Last week I looked at Fleer’s football debut. This week? I check out the premier of a new premium product from Fleer, 1995 Flair Football.

The set features a 220-card base set. They’re all horizontal and feature two player photos, one action shot and one portrait. All the writing on the card fronts was etched foil. The cards were printed on thicker card stock that really makes the set feel like it belongs in the premium space. 

There are just three inserts to chase in this one. Hot Numbers inserts are found 1:6 packs, TD Power cards are twice as tough, landing 1:12 packs. Wave of the Future cards are even tougher, found just once in every 37 packs.

There are 28 Rookie Cards in the base checklist. Four of those rookies happen to be in the Hall of Fame: Tony Boselli, Derrick Brooks, Curtis Martin, and Warren Sapp.

1995 Flair Football Box Break

Cards per pack: 9
Packs per box: 36
Price paid: $36

Shop for 1995 Flair Football boxes on eBay.

Pack 1 highlights:

Herschel Walker, Eric Metcalf & Emmitt Smith

Emmitt broke the 1,000 rushing yards mark in eleven straight seasons from 1991 to 2001.

Pack 2:

Brett Favre, Warren Moon, Rodney Hampton & Terance Mathis

Pack 3:

Jim Everett, Randall Cunningham, Craig Heyward & Michael Irvin

Pack 4:

Kordell Stewart RC, Steve McNair RC, Napoleon Kaufman RC, Shannon Sharpe & Bruce Smith

Pack 5:

Robert Smith & Herschel Walker

Smith’s best season was his last one when he rushed for 1,521 yards and seven touchdowns. He was named a second team All-Pro and then hung up his cleats. 

Pack 6:

Carl Pickens & Rashaan Salaam RC

Pack 7:

Trent Dilfer & Dan Marino Hot Numbers (1:6 packs)

Pack 8:

Vinny Testaverde, John Elway & Andre Rison

Pack 9:

Jim Kelly & Curtis Martin RC

Martin ranks sixth on the all-time rushing list with 14,101 yards. He also happens to have one of the best autographs you will ever see. 

Pack 10:

Brian Blades, Jerome Bettis, Marcus Allen & Ben Coates Hot Numbers (1:6 packs)

Pack 11:

Marcus Allen, Boomer Esiason, Kevin Greene & Isaac Bruce

Pack 12:

Andre Reed, Steve Atwater & Kerry Collins RC

Pack 13:

Eric Metcalf, Emmitt Smith & Reggie White

Reggie White retired following the 1998 season. How did he do that year? He won Defensive Player of the Year after recording 16 sacks and forcing four fumbles. He would attempt a return during the 2000 season, and recorded 5 1/2 sacks at the age of 39. 

Pack 14:

Ricky Watters & Bruce Smith

Pack 15:

Raghib Ismail, Brian Blades, Jerome Bettis & Brett Favre Hot Numbers (1:6 packs)

Pack 16:

Rick Mirer, Kordell Stewart RC, Steve McNair RC & Drew Bledsoe Hot Numbers (1:6 packs)

Pack 17:

Napoleon Kaufman RC, Shannon Sharpe & “Rocket” Ismail

Sharpe had a little run-in with some Grizzlies players the other night in LA. The scene almost got ugly really quickly. 

Pack 18:

Reggie White & Jeff Blake RC

Pack 19:

Brent Jones & Trent Dilfer Hot Numbers (1:6 packs)

Pack 20:

Jeff Blake RC, Andre Reed & Kerry Collins RC

Pack 21:

Isaac Bruce, Trent Dilfer & Bam Morris TD Power (1:12 packs)

Bam Morris would not have been my first choice on this checklist, but it’s still a nice looking insert. 

Pack 22:

Warren Sapp RC, Rick Mirer & another Dilfer Hot Numbers (1:6 packs)

Pack 23:

Deion Sanders, Errict Rhett & Chris Warren TD Power (1:12 packs)

Pack 24:

Boomer Esiason, Isaac Bruce, Kevin Greene & Trent Dilfer

Pack 25:

Steve Atwater, Carl Pickens & Rashaan Salaam RC

Salaam had an impressive rookie year in 1995, rushing for 1,074 yards and 10 touchdowns. His career went downhill quickly after that. 

Pack 26:

Bam Morris, Drew Bledsoe & Terry Kirby

Pack 27:

Troy Aikman & Cris Carter

Pack 28:

Irving Fryar & Greg Lloyd

Pack 29:

Leon Lett & Barry Sanders

Lett was part of the Cowboys dynasty in the 1990s, winning three Super Bowls. 

Pack 30:

Daryl “Moose” Johnston & Jake Reed

Pack 31:

Dan Marino, Junior Seau, Kevin Carter RC, Dana Stubblefield & Derrick Brooks RC

Pack 32:

Ricky Watters, Robert Smith & Desmond Howard

Pack 33:

Garrison Hearst, Jeff George, Herman Moore, Charles Haley, Robert Brooks & Qadry Ismail

Pack 34:

Steve Young, Willie McGinest, Cortez Kennedy & Tim Brown

Pack 35:

Ken Norton, Marshall Faulk, Jerry Rice & Rice TD Power (1:12 packs)

Double Rice cards! Did you see his 49ers bling he was wearing at the game?

Pack 36:

Ben Coates, Joey Galloway RC & Rod Woodson

Lastly, the Woodson card back. Even the backs are fitting for a premium card set.

I have always liked this set. I remember somehow finding some of these as a kid and enjoying them. It definitely feels like a premium product. I do think the inserts do leave something to be desired. At least the Hot Numbers cards are super bright and really stand out. The only insert I missed in this one was the tough Wave of the Future cards, which fall 1:37 packs. 

The one thing I really don’t like about this set is the actual packs. Each comes inside a small box. The boxes are also wrapped in plastic, meaning you have to rip the plastic off, open the box, and then rip the pack open. It’s excessive. 

Shop for 1995 Flair Football cards on:

• Beckett Marketplace
• eBay

Want more installments of Shane Salmonson’s Cheap Wax Wednesday? Check out his other breaks in the archives.