Several players change their jersey numbers after new rule passes

The NFL started to mandate position-specific jersey numbers in 1952, although it gave exceptions to “nationally known” players at the time of the new rule. As the era of free substitution began in 1949, it was necessary to identify players by number, particularly with regards to being an eligible receiver.

The modern structure that accounted for all positions on both sides of the ball and removed most of the wiggle room in the rules was codified in 1973. That structure stood for decades with a few expansions (most prominently allowing receivers numbers outside of the 80 to 89 range). Curiously, jersey numbers in the 90s were forbidden except for preseason games for 33 years until the league opened the range to linebackers in 1984.

There were still those who flaunted the rules, like Giants linebacker Brad Van Pelt, who entered the league in the seminal 1973 jersey numbering season. The Giants designated him as a backup kicker, allowing him to wear number 10, which was permitted until he signed with the Raiders, where he jumped all the way to number 91.

Todd Christensen was also a notable exception with his number 46. In his first NFL preseason, he lined up as a fullback with the Cowboys and so was able to port his number over to tight end with the Raiders. When tight ends were granted numbers in the 40s in 2013, it was a subtle nod to Christensen.

A number can be an identity to players, and so a push was made to open up large swaths of numbers, which was proposed by the Chiefs in April. Once approved by the owners, the rule change opened up a gold rush for coveted jersey numbers. The ones attracting the most attention were single digits assigned to positions other than quarterbacks, punters, and kickers. Most skill-position players have the first half of the possible numbers at their disposal; linebackers can select from 69 of the 99 possible jersey numbers.

Players with numbers facilitated by the new rules, Week 1, 2021

(Note: This is a snapshot list of when the rule officially took effect and will not be updated.)

The list below shows players who, as of opening day, are wearing numbers that are outside the range permitted for their positions under the old rules last year. A player must have been on an active roster, reserve list, or practice squad as of Sept. 8, 2021, to be included in this list. Numbers, position, and status are according to NFL.com, however we made a corrections to numbers or positions that were in error and did not conform to the new rules. All teams have at least one player on this list. Excluded from this list are any players designated primarily as “long snapper,” as they are not always centers, and players are frequently wearing numbers for a different position.

Two players on the Seahawks, oddly, are out of compliance with the new rules, as our partner site Football Zebras reported.

Notes: *player on injured reserve or other reserve list, †player on practice squad, ‡position changed, and player is allowed to keep old number, §player’s number changed, but does not conform to the rules of the position

