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FootballNFLThe race to Number 0

The race to Number 0

For those who are jersey number purists, the past two years have been riddled with anxiety.

After the NFL opened up wide swaths of numbers in 2021 for essentially all players that don’t go into a 3- or 4-point stance, the Eagles proposed to take things a step further. Why not a Number 0? The owners agreed.

Within minutes of the news of the rules change, the Jaguars posted on Twitter that receiver Calvin Ridley would be the first player to claim a 0. Since then, 20 other players did as well; most of the time the novelty of the number was news (anything to fill the offseason news void), but there were a few that were not made public until training camp.

There are 11 teams that did not have a player claim a 0 jersey number: Bears, Bengals, Bills, Chiefs, Colts, Commanders, Cowboys, Packers, Patriots, Raiders, and Steelers.

Most of the players wearing the 0 are on the defensive side of the ball: 9 linebackers and 6 defensive backs. There are 5 wide receivers and 1 running back who did. No quarterbacks, kickers, or tight ends appear on the opening day rosters with a 0.

Players with number 0, Week 1, 2023

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

The list below shows players who, as of opening day, are assigned number 0. All players must are on the active roster (none are on reserve lists or practice squads) as of Sept. 7, 2023 to be included in this list. Notes: *player changed numbers with his existing team, †signed while on season-long suspension in 2022, listed on roster as #18, then “–” after reinstatement, ‡player rejoined his old team; all other players are new to their teams this year.

The table is initially sorted in date order of when the jersey number became public knowledge.

Team Player Pos Experience Date announced Announcement link
wdt_ID Team Player Pos Experience Date announced Announcement link
333 DET Marvin Jones‡ WR 11 04/05/2023 https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2023/4/5/23671899/lions-wr-marvin-jones-jr-wearing-jersey-number-0-zero-detroit-2023
334 NYJ Adrian Amos FS 9 07/24/2023 https://jetswire.usatoday.com/lists/new-york-jets-90-man-roster-first-camp-weekend/
335 ARI Zach Pascal WR 6 04/06/2023 https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/zach-pascal-to-wear-no-0-with-cardinals
336 HOU Desmond King CB 7 04/14/2023 https://texanswire.usatoday.com/2023/04/14/texans-desmond-king-number-0/
337 MIN Marcus Davenport OLB 6 05/01/2023 https://twitter.com/WillRagatz/status/1653182229445582850
338 ATL Lorenzo Carter* OLB 6 04/18/2023 https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/lorenzo-carter-switches-to-no-0-allowing-desmond-ridder-to-take-no-9
339 MIA Braxton Berrios WR 6 04/25/2023 https://www.instagram.com/p/CrehP0PPR4S/
340 JAX Calvin Ridley† WR 5 03/28/2023 https://twitter.com/Jaguars/status/1640791710308487170
341 BAL Roquan Smith* ILB 6 05/05/2023 https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/roquan-smith-will-wear-no-0-this-season
342 NO Ugochukwu Amadi FS 5 05/01/2023 https://twitter.com/FletcherWDSU/status/1653100415632769027
343 TEN Sean Murphy-Bunting CB 5 04/15/2023 https://www.tennesseetitans.com/news/jersey-numbers-assigned-for-newest-titans-including-sean-murphy-bunting-in-no-0
344 SEA Devin Bush ILB 5 05/22/2023 https://twitter.com/bcondotta/status/1660735461705539584
345 NYG Parris Campbell WR 5 03/29/2023 https://twitter.com/Giants/status/1641100850096422913
346 CAR Brian Burns* OLB 5 06/07/2023 https://www.panthers.com/news/brian-burns-changes-jersey-number-to-0
347 PHI D'Andre Swift RB 4 05/05/2023 https://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/eagles-unveil-jersey-numbers-dandre-swift-to-wear-no-0
348 DEN Jonathon Cooper* OLB 3 05/26/2023 https://broncoswire.usatoday.com/2023/05/26/denver-broncos-news-jonathon-cooper-to-wear-number-zero/
349 CLE Greg Newsome* CB 3 07/22/2023 https://twitter.com/Browns/status/1682749908296642562
350 SF Samuel Womack* CB 2 07/26/2023 https://twitter.com/mattbarrows/status/1684250064582242304
351 LAC Daiyan Henley ILB R 04/29/2023 https://twitter.com/daiyan_henley11/status/1652456117551906816
353 TB YaYa Diaby OLB R 05/09/2023 https://twitter.com/Buccaneers/status/1655950772016934912
354 LAR Byron Young OLB R 05/05/2023 https://twitter.com/RamsNFL/status/1654576884641067008

Jeremy Snyder contributed to this report.

Ben Austro
Ben Austro is the editor-in-chief and founder of Football Zebras and the author of So You Think You Know Football?: The Armchair Ref's Guide to the Official Rules (on sale now)

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