Tom Brady, Peyton Manning Lead NFLPA Top 50 Player Sales Year-End Rankings

Tom Brady didn't bring home a fifth Super Bowl championship or a third MVP award in 2015. He did, however, establish himself as the NFL's best in another way: merchandise sales.

According to a release the NFL Players Association sent out Monday, the New England Patriots quarterback led all players in jersey sales from March 1, 2015, to Feb. 29, 2016. He's immediately followed by Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning, who understandably saw a boost thanks to his retirement at the end of the 2015 season.

Here's a look at the top 10:

Ranking	Player	Position	Team
1	Tom Brady	QB	New England Patriots
2	Peyton Manning	QB	Denver Broncos
3	Russell Wilson	QB	Seattle Seahawks
4	Aaron Rodgers	QB	Green Bay Packers
5	Dez Bryant	WR	Dallas Cowboys
6	Odell Beckham Jr.	WR	New York Giants
7	Cam Newton	QB	Carolina Panthers
8	Rob Gronkowski	TE	New England Patriots
9	J.J. Watt	DE	Houston Texans
10	Jason Witten	TE	Dallas Cowboys

The full top 50 rankings are available at the NFLPA site.

Looking at the list, there really aren't many surprises. Quarterbacks make up the top four and half of the top 10. It's the most important and most visible position on the field. Quarterbacks are the faces of their franchises, so it's understandable fans would buy their merchandise. Teams are also far less likely to give up on a franchise signal-caller than a position player, giving the merchandise added shelf life.

Cam Newton, who finished seventh in merchandise sales in 2015, will likely see a major boost in next year's rankings. He was the league's MVP, led the Carolina Panthers to a Super Bowl berth and has become one of the most marketable players in the sport. Given football's uber-serious reputation, Newton's dabbing and infectious energy have been a breath of fresh air.

A deeper look at the top 10 reveals fans gravitate toward the game's biggest personalities. Dez Bryant and Odell Beckham Jr. enjoy making headlines almost as much as they love scoring touchdowns.

Bryant's brashness has drawn negative headlines in the past, but no one doubts his passion for the game. Beckham might be the most explosive receiver in football, and if not, he's certainly its most spectacular.

Rob Gronkowski might be the most fun human being on the planet, football or otherwise. His on-field dominance is perhaps surpassed only by the enjoyment he has off the field. What other player would throw himself a party cruise?

J.J. Watt is the polar opposite. He's the Platonic ideal of a football player, a man so dedicated to his craft that not even a flood can keep him away from team facilities. Watt is the football player for fans who don't need all the antics—or for those who just want to support a superhuman specimen who eats offensive linemen for breakfast.

The only truly curious name in the top 10 is Jason Witten, who doesn't fit in any of those categories. Witten is a future Hall of Famer, but he's near the end of his career and plays a non-premium position. He's also not overloaded with endorsements or consistently featured in celebrity gossip. By all accounts, Witten's just a good teammate who goes in, does his job and keeps to himself.

It may be more of a testament to the Cowboys' branding power than anything that he remains so popular.

Follow Tyler Conway (@jtylerconway) on Twitter.