Let's begin with this premise: The Panini America Acquisitions and Customer Service teams take pride in producing industry-leading results founded in the tireless pursuit of getting the job done. Sometimes that happens in short order. Sometimes it can take years . . . and years . . . and years. In fact, this particular story has taken almost half a decade to complete and underscores, at least in this case, the importance of always keeping up with Joneses.
Let’s begin with this premise: The Panini America Acquisitions and Customer Service teams take pride in producing industry-leading results founded in the tireless pursuit of getting the job done. Sometimes that happens in short order. Sometimes it can take years . . . and years . . . and years. In fact, this particular story has taken almost half a decade to complete and underscores, at least in this case, the importance of always keeping up with Joneses.
Indeed, no matter how many thousands of autographs have been acquired and redemptions successfully fulfilled by Panini America through the years, one burning question has persisted seemingly every day since late in the 2011 product season: What about Julio?
Julio, of course, is Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones, an NFL superstar since he first stepped into the league as a first-round pick from Alabama. Jones was a bona fide headliner in a stacked 2011 rookie class that also included Cam Newton, Von Miller, A.J. Green, Patrick Peterson, J.J. Watt, Mark Ingram and Tyrod Taylor. As a result, he instantly became one of the most collected players in football.
But a peculiar thing happened on the way to producing some of his key 2011 Rookie Cards: Jones stopped signing. He didn’t sign Contenders . . . or National Treasures . . . or Totally Certified . . . or Limited. Inserted in their place were redemption cards that seemed, at the time, to be just a few quick signing sessions away. But those sessions never materialized.
Weeks became months. Months became years. Years stacked on top of years. Throughout the process, as Jones was steadily becoming one of the best receivers in the NFL, Panini America officials worked diligently behind the scenes in hopes of securing arguably the most important sit-down in the history of redemption cards.
Along the way, Panini America officials found out what the game’s best cornerbacks have known for a while: Jones is almost impossible to catch up with. The more his statistics bulged, the more anxious fans and collectors holding his redemptions became — and rightfully so. They called. They emailed. They Tweeted. They took to the message boards. Some lost hope altogether and opted to swap out their Jones redemptions for something comparable, convinced that he was never going to sign.
But the folks inside the Panini America Acquisitions department never lost hope. And they never gave up. They kept working the phones, and remained in frequent contact with the NFLPA and Jones’ representatives in hopes of one day landing that elusive “Yes” that would lead to Jones signing the thousands of key cards that had been safely in his possession since he received them during his rookie season.
Last week, that day finally came. Julio Jones has signed.
We’ll give you a second to let that set in.
Jones signed his 2011 Contenders Football cards. And his 2011 National Treasures Football cards. And his 2011 Limited Football cards. And his 2011 Totally Certified Football cards. And his 2011 Playbook Football cards. And his 2011 Plates & Patches Football cards. And his 2011 Prime Signatures cards.
He signed . . . everything.
It took five years, but at long last, the Falcon has landed. This job is done. Now . . . it’s on to the next one. But in the meantime, do yourself a favor and check out the results of last week’s epic signing session in the must-see gallery that follows.
Woohoo! My faith in your redemption acquisitions team is finally going to pay off! Needless to say, this is my oldest unfulfilled redemption.
Darn…I thought he would never sign my Contenders and gave up after 3 years and asked for a replacement. Oh well.
I’ve said it on my own blog but I’m not sure I ever said it here…but you guys are the best in the history of the hobby when it comes to redemption cards. While I may not collect football it’s great to see that you put in all that effort after all these years. I have a couple basketball redemptions outstanding and I have no intention to ask for a replacement or complain. I trust you .
Appreciate the kind words!
man those are sweet. Nice to finally see them; think the prime sign is my fav
I gave up after years of waiting for my 2 Julio contenders auto RC redemptions. I can’t believe they got them done. I still remember how excited I was when I opened that box and saw the redemption card, please be Julio, please be Julio, and it was… I was so bumbed when the cards never got sent. I just kept waiting year after year.
I wish I knew they’d come through. Life’s funny like that.
There has been such an immediate, huge response from the hobby world to this news, I can’t remember anything like it. Great job by the acquisitions team in staying with these, watch the secondary market prices go skyrocketing on 2011 products now since Panini honors all it’s past redemptions unlike *cough cough* some other lesser companies. Thanks Tracy!
Awesome, now let’s work on those Corey Dillon redemptions from 2012 Absolute and Momentum
Sadly I’m still waiting on my plates and patches auto
If he signed everything, why am I still waiting?