Tag: Johnny Olszewski

The best Broncos player to ever wear No. 0 was …

The best player to ever wear No. 0 for the Broncos was FB Johnny Olszewski, a 2-time Pro Bowler who scored 19 touchdowns in 10 seasons.

The NFL revised its uniform rules this offseason and players will now once again be allowed to wear a zero on their jerseys.

For the Denver Broncos, outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper is set to wear No. 0 in 2023. He will become the first player in the modern era to wear No. 0 for the Broncos and just the second known player in franchise history to do so.

The only other player who has worn No. 0 for the Broncos in the regular season was former fullback Johnny Olszewski in 1962, according to pro-football-reference.com. In the third year of the team’s existence, “Johnny O” wore the number for 12 games in what proved to be his 10th and final season playing pro football.

Olszewski played for three other teams before joining the Broncos, earning two Pro Bowl nods while scoring 19 touchdowns. Although he only spent one season in Denver, Olszewski is the best player in franchise history to wear No. 0 for the Broncos given that he was the only one so far.

Cooper could jump Olszewski on the team’s all-time great No. 0 list if he has success wearing the number going forward.

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It’s official: Broncos will have a player wear No. 0 this season

Jonathon Cooper will become the second player in Broncos history to wear No. 0, joining former fullback “Johnny O” Olszewski (1962).

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The NFL adopted a new uniform rule this offseason that will allow non-offensive linemen to wear jersey No. 0.

According to the team’s online roster, the Denver Broncos will have a player rock number zero in 2023: outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper.

Cooper previously became the first Ohio State player to wear No. 0 in 2020 in honor of  “Block O,” former Buckeye defensive lineman Bill Willis. Ohio State gives the “Block O” number to a player who “exhibits selfless, player-driven leadership qualities.”

With the Broncos, Cooper will become the second player in franchise history to wear No. 0. Johnny Olszewski was the first to wear No. 0 in Denver in 1962. Nicknamed “Johnny O,” Olszewski was a two-time Pro Bowler who scored 19 touchdowns during his NFL career.

Cooper switching to No. 0 will make No. 53 available.

Elsewhere on the number front, newly-signed quarterback Ben DiNucci (No. 6), running back Jacques Patrick (No. 29) and defensive lineman Tyler Lancaster (No. 62) have picked their numbers. Recently re-signed offensive tackle Cam Fleming will keep No. 73.

The Broncos previously announced jersey numbers for their draft class, undrafted free agent additions and free agent signings. Denver wide receiver Jerry Jeudy would like to switch to No. 4, but he doesn’t want to pay for the remaining inventory of his No. 10 jerseys that have not yet sold.

Meanwhile, the Seattle Seahawks have already given away quarterback Russell Wilson’s old No. 3. Football teams move on quickly.

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Who will be the 1st modern-era Broncos player to wear No. 0?

The next Broncos player to wear No. 0 will technically be the second — FB Johnny Olszewski wore a zero in Denver during the 1962 season.

The NFL approved several new rule changes at the owners’ meetings in Arizona last week, including adding No. 0 as a legal number for non-linemen this season.

Before the NFL implemented stricter number rules in 1973, center Jim Otto (No. 00) and quarterback Johnny Clement (No. 0) were among the players who sported zero and double-zero numbers. Players will now once again be allowed to wear No. 0, but not No. 00.

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Calvin Ridley was the first to announce he will take advantage of the new number rule this season. Now the question becomes, who will be the first* Denver Broncos player to wear No. 0?

*Technically, whoever wears No. 0 for the Broncos this year will be the second to do so in franchise history — fullback Johnny Olszewski wore that number in Denver in 1962. Nicknamed “Johnny O,” Olszewski was a two-time Pro Bowler who scored 19 touchdowns during his NFL career.

The Broncos will begin announcing jersey numbers for their free agent additions when players report for the start of the club’s offseason program next week. Right now, Denver has three players on their online roster listed under No. 0: WR Marquez Callaway, P Riley Dixon and RB Tony Jones.

It’s unclear if those are just placeholder numbers or if all three players plan to wear No. 0 this offseason. NFL teams are allowed to have more than one player wear a certain number during the offseason if they play on different sides of the ball, but only one player can wear any given number during the regular season.

We should have more clarity on the future of No. 0 with the Broncos when the team begins its workout program next Tuesday (April 11).

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