Tag: number

Broncos RB Jaleel McLaughlin explains why he didn’t change his jersey number

Broncos RB Jaleel McLaughlin wore 10 in high school then 20 and 8 in college. That adds up to wearing No. 38 in the NFL.

It is game week for the Denver Broncos.

The Broncos will face off against the Las Vegas Raiders this Sunday, and expectations are raised under new coach Sean Payton, with the playoffs now a clear objective.

Ahead of Sunday’s season opener, eight Denver players have elected to change their jersey numbers for 2023.

Broncos rookie receiver Marvin Mims has changed his preseason number of No. 83 to No. 19, and cornerback Tremon Smith will now wear No. 1 after previously wearing No. 23.

While six other Broncos players have elected to change their numbers, one player chose not to: running back Jaleel McLaughlin.

McLaughlin went undrafted in the 2023 NFL draft after finishing his career at Youngtown State. McLaughlin ended his career as college football’s all-time leading rusher.

But his reason for sticking with No. 38 is a unique one.

McLaughlin’s reason makes a lot of sense. His story is unique and it was probably a lot of hard work for him to get to this spot in his life. We’re excited to see No. 38 in action this fall.

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Jake Haener changes his jersey number ahead of the 2023 season

Jake Haener will switch from the No. 14 jersey moving forward with the New Orleans Saints. The Saints’ third quarterback has picked a new number | @crissy_froyd

Here’s something New Orleans Saints fans haven’t seen in a while. Jake Haener, their team’s fourth-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft, has worn the No. 14 jersey throughout preseason but that’s something that will no longer continue.

Haener is switching to the No. 3 jersey; he’s the fourth quarterback on the 53-man roster behind Derek Carr, Jameis Winston, and Taysom Hill. Haener’s former jersey number at Fresno State (No. 9) is unavailable with the Saints, so that was not an option, leading him to go with his high school jersey number instead. New Orleans has unofficially retired No. 9 out of respect for legendary former Saints quarterback Drew Brees.

It’s been a long time since a Saints quarterback wore No. 3. Bobby Hebert used it from 1985 to 1992, and he is the only non-special teams player to ever wear the jersey number for New Orleans, making Haener just the second to so. Former Saints kicker Will Lutz, who now rejoins Sean Payton with the Denver Broncos, was the most recent Saints player to wear No. 3. Soon Haener will make it his own.

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Broncos WR Tim Patrick changes jersey number while on IR

Broncos WR Tim Patrick has switched from No. 81 to No. 12, the number he wore in college.

Eight Denver Broncos players changed their jersey numbers on Monday and three new members of the practice squad were assigned numbers as well.

Among the changes: Broncos veteran cornerback Tremon Smith switched from No. 23 to No. 1 and rookie wide receiver Marvin Mims switched from No. 83 to No. 19. Perhaps one of the most notable changes flew under the radar, though.

Denver receiver Tim Patrick, who is currently on injured reserve, also changed his number. Patrick switched from No. 81 — which he has worn since he joined the team in 2017 — to No. 12.

The number change won’t be noticed by fans this year because Patrick is set to miss the entire 2023 season on IR, and (at the time of this writing) no other players have switched to No. 81.

It’s an interesting decision from Patrick. He wore No. 12 while playing college football at Utah, but he wore No. 81 while catching 104 passes for 1,476 yards and 11 touchdowns from 2020-2021 with the Broncos.

Patrick missed all of last season with a torn ACL and he’s set to miss this season with a torn Achilles. Perhaps the number change was promoted by recent injuries while wearing No. 81.

Whatever the reason may be, Tim Patrick now wears No. 12.

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8 Broncos players have changed their jersey numbers

If KJ Hamler returns to the Broncos later this year, he will need a new jersey number: CB Tremon Smith has switched to No. 1.

Several Denver Broncos changed their jersey numbers on Monday.

Punter Riley Dixon, who wore No. 19 in preseason, switched to No. 9. Broncos receiver Marvin Mims, who wore No. 83 in preseason, then switched to No. 19.

