Kelsey Dallas
·2 min read
Three years after its arrival in college football, jersey No. 0 is returning to the NFL.
League owners voted this week to change NFL jersey policies to allow any player except offensive and defensive linemen to sport the No. 0 on their back and chest.
“The amended rule allows quarterbacks to choose from numbers 0-19; defensive backs 0-49; fullbacks, tight ends, halfbacks and wide receivers 0-49 and 80-89; linebackers 0-59 and 90-99. Offensive linemen remain relegated to 50-79, while defensive linemen can wear 50-79 and 90-99,” NFL.com reported.
Within one day of the rule change, two teams, the Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Giants, confirmed that a player had claimed jersey No. 0.
Many others had asked fans to weigh in on who should wear it, including the Seattle Seahawks, who noted that the No. 0 is currently worn by Blitz the Seahawk, the team’s mascot.
Which player do you want to see steal @BlitzTheSeahawk's number? 👀 pic.twitter.com/L3988yMM1F
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) March 28, 2023
Some individual players, including New England Patriots cornerback Jack Jones, Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons and Green Bay Packers cornerback Keisean Nixon, expressed interest in becoming “agent zero” soon after NFL owners voted to make it an option.
Nos. 0 and 00 were previously allowed on NFL jerseys before 1973, according to The Athletic. That’s when league officials standardized jersey numbering rules.
“Raiderscenter Jim Otto was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as No. 00,” The Athletic reported.
Here are the NFL players confirmed to be wearing No. 0 next season:
NFL players who wear 0
Jacksonville Jaguars: Calvin Ridley, WR.
Excited to be the first @Jaguars player to wear zero - shout out to @JagsEquip! #ReadyToWork pic.twitter.com/MfympKGWSl
— CALVIN RIDLEY (@CalvinRidley1) March 28, 2023
New York Giants: Parris Campbell, WR.
Parris Campbell will wear No. 0 🔥 pic.twitter.com/H5HHsAkQLn
— New York Giants (@Giants) March 29, 2023
Miami Dolphins: Braxton Berrios, WR.
Starting the week with some jersey #️⃣s! 😄 pic.twitter.com/9tMoXLVKL5
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) May 1, 2023
Baltimore Ravens: Roquan Smith, LB.
"I look at the No. 0 as a new beginning — continuing to build a foundation of greatness with the start of a new season. A strong and solid foundation is what you must have before anything else, and you must be willing to work for what comes next. This is my first start of a… pic.twitter.com/7AJVCRvR7H
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) May 5, 2023
Los Angeles Rams: Byron Young, LB.
New numbers, who dis? pic.twitter.com/SBN8Cp1W7n
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) May 5, 2023
Philadelphia Eagles: D’Andre Swift, RB.
The first 0 in Philly#FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/fZCBOxgxuL
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) May 5, 2023
