As NFL rookies are welcomed to their new teams, one of the first decisions they make is their jersey numbers. Most players simply select a number from the options offered, but every so often, a player will pursue a number that has been retired by their franchise, in which case, the decision falls to the legend who last wore that number.
This latter scenario unfolded twice within the top three picks of the 2025 NFL Draft, and while Cam Ward and Abdul Carter had varying success with their requests, the message to both players (and hopefully the rest of the football world) was clear: Wear your own jersey and create your own legacy.
Let’s start with Ward because I know everyone is thinking, wait, didn’t Warren Moon give Ward his blessing to wear No. 1? The short answer is yes, but the underlying message of Moon’s decision remains grounded in Ward creating his own path instead of trying to follow Moon’s.
“It wasn’t easy,” Moon told Paul Kuharsky regarding his decision to let Ward wear his old number. “You start thinking about your legacy, and the things that you established when you were playing. You want to make sure those things continue.”
Moon explained that because he played for the Houston Oilers, before the franchise became the Tennessee Titans, Ward would have the same number as Moon but a different jersey. Moon decided that this was enough of a difference for Ward to create his own story, adding that he had respect for the new Titans quarterback and had been following his career for a long time.
In contrast, Giants first-round pick Carter received firm nos from Lawrence Taylor and Phil Simms, who wore 56 and 11, respectively, in the same New York Giants that Carter now joins.
“I know he would love to wear that number,” Taylor told The New York Post. “Get another number, I don’t care if it’s double zero, and then make it famous.”
While Carter’s request was ultimately denied, it is not about the anticipated quality of the prospects, nor is Moon’s decision a disregard for his legacy. It simply comes down to the Oilers changing location and team name while the Giants remained in New York.
It’s not necessarily these players' intention to copy or be compared to another player, but it has that effect nonetheless. Such a situation can burden a young career or dilute a cherished history, and it is up to the former players to guide these young rookies away from that result. It is not mean or disrespectful to tell them no, in fact, it's caring, and it should be the approach of every NFL legend going forward. Keep retired numbers retired.
