Tag: Jersey

Newly-signed Saints RB Darrel Williams wearing the same jersey number he used at LSU

Newly-signed Saints running back Darrel Williams is wearing the same jersey number he used with the LSU Tigers. Dust off that Ricky Williams jersey if you have one:

This is cool: the New Orleans Saints released their unofficial depth chart ahead of Sunday’s preseason game with the Los Angeles Chargers, including the jersey number for their newly-signed running back Darrel Williams.

It’s a number some of his fans have seen him wear before. Williams is wearing No. 34, which he also used in college with the LSU Tigers. It’s a very cool full-circle moment for the local favorite, who is now playing professionally for his hometown team.

Williams also wore No. 28 in college, which was his high school number at John Ehret in New Orleans’ Marrero community on the West Bank; but it was claimed by veteran defensive back Lonnie Johnson Jr. before he signed with the Saints. He’s also used No. 24 with the Arizona Cardinals (taken by safety Johnathan Abram) as well as No. 31 while on the Kansas City Chiefs (picked by rookie draft pick Jordan Howden).

So his options were kind of limited. Even with the NFL expanding eligibility for many jersey numbers to open them up for other positions, the only numbers Williams was eligible for at the time of his signing were Nos. 16, 34, and 89 (which had been worn by wide receiver James Washington, who was released to open a spot for Williams). Even with fewer choices, he made a good pick. Dust off that Ricky Williams jersey if you have one.

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Derek Carr’s New Orleans Saints gear ranks among NFL’s best-selling merchandise

The NFLPA reports that Derek Carr’s New Orleans Saints gear ranks among pro football’s best-selling merchandise:

Look out for a lot of Derek Carr jerseys inside the Caesars Superdome in the fall. The New Orleans Saints quarterback ranked 14th in player sales in the last quarter, per NFL Players Association records. The NFLPA tracks the sales of officially licensed products and merchandise each fiscal quarter, and it’s clear that fans are excited to see Carr dropping back to pass in New Orleans.

Though Carr was the only Saints player on the list, he’s also the highest-ranked member of the NFC South. The three lesser teams in the division are represented by Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson (at No. 48), Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (No. 49), and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (No. 50).

Will Carr meet these high expectations and give Saints fans something to cheer about? That’s what everyone is waiting to see when the regular season kicks off in September. But early reviews out of training camp are positive, and it sure sounds like Carr’s version of the offense is going to run more smoothly than the inconsistent attack we saw with Andy Dalton and Jameis Winston at the helm.

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Notre Dame football: ESPN analyst not a fan of alternate uniforms for Irish

Notre Dame’s green jerseys for 2023 look sweet but they go entirely against the history of the Irish wearing green in a big game.

Greg McElroy played quarterback at one of the most traditional college football programs as he helped guide Alabama to a national championship in 2009.  He has done analyst work at ESPN the last few years and recently weighed in on Notre Dame’s alternate uniforms that they’ll wear against Ohio State.

“In college football, I have never been a supporter of the alternate uniform,” McElroy said on the “Always College Football” podcast. “If you’re a traditional powerhouse, where I know what your uniform is going to look like when you take the field, please don’t mess with it.”

“Like when Notre Dame wore those navy blue uniforms, and navy helmets, I’m like, who the heck is Navy playing here?” McElroy continued. “You are the Golden Domers, baby, do not mess with that. Don’t mess with your uniform. I know the kids like the gear and I get all that. That’s fun. I’m fine with that. Man, don’t abandon your identity as a college football program. Your identity (is) those awesome helmets, are those great uniforms.”

I was the same way as McElroy not all that long ago.  I didn’t understand why Notre Dame felt the need to wear different uniforms for the annual Shamrock Series game and thought schools that went with alternates were just trying too hard.

One time a year though isn’t a bad thing and I’ll get behind it.

But not the way it was presented for Notre Dame’s massive showdown with Ohio State this September.

Next: Announcing ahead of time goes against history

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Foster Moreau says he still has his signed Jimmy Graham jersey

Foster Moreau grew up a Saints fan, and he still has his signed Jimmy Graham jersey: ‘You walk into the locker room, and oh my god, he’s right there’

It always seems to mean a little more when someone gets to play for the team they grew up supporting — Michael Mauti was at the New Orleans Saints’ “Rebirth” game after Hurricane Katrina in 2006, and the linebacker later got to block a punt of his own (against the Atlanta Falcons!) with Steve Gleason watching him.

Foster Moreau hasn’t experienced that kind of cinematic moment just yet, but he acknowledged how surreal it is to share a locker room with a player whose jersey he’s owned since he was a teenager. Initially a running back, Moreau converted to tight end at Jesuit High School, a position-switch his father noted by gifting him a Jimmy Graham jersey. Only it was signed, framed, and forbidden from being worn.

“Jimmy, right, was a dog. And he still is, honestly, he runs great,” Moreau said after Saturday’s training camp practice. “And so, it’s such a funny situation. You walk into the locker room, and oh my god, Jimmy Graham’s right there. It’s pretty funny. I actually have a signed Jimmy Graham autograph jersey in a shadow box that I had at my dad’s house, in my room. It’s a weird situation.”

The Saints have assembled one of the NFL’s most unique tight end rooms between Moreau, Graham, breakout pass-catcher Juwan Johnson, and not-really-a-tight end Taysom Hill (plus Lucas Krull and Jesse James, who are both in the mix). How they figure out each player’s specific role is a major storyline at training camp, but as Moreau noted, veterans like Graham have a lot to offer even with so many other talented players in the group.

