1996 Pro Line Intense Football features a short base checklist of just 100 cards. The design is just as simple, with borderless cards featuring just a team helmet, player name, and set branding. All 100 base cards are also found in Double Intensity parallels that feature a bronze stamp on the card fronts. 

There are two main inserts in this product. Determined has a 20-card checklist and are found just once in every 50 packs. Otherwise, there are phone cards. Yes, phone cards. Remember those? They have $3 and $5 versions. Luckily, there are some Hall of Fame rookies included on the checklist, with Marvin Harrison, Ray Lewis, and Jonathan Ogden highlighting the first-year players. 

I am going to choose to ignore the fact that all of these cards stuck together coming out of the packs. Just keep that in mind when considering buying this one.

1996 Pro Line II Intense Football Box Break:

Cards per pack: 5
Packs per box: 36
Price paid: $28

Shop for 1996 Pro Line Intense Football boxes on eBay.

Pack 1 highlights:

Jim Kelly, Simeon Rice, Joey Galloway & Mark Brunell

Jim Kelly led the Bills to four straight Super Bowls. Unfortunately they didn’t win one. 

Pack 2:

Thurman Thomas, Tim Brown & Michael Westbrook Double Intensity (1:5 packs)

Pack 3:

Carl Pickens, Vinny Testaverde & John Elway

Pack 4:

Warren Moon

Pack 5:

Kerry Collins, Eric Metcalf & Drew Bledsoe

Bledsoe won one Super Bowl in New England, as Tom Brady’s backup. 

Pack 6:

Terry Glenn & Ricky Watters

Pack 7:

Robert Brooks, Michael Irvin, Ray Lewis & Joey Galloway Double Intensity (1:5 packs)

Pack 8:

Irving Fryar & Terrell Davis

Pack 9:

Errict Rhett, Lawrence Phillips & Reggie White

Reggie won one Super Bowl ring in his career, beating Bledsoe’s Patriots in 1996. 

Pack 10:

Vinny Testaverde & Carl Pickens

Pack 11:

Warren Moon & Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Pack 12:

Rashaan Salaam, Drew Bledsoe & Eric Metcalf

Pack 13:

Derrick Thomas, Terry Glenn & Ricky Watters

Derrick Thomas was selected to the Pro Bowl the first nine seasons of his 11-year Hall of Fame career. 

Pack 14:

Robert Brooks, Ray Lewis, Michael Irvin & Rick Mirer Double Intensity (1:5 packs)

Pack 15:

Cris Carter, Irving Fryar & Terrell Davis

Pack 16:

Reggie White & Lawrence Phillips

Pack 17:

Curtis Martin, Emmitt Smith, Michael Westbrook, Eddie George & another Emmitt

Smith is the only player on the checklist with two base cards. One of them is a checklist. 

Pack 18:

Terance Mathis & Keyshawn Johnson

Pack 19:

Derrick Thomas, dual Emmit Smiths & Eddie George

Pack 20:

Keyshawn Johnson & Terance Mathis

Pack 21:

Michael Westbrook, Marcus Allen & Thurman Thomas Double Intensity (1:5 packs)

Thurman Thomas was Jim Kelly’s running back in all four of Buffalo’s Super Bowl appearances.

Pack 22:

Rashaan Salaam & Mark Brunell $3 Phone Card (1:18 packs)

Pack 23:

Cris Carter, Andre Rison & Brett Favre

Pack 24:

Rick Mirer, Jeff George & Steve Young

Pack 25:

Curtis Martin, Junior Seau & Rodney Hampton

Seau made a dozen straight Pro Bowls from 1991 through 2002. 

Pack 26:

Steve McNair, Kordell Stewart & Steve Young Double Intensity (1:5 packs)

Pack 27:

Deion Sanders, Herman Moore & Dan Marino

Pack 28:

Marcus Allen & Curtis Martin Double Intensity (1:5 packs)

Pack 29:

Jeff Blake & Steve McNair

The late Steve McNair won MVP honors following the 2003 season after throwing for 3,215 yards, 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions. 

Pack 30:

Deion Sanders, Andre Rison, Brett Favre, Trent Dilfer & Mark Brunell $5 Phone Card (1:35 packs)

Pack 31:

Marshall Faulk, Steve Young, Jeff George & George $3 Phone Card (1:18 packs)

It’s kind of a bummer that they used the same exact photos on the base cards and phone cards.

Pack 32:

Junior Seau & Rodney Hampton\

Pack 33:

Marvin Harrison, Kordell Stewart & Jim Harbaugh Double Intensity (1:5 packs)

Jim Harbaugh just signed a contract with the LA Chargers to make the leap back to NFL coaching. He previously coached the 49ers from 2011 to 2014.

Pack 34:

Isaac Bruce, Herman Moore & Dan Marino

Pack 35:

Troy Aikman & Jim Harbaugh

Pack 36:

Jerry Rice & Barry Sanders

Lastly, the Barry card back. I do like the use of a second, large picture.

This wraps up the Cheap Wax Wednesday football season. Starting next week, baseball products will be featured through the end of the World Series. Spring is right around the corner.

Shop for 1996 Pro Line Intense Football cards on:

• Beckett Marketplace
• eBay

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