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Disney drafted by NFL for new merch line but fans are ‘disappointed’

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Disney’s latest collaboration with the NFL has officially been released and football fans are less than thrilled.

Announced in July, the Disney and Champion NFL Collection pairs all 32 NFL teams with characters from Disney, Star Wars, Marvel and Pixar.

The first eight pairings were revealed with the initial collaboration announcement at Fanatics Fest NYC and included the Buffalo Bills and the Beast from Beauty and the Beast, the Dallas Cowboys and Woody from Toy Story, and the Las Vegas Raiders and Star Wars’ Darth Vader.

The merchandise collection became available for purchase online Monday, with the full slate of pairings released to the disappointment of NFL fans hoping for a different happy ending.

“@Disney and @packers did anyone even try with our shirts? Atrocious. Everyone gets cool slogans and designs and I get Chewbacca (not even classic Pixar/disney) with packers at bottom. HORRIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!” one fan wrote on X while another said, “With so many possibilities is this the best they came up with? NFL and Disney really dropped the ball here.”

Disney's latest collaboration with the NFL has been releasedopen image in gallery

Disney's latest collaboration with the NFL has been released (Disney Consumer Products)

“Kinda disappointed. I was so looking forward to this collab but felt that the ones you showcased to present the collab got the best representation then just half-assed it the rest of the way,” another fan wrote as someone agreed, “Whoever was in charge of assigning the Disney characters to the NFL teams must be fired because wtf is this s***?”

“The Seahawks getting the seagulls from Nemo is laughable. Literally Super Bowl champs and didn’t even get a character that says more than 1 word,” someone else added while another wrote, “Pretty underwhelming tbh… some teams got incredible selections while others got the short end of the stick.”

Other fans voiced disappointment over pricing and sizes, with one writing on X, “Hey @NFL @Disney how about offering plus sizes above a 2x/3x :))) Most of your players can't even fit in these sizes friends. Sincerely, a disappointed, plus size football and Disney fan.”

Another agreed, writing, “Hey @NFL and @Disney, we didn’t think to put the new NFL Disney collab on toddler and infant sizes? You missed out big! A lot of parents and grandparents would have spent big. If I’m missing something please inform me where I can get! I See nothing but youth sizes.”

“@NFL @Disney wtf is this robbery? 65 dollars for 3 pair of socks? So 70+ with tax for socks. That's just outrageous and scummy. #nfl #disney,” someone else wrote.

C. J. Mosley (left), Wayne Chrebet, Buzz Lightyear and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell spoke onstage during the Disney Fan Draft at Fanatics Fest NYC 2026open image in gallery

C. J. Mosley (left), Wayne Chrebet, Buzz Lightyear and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell spoke onstage during the Disney Fan Draft at Fanatics Fest NYC 2026

The Independent has contacted Disney, the NFL, and Champion for comment.

When the collaboration was announced, Bret Healey, Disney’s Director of Graphic Design at Disney Consumer Products, said in a statement, “Today’s consumers view fandom as an extension of personal style, and this collection was designed with that mindset from the start.

“Each piece transforms team affiliation into something expressive, collectible and culturally relevant.”

The release comes just weeks ahead of the September 9 start of the 2026-2027 NFL season when the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks will host the New England Patriots.

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