I make an excellent zombie.”

As football season ends, “The Walking Dead” returns. The highly anticipated second half of Season 7 of “The Walking Dead” starts on Sunday, February 12th, at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT. “The Walking Dead” is executive produced by showrunner Scott M. Gimple, Robert Kirkman, Gale Anne Hurd, Greg Nicotero, Dave Alpert, and Tom Luse.

As for Super Bowl LI, between the Falcons and Patriots, kickoff is set for approximately 6:30 pm ET on Sunday.