Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow said that the Pokemon TCG culture is "definitely a weird one" after being asked some questions about the Pokemon franchise during a press conference. Burrow also said that, following the COVID-19 pandemic, he found it "pretty cool" that the Pokemon TCG space has since exploded.
It's no secret that collecting Pokemon TCG cards and products remains a lucrative hobby. While the Pokemon TCG has always been a popular hobby for Pokemon and card game enthusiasts alike, The Pokemon Company and retailers have struggled to keep up with the high demand over the last few years. The demand has been further exacerbated by scalpers who purchase several Pokemon TCG packs and boxes to resell them on eBay and Facebook Marketplace for marked-up prices. However, the popularity of P okemon TCG has also been used to support good causes, as evidenced by a charity auction for an autographed Kabuto card that sold for $51,100 on eBay in early December. All the proceeds from the Kabuto card sale were pledged to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
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Bengals QB Joe Burrow Talks Shop About Pokemon Cards
Ahead of the Bengals' upcoming AFC North division game against the Baltimore Ravens, some questions related to one of Burrow's off-field hobbies were asked during a December 10 press conference. In response to questions from the media, Burrow said that the culture of ripping open packs of Pokemon cards to grade and sell is "definitely a weird one" that has permeated social media. Burrow said that, while he does not go to stores for Pokemon TCG products, he heard stories of fans camping out in the restocking areas at different retailers and fighting each other just to get their hands on a box of Pokemon cards and other goods. Burrow also found it "pretty cool" that the Pokemon TCG space has taken off since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
For his 29th birthday, Burrow said that some of the Bengals' offensive line got him a Pokemon box, but he has not opened it yet. Burrow was also asked about some of his favorite Pokemon cards and games. Burrow said that, having played through the franchise, his favorite title was Pokemon Ruby, and that his favorite critters included Blaziken, Zapdos, and Mewtwo. However, Burrow said he is not a fan of Ghost-type Pokemon characters.
The Pokemon TCG Remains Popular Among Stars and Thieves
Burrow is not the only prominent NFL star to get into Pokemon cards. In early October, former NFL QB Tom Brady opened a trading card shop called CardVault in Manhattan, but the new store immediately became the center of attention for a different reason. According to an NYPD report, Brady's CardVault shop was robbed on October 20, and nearly $10,000 worth of Pokemo n cards and other valuable goods were stolen. NYPD said that an unidentified suspect tricked the store clerks into thinking they had paid for their cards when they actually had not. As of late November, the CardVault suspect was still at large, and the NYPD's investigation remained active.
Additionally, retailers have developed various deterrents aimed at preventing scalpers from buying up all their inventory of Pokemon TCG packs and other products. While Walmart has placed some limitations on specific Pokemon products, Gamestop issued an ultimatum to scalpers that went viral on social media. In short, GameStop said that it would ban any scalpers that bring a weight scale to their locations to measure Pokemon card packs. Given the continued popularity of Pokemon cards, it remains to be seen how The Pokemon Company and its partners will respond to the growing demand.
As for Burrow, the Bengals currently remain in the playoff hunt despite their 4-9 record in the 2025 NFL season. They will host the Ravens in a crucial AFC North division game on Sunday, December 14, at 1:00 PM Eastern.