Cornerback Tremon Smith also switched to No. 1 after wearing No. 23 in preseason. Cornerback Fabian Moreau, who wore No. 36 this summer, then switched to No. 23 (running back Tyler Badie remains No. 36).

Cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian, who previously wore No. 35, now wears No. 29. Defensive back Devon Key, who wore No. 38 in preseason, now wears No. 26 (running back Jaleel McLaughlin still wears No. 38).

Quarterback Ben DiNucci, who wore No. 6 this summer, now wears No. 11 (safety P.J. Locke still wears No. 6).

No. 1: CB Tremon Smith (previously 23)
No. 9: P Riley Dixon (previously 19)
No. 11: QB Ben DiNucci (previously 6)
No. 12: WR Tim Patrick (previously 81) [injured reserve]
No. 19: WR Marvin Mims (previously 83)
No. 23: CB Fabian Moreau (previously 36)
No. 26: DB Devon Key (previously 38)
No. 29: CB Ja’Quan McMillian (previously 35)

New practice squad players also received their numbers: WR Phillip Dorsett (No. 13), ILB Ben Niemann (No. 57), TE Lucas Krull (No. 85) and WR David Sills (No. 87).

Additionally, defensive lineman Tyler Lancaster is wearing No. 96. That’s not a new change — Lancaster switched from No. 62 to No. 96 after defensive lineman Eyioma Uwazurike was suspended indefinitely for gambling.

During the offseason, players are allowed to share numbers if they play on different sides of the ball (such as McLaughlin and Key both wearing No. 38 in preseason). With the regular season now right around the corner, though, numbers 0-99 can only be worn once on the 53-man roster and 17-player practice squad.

The Broncos are considered 4-point favorites against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 1. View the team’s full regular season schedule here.

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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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The best player to ever wear No. 15 for the Broncos was …

Jim Turner, Marlin Briscoe and Brandon Marshall are among the players who have worn No. 15 for the Broncos. Who was the best to wear it?

There are several candidates for the title of best player to ever wear No. 15 for the Denver Broncos.

Former quarterback Tim Tebow had a memorable two-year run with the team from 2010-2011, helping the club win a Wild Card playoff game.

Fellow quarterback Marlin Briscoe played just one season in Denver in 1968, but it was a historic season. Briscoe became the first Black quarterback to start in pro football’s modern era. He threw 14 touchdown passes in 1968, which still stands as a franchise rookie record. Briscoe died at age 76 last year.

Former wide receiver Brandon Marshall played in Denver from 2006-2009. In four seasons, Marshall earned two Pro Bowl nods. He totaled 327 receptions for 4,019 yards and 25 touchdowns in 61 games with the Broncos. Marshall later spent time with seven other teams and finished his career with 12,351 receiving yards and 83 touchdowns.

Another candidate is former kicker Jim Turner, who played in Denver from 1971-1979. After winning a Super Bowl and earning two Pro Bowl nods with the New York Jets, Turner played the final nine years of his career with the Broncos. He ranks third on Denver’s all-time scoring list with 742 points. Turner, a member of the Broncos’ Ring of Fame, died at age 82 last month.

So, who was the best player to ever wear No. 15 for the Broncos? Share your opinion by voting in the poll below!

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The best player to ever wear No. 14 for the Broncos was …

Brian Griese made the Pro Bowl in 2000 after passing for 2,688 yards and 19 touchdowns and going 7-3 as a starter.

The best player to ever wear No. 14 for the Denver Broncos was quarterback Brian Griese, who played for the club from 1998-2002.

After playing college football at Michigan, Griese was picked by the Broncos in the third round of the 1998 NFL draft. He spent his first season as a backup behind John Elway. After winning his second Super Bowl, Elway retired during the 1999 offseason and Griese took over the starting job.

Griese’s first season was underwhelming — he went 4-9 as a starter while throwing for 3,032 yards and 14 touchdowns against 14 interceptions. The quarterback improved the following year with 2,688 yards, 19 touchdowns and four interceptions in 10 games. He went 7-3 as a starter in 2000, earning a Pro Bowl nod.

Griese went on to play two more years with the Broncos, finishing his time in Denver with a 27-24 win-loss record, 11,763 passing yards, 71 touchdowns and 53 interceptions. Griese had an impossible task of following in the footsteps of Elway and he became a backup journeyman after his time with the Broncos.

