It was perhaps the most notorious sports interview of the 1990s, and it could be the most iconic Leaf trading card of 2025.
Leaf announced Monday that part of its 2025 Leaf Metal Sports Heroes Hobby collection will feature a dual-autograph card of sports talk personality Jim Rome and retired NFL quarterback Jim Everett.
“This is the first time they ever paired on a card together, or any piece of memorabilia together,” said CJ Breen, Leaf’s director of marketing and athlete relations.
The explosive interview first aired in 1994 on ESPN2, where Rome called Everett “Chris," as in tennis legend Chris Evert — something he’d been doing for years on his radio show at that point — in an attempt to mock Everett’s toughness.
Face to face in a studio, Everett threw a table and tackled Rome to the ground live on the air.
Now, 31 years later, Leaf is capitalizing on that moment.
The card became a possibility this fall, when Leaf signed Rome to an autograph deal, meaning the TV host would sign stickers, and Leaf could then create customized cards and attach his autographs to them.
Earlier this year, Leaf reached the same agreement with Everett, and with both of them signed, Leaf could create a dual-auto.
“They grant us the rights to use their name, image and likeness,” Breen said.
For each of them, Breen added, the interview was one of the noteworthy moments of their careers.
“(This is) similar to, you know, Allen Iverson practice,” Breen said. “Whether he likes it or not. That is, you know, one of the most recognizable things. When you think of Allen Iverson, regardless of his Hall of Fame career, you think about that. And both guys had great careers, but this is probably one of the most memorable moments for either of them.”
Back in 2021, Rome told the "Dan Le Batard Show" he and Everett hadn't spoken since 1994, though he claimed he has asked the former QB to do another interview several times.
In September, Everett told The Ricky Cobb Show there were plans for the two to star in a commercial together, but Rome turned it down.
"I would be way open to doing something with him and Chris Evert," Everett told Cobb. "I think it would be a wonderful thing to let bygones be bygones, for sure."
The card will be released Jan. 15, along with the rest of the 2025 Leaf Metal Sports Heroes Hobby cases. Each case will feature three multi-signed cards, eight on-card inscription cards, two Super A autos and three Super B autos. A case will cost $274.99.
Matt Liberman is a reporter and video producer for cllct.