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2023 Donruss Football released November 22, 2023 – complete with 400 cards, rated rookies, and Downtown inserts – and 2023 Optic does not have a slated release. That said, you can find 100 Optic Rated Rookies Preview Holo cards within Donruss, with a number of parallels including football emoji and black pandora /25.
I’ll say that football card releases are always a bit head-scratching. For instance, I see a lot of people referencing this most recent Donruss release as “2023 Donruss” becuase, well, it was released in February of 2023.
At least this year, with a November 2023 release, a lot of that should be put to bed.
The other confusing thing is that while Donruss and Optic are different products, Optic is officially offered as “Donruss Optic.” Throw in the fact that there is also Clearly Donruss, and it’s no wonder people are searching for 2023 Donruss months before it’s ever released.
- 2022 Donruss Football 2/15/2023
- 2022 Clearly Donruss Football 4/21/2023
- 2022 Donruss Optic Football 5/31/2023
Thus…
Donruss football doesn’t usually release until after the season has been completed, which means 2023 Donruss football won’t be released until February 2024.
What to Know About Donruss Football
Just like Topps flagship and Topps chrome, the hobby puts more value on Optic than it does Donruss, but even so, there is a lot to love about Donruss.
Set Collectors
Donruss is consistently a great set for full-checklist collecting. Meaning, anyone looking to put together a solid well-rounded set should find that in Donruss.
Read More: Donruss vs. Optic
Especially with 2022’s increase in cards from 350 to 400, there is more than enough to chase.
Rookie Collectors
Catering to those who grew up collecting in the 80s, the familiar Donruss “rated rookie” logo is one that brings great joy.
Older collectors can experience feeling in modern day Donruss releases, and today’s new crop of collectors can get a taste of what it was like before prizms, silvers, refractors, and the like.
Rated rookies, like the Brock Purdy above, currently take up a large chunk of the entries on the list of hottest football cards at the moment.
Autographs & Relics
Somewhat of table stakes when it comes to releasing cards in the modern day, autographs and relics play a big part in every Donruss release. While sticker autos might not appeal to a large part of the hobby, I personally love the designs and patches of Jersey Kings and Canton Kings.
Downtown and Case Hits
Last but not least, atop of most people’s collecting wishlist is the coveted Downtown insert. Typically featuring a featured player “downtown” or in front of a backdrop made up of local area favorites, last year’s Downtown introduced a Super Bowl vibe. So, who knows what 2024 will hold.
Read More: Valuable Downtown Football Cards
In addition, though, odds state there were two SSPs per hobby case in 2022, which included Gridiron Marvels and Night Moves.
So, all things told, there is a lot to look for in the 2023 release. Be sure to check back as we will certainly update this with more info as it comes about.