Griese spent time with the Miami Dolphins, Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the final years of his career. Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton currently wears No. 14, but we did not include active players for this series. Other players who wore No. 14 in Denver include receivers Brandon Stokley and Cody Latimer.

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The best player to ever wear No. 12 for the Broncos was …

Broncos Ring of Fame QB Charley Johnson ranks ninth on the team’s all-time passing list in yards (7,238) and seventh in touchdowns (52).

The best player to ever wear jersey No. 12 for the Denver Broncos was quarterback Charley Johnson, who played for the club from 1972-1975.

Johnson started his pro career with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1961 and he earned a Pro Bowl nod following the 1963 season. After nine seasons with St. Louis, Johnson played with the Houston Oilers from 1970-1971.

Johnson then joined the Broncos in 1972 and he played the final four years of his career in Denver. Johnson threw for 7,238 yards and 52 touchdowns against 52 interceptions in 54 games (41 starts) with the Broncos.

Johnson went 20-18-3 as a starter in Denver and he was added to the team’s Ring of Fame in 1986. He ranks ninth on the team’s all-time passing list in yards and seventh in touchdowns.

In his career, Johnson totaled 24,410 passing yards and 170 touchdowns.

No. 12 is currently worn by Broncos wide receiver Montrell Washington. Before that, it was worn by defensive back Mike Ford, quarterback Paxton Lynch and wide receiver Andre Caldwell.

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The best player to ever wear No. 11 for the Broncos was …

Luke Prestridge ranks fifth in franchise history with 15,754 punt yards. He made the Pro Bowl with the Broncos following the 1982 season.

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The best player to ever wear jersey No. 11 for the Denver Broncos was punter Luke Prestridge, who played for the club from 1979-1983.

After playing college football at Baylor, Prestridge was drafted by the Broncos in the seventh round of the 1979 NFL draft. He went on to play five seasons in Denver, earning a Pro Bowl nod following the 1982 season.

Despite only playing five years with the Broncos, Prestridge ranks fifth in franchise history with 15,754 punt yards and he never had a punt blocked. He is also tied for the franchise record with 12 punts in a single game (obviously not a good stat for the offense, but a record for the punter nonetheless).

After playing in Denver, Prestridge finished his career with the New England Patriots in 1984. He tied a then-NFL record that season with an 89-yard punt.

Prestridge finished his career with 17,638 punt yards with a long of 89 yards and 20.9% of his punts downed inside the 20-yard line. He punted 421 times during his six-year career in the NFL.

Former Broncos wide receiver Jordan Norwood also deserves an honorable mention. While he had a limited role as a receiver during his three years in Denver, Norwood set a then-Super Bowl record with a 61-yard punt return in the team’s 24-10 win over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50.

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The best player to ever wear No. 10 for the Broncos was …

Emmanuel Sanders ranks 10th on the Broncos’ all-time receiving list with 5,361 yards. The Super Bowl 50 champion scored 30 TDs with Denver.

The best player to ever wear No. 10 for the Denver Broncos was wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, who played for the club from 2014-2019.

Sanders started his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers. After his four-year rookie contract expired, Sanders signed with the Broncos and joined star quarterback Peyton Manning. Over the next two seasons, Sanders totaled 155 receptions for 2,539 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns.

Sanders helped Denver win Super Bowl 50 following the 2015 season, leading the team with six receptions for 83 yards in a 24-10 win over the Carolina Panthers.

Manning retired after that Super Bowl win and Sanders went on to play three and a half more seasons in Denver. He caught 404 passes for 5,361 yards and 28 touchdowns in 78 games with the Broncos. Sanders also rushed for a touchdown and threw a touchdown pass while playing in Denver.

Sanders ranks 10th on the team’s all-time receiving list.

The Broncos traded Sanders to the San Francisco 49ers midway through the 2019 season. He later spent time with the New Orleans Saints and Buffalo Bills before retiring in 2022 following a 12-year career. The 36-year-old Super Bowl champion now works as an analyst on NFL Network.

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