When the Atlanta Falcons introduced quarterback Kirk Cousins, he was asked about potentially switching jersey numbers with tight end Kyle Pitts. Cousins, who’s worn the No. 8 for his entire career, said Pitts was willing to part with it in exchange for “targets.”
While the story initially excited fans about the upcoming season, Cousins chose the No. 18 instead. This left fans wondering why the number swap with Pitts never happened. Thanks to NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal, we finally have an answer.
During an episode of Shaq’s “The Big Podcast,” Cousins explained that while Pitts agreed to give the jersey number up, the NFL stepped in with an additional requirement.
“Then the league spoke into it,” explained Cousins. “They were like ‘Well, Kyle Pitts has a lot of jerseys that are No. 8 with Pitts on the back. You would have to buy every single one.'”
#Falcons QB Kirk Cousins said Kyle Pitts was willing to give up his #8, but the NFL told him he’d need to purchase all the current jerseys in stock, which would cost hundreds of thousand of dollars—something no one was willing to do.
(via @bigpodwithshaq)pic.twitter.com/BHJoQ8p84X
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) April 5, 2024
Cousins estimated the price of buying the remaining jerseys to be hundreds of thousands of dollars. Even after signing a four-year, $180 million contract in Atlanta, the price ultimately wasn’t worth it to the Falcons QB.
Hopefully, Cousins isn’t superstitious. Watch his full interview on “The Big Podcast,” as shared on YouTube below: