Tom Brady slams NFL's jersey number rule: 'Dumb'

Publish date: 2024-05-04

Explore More

Tom Brady isn’t a fan of the NFL’s new rule that allows players to change their jersey number based on position.

The Buccaneers star quarterback expressed his frustration over the rule in an Instagram Story on Thursday.

“Good luck trying to block the right people now [!!!!] going to make for a lot of bad football,” he wrote.

On Wednesday, NFL owners passed a proposal, which was initially made by the Chiefs, to loosen restrictions on numbers available to skill- position players — with the primary change that skill-position players, linebackers and defensive backs may now choose single-digit numbers.

The new structure allows defensive backs to choose any jersey number from 1-49, while running backs, fullbacks, tight ends, halfbacks and wide receivers can pick from 1-49 and 80-89. Linebackers, meanwhile, may now sport numbers from 1-59 and 90-99.

While Brady’s No. 12 jersey number won’t change — due to the exemption of quarterbacks, punters, kickers and offensive and defensive linemen — he’s clearly concerned about players having difficulty identifying positions.

“Why not let lineman wear whatever they want too?” he wrote. “Why have numbers? Just have colored jerseys…why not wear the same number?…DUMB.”

Quarterbacks, punters and kickers are still required to wear numbers 1-19, offensive linemen would still get to choose from numbers from 50-79 and defensive linemen still may choose from 50-79 and 90-99.

Following the news, the NFL said expanded practice squads, due to COVID-19, led to jersey-number issues for certain clubs last season, which prompted the Chiefs’ proposal.

It’s likely there will be more backlash to come.

Per a long-standing NFL rule, if a player wants to change his number, he would have to buy out the existing inventory of jersey distributors. Players wishing to hold off on a number swap and wait until next season to switch wouldn’t have to shell out any money.

When the rule was in earlier stages of development this month, Bills star Stefon Diggs vowed not to change his No. 14 jersey, so that fans wouldn’t have to “spend their hard-earned money” supporting him.

After some thought.. I can’t change my number all the people that spent their hard earned money supporting the 14 I gotta keep it ❤️

— DIGGS (@stefondiggs) April 5, 2021 Bills receiver Stefon Diggs isn’t planning to change his number.

While it’s inevitable that some NFL players will don different looks either this season or next, the revised jersey-number rule could significantly increase jersey sales, among other merchandise.

The NFL’s approval of this revised rule came just weeks after owners voted to extend the regular season to 17 games.

ncG1vNJzZmimqaW8tMCNnKamZ2Jlf3J7j21ma2pfqbyuecGrmJ2xXai5ornSZqWfpKNit6a%2B0p6wZqaloq%2BmvoyrrKWdXZnCrq6O