Buzz Break: 2025 Donruss football cards (holiday blaster)

From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2025 Donruss NFL cards (holiday blaster)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for other formats)

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery of highlights from this one.

Packs per box: 6
Cards per pack: 15
Cards per box: 90
Base set completion: 
84 of 400 (21 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Jalen Hurts, Drake Maye, Saquon Barkley, C.J. Stroud, T.J. Watt, Ja'Marr Chase, Travis Kelce, Matt Stafford, Brock Purdy, Marvin Harrison Jr., Emmitt Smith, John Elway, Jim Kelly, Drew Brees, Drew Bledsoe, James Lofton, Terry Bradshaw, Harold Carmichael, Doug Williams

Rookie Cards (Rated Rookies) (11) – TreVeyon Henderson, Trevor Etienne, Riley Leonard, Jaydon Blue, Jordan James, Don't Thornton Jr., KeAndre Lambert-Smith, Elijah Arroyo, Xavier Watts, Armand Membou, Jack Sawyer

Insert/short-print cards: 5 (all in gallery below with some base)
Red & Green Rated Rookie Optic Preview (1) – Matthew Golden
Red Press Proof parallel (1) – Nico Collins
Champ Is Here (1) – Jahan Dotson
Legend Series (1) – Jeremy Shockey
Retro 1995 (1) – Brian Thomas Jr.

Autographs/Memorabilia: 1
Rookie Sweater (1) – Quinshon Judkins

What’s Buzz-worthy: This annual edition of Donruss -- a retail exclusive -- is one that includes a pair of card types both found one per box in this format and they're both ones that make this one worth the look. Those are a guaranteed Optic preview card that will always be a rookie and a holiday-themed Rookie Sweater card. Both give the box a shot at a good name and something a smidge different than the rest every single time -- and that can pay off or it can be a whiff -- but at least there was a shot. In this case, both are not bad names but perhaps not yet top-tier names. The design for Donruss this year feels a little more advanced for a flagship-style release though the backs do feel a little proportionally clunky -- the 1990 Upper Deck MLB style photo on the back is nice but things feel blocky and the info forces a card tilt to view. (Of course, if the photo was across the top then it would be 1989 Score NFL.) The mix of past names here adds some star power and some oddly interesting non-Hall of Famer names in there while 300 veterans and then 100 rookies (everybody is a Rated Rookie this year) do make it a big set where stars might be elusive at times. This box was OK on that front -- but this format is once again lean on insert cards and my non-exclusives in this box could have been stronger ... so keep that in mind. The mem card and the Optic make it worth it since this isn't a premium-priced box and the rookie volume is good. I'll perhaps rip into more this season.

Product Grade: A-
Box Grade: A- (guarantees in this format give boxes pretty decent potential for price vs. a lot of retail options)
Fun Grade: B (lean on regular inserts beyond the exclusives for my taste)

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