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New Orleans Saints 90-man roster for training camp, listed by jersey number

We’re breaking down the New Orleans Saints’ 90-man roster for training camp by jersey number. The first practice open to fans is Friday, so keep this list handy:

New Orleans Saints fans will get their first look at the 2023 squad in the upcoming open practice on Friday, July 28, so it’s a good time to brush up on the roster and get familiar with the many new faces crowding the depth chart.

Remember that jersey numbers change often this time of the year, and some players haven’t been on the team long enough to even have their photo taken in a Saints uniform. For now, here are the numbers assigned to every player on the 90-man roster for training camp:

Who was the best Saints player to wear No. 43 for New Orleans?

Darren Sproles had one historic year, but Marcus Williams had durability. Who was the better Saints player to wear No. 43 for New Orleans? Our staff writers made their picks:

This was a fun debate: who wore No. 43 better for the New Orleans Saints out of running back Darren Sproles and free safety Marcus Williams? Both standouts left their mark on Saints history, and they each have a strong case to be called the best to ever wear their shared jersey number.

Our staff writers made their picks, but you can share yours in the poll below:

NFL Top 10 jersey sales in June features two former Alabama players

Jalen Hurts and Bryce Young both in NFL’s top 10 of jersey sales for the month of June

One of the coolest things about becoming an NFL quarterback, and there are many, is that you get to see your name on thousands of jerseys across the country. In the case of long-term players like Tom Brady, he would have likely sold millions of jerseys over the course of his 23-year career.

While it doesn’t really mean much at the end of the day, it is still an honor to rank at the top of the NFL’s jersey sales. In this past month of June, two former Alabama players made the NFL top 10 in jersey sales in [autotag]Jalen Hurts[/autotag] and [autotag]Bryce Young[/autotag]. Hurts actually led the entire league in the month while Young had the ninth most sales.

Hurts has quickly become one of the most beloved players in the league from his cool off-the-field demeanor to his All-Time performance in the Super Bowl. He became the NFL’s highest-paid player, briefly, this off-season before being surpassed by the Ravens Lamar Jackson. The Eagles look to be back in the Super Bowl conversation in 2023 and Jalen Hurts looks to improve on his MVP runner-up season from last year.

For Young, he is the only rookie on the list and only trailing behind guys like Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow. Funny enough, the No. 8 spot on the list belongs to Brady and his Bucs jersey as he rides off into retirement. The Panthers’ teal blue shade makes for an attractive-looking uniform, but Young is another high IQ and good valued kid that fans can rally behind.

I think that Hurts will stay high on this list for the majority of the season while Young is only going to get to become more of a household name as the season goes on.

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Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Sam Murphy on Twitter @SamMurphy02.

Former Alabama first round pick Jahmyr Gibbs set to have high school jersey retired

Former Alabama first-round pick Jahmyr Gibbs set to have his high school number retired

Jahmyr Gibbs spent the first two years of his collegiate career with the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets where he was the first-team All-ACC running back in 2021. Gibbs transferred to Alabama ahead of the 2022 season as he wanted to play for a national championship contender. Improving his NFL draft stock was also another key factor in Gibbs’ decision to join the Tide.

Despite spending only one season with the Crimson Tide, Gibbs was sensational. In just 12 games with Alabama, Gibbs led the Tide’s ground attack with 151 carries for 926 yards and 15 touchdowns. He was also the top option in Alabama’s receiving game as he led the way with 44 receptions that were good for 444 yards and three touchdowns. As if that wasn’t enough somehow, he was also a nice addition in the special teams game with 13 returns for 258 yards (23.9 YPA). Gibbs’ sensational 2022 campaign skyrocketed his draft status all he was eventually selected No. 12 overall by the Detroit Lions.

Long before Gibbs was an Alabama standout or an NFL first-round selection, he was a high school legend.

Gibbs played his high school ball for Dalton High School in Georgia. Gibbs was a top 50 recruit in the country and the No. 4 ranked RB in the 2020 recruiting cycle. He played in 32 varsity football games over three years and had 530 carries for 4882 yards and 70 touchdowns. However,  a remarkable senior season put Gibbs on the map with 233 carries for 2,554 yards and 40 touchdowns.

Dalton High School recently announced that they would be retiring Gibbs’s high school jersey number. Gibbs wore No. 1 for Dalton and will be the last player to ever do so.

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Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Sam Murphy on Twitter @SamMurphy02.

73 days until Saints season opener: Every player to wear No. 73 for New Orleans

73 days until Saints season opener: Every player to wear No. 73 for New Orleans

The New Orleans Saints will kick off their 2023 regular season against the Tennessee Titans at home in the Caesars Superdome on Sept. 10, which is now 73 days away. We’ll be counting down the days until kickoff by looking back on every Saints player who wore the corresponding jersey number.

In other words, it’s Jahri Evans Day. The six-time Pro Bowl right guard earned a spot on the Hall of Fame’s All-2010s Team as well as four spots on the All-Pro first team, and it’s led to some strong arguments in his favor now that he’s eligible for Hall of Fame induction. He’s by far the biggest name to ever wear No. 73 for the Saints, but here’s the full list from Pro Football Reference:

74 days until Saints season opener: Every player to wear No. 74 for New Orleans

74 days until Saints season opener: Every player to wear No. 74 for New Orleans

The New Orleans Saints will kick off their 2023 regular season against the Tennessee Titans at home in the Caesars Superdome on Sept. 10, which is now 74 days away.

We’ll be counting down the days until kickoff by looking back on every Saints player who wore the corresponding jersey number.

Former Saints defensive lineman Derland Moore (1973-1985) wore No. 74 well for a long time as one of the team’s first star players in their early days, and in the modern era it was prominently used by offensive lineman Jermon Bushrod (2007-2012, 2018). It currently belongs to James Hurst (with the team since 2020), a versatile starter at both tackle and guard. Here’s the full list from Pro Football Reference: