What the NFL Visa Card offers and who should consider it

The NFL Visa Card is a co-branded rewards card issued by Bank of America in partnership with the NFL. It earns cash back on purchases, offers NFL-themed benefits like stadium discounts and merchandise deals, and comes with an annual fee. The card is designed for fans who spend regularly on groceries, gas, and dining — the categories where it pays the highest rewards rates — and who value access to exclusive NFL events or merchandise.

The card's main appeal is not the rewards rate alone, which is competitive but not exceptional. It is the combination of cash back, NFL perks, and the fact that Bank of America offers it through their Preferred Rewards program, which can boost your earnings if you maintain a may have access to balance with the bank. If you are an NFL fan who already banks with Bank of America, the card may slot into your wallet more easily than a card from another issuer.

Key Takeaways

  • The NFL Visa Card earns 2% cash back on groceries and gas (up to $2,500 per quarter, then 1%), 1.5% on dining, and 1% on all other purchases.
  • The card charges a $95 annual fee with no introductory period, so the rewards must offset that cost for the card to make financial sense.
  • Bank of America Preferred Rewards members can earn an extra 25% to 75% bonus on cash back rewards, which can meaningfully increase the card's value.
  • NFL-specific benefits include discounts on tickets, merchandise, and access to presales, but these perks vary by team and are not available to all cardholders equally.
  • The card has no foreign transaction fees, which is useful if you travel internationally, but the rewards structure is built around U.S. spending categories.

Rewards structure and how much you need to spend to break even

The card earns 2% cash back on groceries and gas purchases, but only on the first $2,500 spent per quarter in those categories combined. After you hit $2,500, the rate drops to 1% for the rest of the quarter. You earn 1.5% on dining and 1% on everything else. These rates are solid but not the highest available — some cards offer flat 2% on all purchases, and others offer higher rates in specific categories like dining or travel.

To justify the $95 annual fee, you need to earn at least $95 in cash back per year. If you spend $2,500 per quarter on groceries and gas (the highest-earning category), you earn $50 per quarter, or $200 per year, which covers the fee with $105 left over. If your spending is lighter — say $1,000 per quarter on groceries and gas — you earn $20 per quarter, or $80 per year, which falls short of the fee. The break-even point depends on where your money goes. A household that spends heavily on groceries and gas will see more value than one that does not.

If you are a Bank of America Preferred Rewards member, the math improves. Preferred Rewards adds a bonus multiplier to your cash back: 25% extra for Gold status, 50% for Platinum, and 75% for Platinum Honors. A Platinum member earning 2% on groceries and gas would earn 3% instead, which raises the annual value significantly. You reach Preferred Rewards status by maintaining a may have access to balance in a Bank of America checking or savings account — the thresholds vary but typically start at $20,000.

Annual fee versus rewards: when the card pays for itself

The $95 annual fee is non-negotiable and has no introductory waiver period. This is a hard cost that appears on your statement every year. To decide whether the card is worth it, calculate your annual spending in the highest-earning categories — groceries and gas — and multiply by the base rate (2%) or your Preferred Rewards rate (up to 3% with Platinum Honors). Add the 1.5% you earn on dining and 1% on everything else.

Here is a concrete example: a household that spends $6,000 per year on groceries and gas, $3,000 on dining, and $5,000 on other purchases would earn $120 on groceries and gas (capped at $2,500 per quarter), $45 on dining, and $50 on other purchases, for a total of $215. After the $95 fee, the net benefit is $120. If that same household is a Preferred Rewards Platinum member, the groceries and gas earnings jump to $180, bringing the net benefit to $185. Without Preferred Rewards status, the card needs to fit your spending pattern closely to justify the fee.

NFL perks and how to use them

The card comes with access to NFL ticket presales, merchandise discounts, and stadium offers that vary by team. These perks are managed through the NFL's official website and app, and you set up them by linking your card. The presale access is the most concrete benefit — you can buy tickets before the general public, which matters for popular games or playoff matchups. Merchandise discounts typically range from 10% to 20% on official NFL gear.

The stadium offers are less consistent. Some teams offer parking discounts, concession deals, or exclusive merchandise at their home games. Others offer little beyond what a regular fan would find. The value of these perks depends entirely on which team you follow and how often you attend games or buy merchandise. A fan who goes to four home games per year and buys merchandise regularly may see real value. A casual fan who watches games on television will see almost none.

These perks are not a reason to get the card on their own — they are a bonus if you were already planning to spend on NFL content. The card's value rests on the cash back rewards, and the NFL benefits are secondary.

Comparison to other cash back cards without annual fees

Several cards offer cash back without an annual fee, which changes the calculation. The Citi Double Cash card earns 2% on all purchases (1% when you buy, 1% when you pay the bill) with no annual fee. The Capital One SavorOne card earns 3% on dining and entertainment, 2% on groceries and gas, and 1% on everything else, also with no annual fee. Both cards require you to earn less cash back to break even because there is no fee to overcome.

The NFL Visa Card's advantage is the Preferred Rewards boost if you bank with Bank of America, and the NFL perks if you value them. Its disadvantage is the $95 fee and the quarterly cap on the 2% rate for groceries and gas. If you do not bank with Bank of America or do not care about NFL benefits, a no-fee card will likely give you more value. If you are already a Preferred Rewards member with significant Bank of America balances, the NFL card becomes more competitive.

Foreign transaction fees and travel benefits

The NFL Visa Card has no foreign transaction fees, which means you will not pay an extra percentage when you use it abroad. This is a genuine advantage if you travel internationally. Many rewards cards charge 2% to 3% on foreign purchases, so the lack of a fee saves money on every transaction outside the United States.

The card does not offer travel insurance, trip cancellation protection, or other travel-specific benefits that some premium cards include. It is not a travel card — it is a cash back card that happens to work abroad without a surcharge. If travel benefits matter to you, you would need to look at cards specifically designed for travelers, though those typically come with higher annual fees.

How to decide if the NFL Visa Card makes sense for you

Start by calculating your annual spending in the card's highest-earning categories. Add up what you spend on groceries, gas, and dining per year. Multiply groceries and gas by 2% (or your Preferred Rewards rate if applicable), dining by 1.5%, and everything else by 1%. Subtract the $95 annual fee. If the result is positive and meaningful — at least $100 to $150 in net value — the card is worth considering.

Next, check whether you bank with Bank of America and whether you have Preferred Rewards status or could reach it. If you do, the card's value increases because your rewards rates go up. If you do not bank with Bank of America and have no plans to, the card is less compelling because you lose the Preferred Rewards boost.

Finally, ask yourself whether the NFL perks matter to you. If you attend games regularly, buy merchandise, or value presale access, those benefits add value on top of the cash back. If you do not, the card is purely a cash back play, and you should compare it directly to no-fee alternatives.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I earn the 2% cash back on gas at any gas station?

Yes, the 2% rate applies to all gas purchases at any gas station. The $2,500 quarterly cap applies to groceries and gas combined, so if you spend $1,500 on gas in a quarter, you have $1,000 left in the cap for groceries before the rate drops to 1%.

What happens if I do not have Bank of America Preferred Rewards?

You still earn the base cash back rates: 2% on groceries and gas (capped), 1.5% on dining, and 1% on everything else. Without Preferred Rewards, the card's value depends entirely on whether your spending pattern and the NFL perks justify the $95 annual fee. For many people, a no-fee card will be a better choice.

Do I have to use the NFL perks to keep the card?

No, the perks are optional. You can ignore them entirely and use the card purely for cash back rewards. The perks are there if you want them, but they are not required to set up or maintain the card.

Is the NFL Visa Card a good card for building credit?

The card reports to all three credit bureaus and works like any other credit card for credit-building purposes. The annual fee and rewards structure do not affect your credit score directly. If you are new to credit, a no-fee card might be a better starting point because you do not have to spend enough to justify a fee.