	Team	Player	No	Pos	Experience
wdt_ID	Team	Player	No	Pos	Experience
1	ARI	Byron Murphy	7	CB	3
2	ARI	Isaiah Simmons	9	LB	2
3	ARI	Zaven Collins	25	LB	R
4	ARI	Chase Edmonds	2	RB	4
5	ARI	James Conner	6	RB	5
6	ARI	Budda Baker	3	SS	5
7	ARI	Bruno Labelle*	35	TE	R
8	ARI	Antoine Wesley	33	WR	2
9	ATL	Dante Fowler Jr.	6	OLB	7
10	ATL	John Raine†	89	FB	R
11	ATL	Mykal Walker	3	LB	2
12	ATL	Cordarrelle Patterson	84	RB	9
13	ATL	Kyle Pitts	8	TE	R
14	ATL	Tajae Sharpe	4	WR	6
15	BAL	L.J. Fort*	3	LB	7
16	BAL	Patrick Queen	6	LB	2
17	BAL	Marquise Brown	5	WR	3
18	BUF	Emmanuel Sanders	1	WR	12
19	BUF	Marquez Stevenson*	5	WR	R
20	CAR	Jaycee Horn	8	CB	R
21	CAR	D.J. Moore	2	WR	4
22	CHI	Eddie Jackson	4	FS	5
23	CHI	Damien Williams	8	RB	7
24	CHI	Jesse James	18	TE	7
25	CIN	Ja'Marr Chase	1	WR	R
26	CLE	Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah	28	LB	R
27	CLE	Anthony Walker	4	MLB	5
28	DAL	Trevon Diggs	7	CB	2
29	DAL	Donovan Wilson	6	DB	3
30	DAL	Micah Parsons	11	LB	R
31	DAL	Jabril Cox	14	LB	R
32	DAL	Jaylon Smith	9	MLB	5
33	DAL	Connor Williams	52	OG	4
34	DAL	Damontae Kazee	18	SS	5
35	DAL	Ced Wilson	1	WR	4
36	DEN	Pat Surtain II	2	CB	R
37	DEN	Michael Ojemudia*	13	CB	2
38	DEN	Mike Ford	12	DB	4
39	DEN	Netane Muti	52	OG	2
40	DEN	Nate McCrary	17	RB	R
41	DEN	K.J. Hamler	1	WR	2
42	DEN	Kendall Hinton†	9	WR	1
43	DET	Quinton Dunbar	1	CB	7
44	DET	Austin Bryant	2	LB	3
45	DET	Alex Anzalone	34	MLB	5
46	DET	Jamie Collins	8	OLB	9
47	DET	Penei Sewell	58	OT	R
48	DET	Tyrell Williams	6	WR	7
49	GB	Amari Rodgers	8	WR	R
50	HOU	Lonnie Johnson	1	CB	3
51	HOU	Terrence Brooks	8	DB	8
52	HOU	Garret Wallow	32	LB	R
53	HOU	Mark Ingram	2	RB	11
54	HOU	Brevin Jordan	9	TE	R
55	HOU	Anthony Miller	3	WR	4
56	IND	Quenton Nelson	56	OG	4
57	IND	Parris Campbell	1	WR	3
58	IND	Quartney Davis*	5	WR	R
59	IND	Tarik Black†	7	WR	R
60	JAX	Rayshawn Jenkins	2	DB	5
61	JAX	Rudy Ford	5	DB	5
62	JAX	Travis Etienne*	1	RB	R
63	JAX	Jamal Agnew	39	WR	5
64	KC	Dicaprio Bootle†	2	CB	R
65	KC	Orlando Brown	57	OT	4
66	KC	Jerick McKinnon	1	RB	8
67	KC	Zayne Anderson†	6	SAF	R
68	LAC	Kenneth Murray	9	LB	2
69	LAC	Nick Niemann	31	LB	R
70	LAC	Josh Palmer	5	WR	R
71	LAC	Michael Bandy†	36	WR	1
72	LAR	Jalen Ramsey	5	CB	6
73	LAR	Darious Williams	11	DB	4
74	LAR	Travin Howard	32	LB	3
75	LAR	Sony Michel	14	RB	4
76	LAR	Jordan Fuller	4	SAF	2
77	LAR	DeSean Jackson	1	WR	14
78	LAR	Robert Woods	2	WR	9
79	LV	Divine Deablo	5	LB	R
80	LV	K.J. Wright	34	OLB	11
81	LV	Zay Jones	7	WR	5
82	MIA	Noah Igbinoghene	9	CB	2
83	MIA	Trill Williams	6	DB	R
84	MIA	Jaelan Phillips	15	LB	R
85	MIA	Lynn Bowden*	6	RB	2
86	MIA	Albert Wilson	2	WR	7
87	MIA	Allen Hurns*	8	WR	7
88	MIN	Tye Smith†	5	CB	6
89	MIN	Patrick Peterson	7	CB	11
90	MIN	Wyatt Davis	51	G	R
91	MIN	Brandon Dillon	2	TE	1
92	NE	Jalen Mills	2	CB	6
93	NE	Ja'Whaun Bentley	8	LB	4
94	NE	Brandon King	36	LB	7
95	NE	Matt Judon	9	OLB	6
96	NO	Pete Werner	20	LB	R
97	NO	Ty Montgomery	88	RB	7
98	NYG	T.J. Brunson*	35	LB	2
99	NYG	Sterling Shepard	3	WR	6
100	NYJ	Bryce Huff‡	47	DE	2
101	NYJ	Elijah Moore	8	WR	R
102	PHI	Darius Slay	2	CB	9
103	PHI	Steven Nelson	3	CB	7
104	PHI	JaCoby Stevens†	30	LB	R
105	PHI	Isaac Seumalo	56	OG	6
106	PHI	Kenneth Gainwell	14	RB	R
107	PHI	DeVonta Smith	6	WR	R
108	PIT	Mark Gilbert†	17	CB	R
109	PIT	Kendrick Green	53	G	R
110	PIT	Melvin Ingram	8	LB	10
111	PIT	Marcus Allen	27	LB	3
112	PIT	Trai Turner	51	OG	8
113	SEA	Carlos Dunlap §	8	DE	12
114	SEA	Benson Mayowa §	10	DE	9
115	SEA	D.J. Reed	9	FS	4
116	SEA	Quandre Diggs	6	SS	7
117	SEA	D'Wayne Eskridge	1	WR	R
118	SF	Jimmie Ward	1	CB	8
119	SF	Jason Verrett	2	DB	8
120	SF	Emmanuel Moseley	4	DB	4
121	SF	Marcell Harris	36	LB	4
122	SF	Jared Mayden†	7	SAF	1
123	SF	Jaquiski Tartt	3	SS	7
124	SF	Chris Thompson	2	WR	3
125	SF	Mohamed Sanu	6	WR	10
126	TB	Joe Tryon-Shoyinka	9	LB	R
127	TB	Leonard Fournette	7	RB	5
128	TB	Jaelon Darden	1	WR	R
129	TEN	Caleb Farley	3	CB	R
130	TEN	Jamal Carter†	27	LB	5
131	TEN	Julio Jones	2	WR	11
132	WAS	DeAndre Carter	1	WR	4
133	WAS	Dyami Brown	2	WR	R