'Antiques Roadshow' guest brings an NFL player's old painting and gets a staggering valuation

The painting from former NFL Player Ernie Barnes turned out to be one of the most valuable pieces.

PUBLISHED AUG 18, 2025

Screenshot showing the guest the painting, and the expert on the show (Cover image source: YouTube/Antiques Roadshow PBS)

Vintage paintings and sports memorabilia are popular among collectors, but "Antiques Roadshow" is one place where one can expect to see items that combine the two. Viewers got to witness it when a guest got an astounding appraisal for his father's old NFL painting. The painting from former NFL player Ernie Barnes was quite a rare and unique piece that even the show's expert, Eric Hanks, was surprised to see. In the end, the guest was stunned as well when he got a $650,000 appraisal for the item.

Screenshot showing the guest's reaction to the appraisal (Image source: YouTube/Antiques Roadshow PBS)

The guest started by saying, "Ernie Barnes was a former NFL player. He played for the Jets. But after football, he found art to be, I guess, part of his livelihood. And we are all familiar with Sugar Shack. And there are some other well-known pieces. But my father and Ernie made friends, and they were, he was able to purchase this piece. And this sat on top of our fire mantel in our home in Santa Barbara, California." He further told the expert that it was bought in the mid-80s and had no idea about how much his father paid for it.

Screenshot showing the expert listening to the guest (Image source: YouTube/Antiques Roadshow PBS)

Hanks then asked the guest about the additional item he brought to the show. Yes, this is just a catalogue that has some of his most famous art in here," the owner explained. Hanks then pointed out that it also had a biographical sketch written by Alex Haley, author of "Roots."

Coming to the painting, Hanks explained that it was an oil on canvas, and it was created in 1971. "And I know that 'cause it's dated on the back. The title is Fourth and One, which in football talk is, 'Uh-oh,'" he explained. The guest agreed that the title fit perfectly, as one could almost hear the helmets cracking while looking at the painting.

Screenshot showing the details of the painting (Image source: YouTube/Antiques Roadshow PBS)

Hanks added that Barnes was the creator of the "Sugar Shack" as well, which became one of his most famous paintings and was featured as the album cover of one of Marvin Gaye's albums. "And it famously auctioned not too long ago for about $15 million, which was a record for the artist. The auction estimate at the time was $150,000," he shared.

However, Hanks told the guest that his painting wasn't as famous. But the piece was unique in itself, which made it quite valuable. "If I were to put a value on it for insurance purposes, I would make this around $650,000," Hanks told the guest whose eyes lit up. "Wow! That's just amazing!" he said in response.