saintswhodi

Numbers game
Rule change may allow Steelers' Holmes to keep 10
Posted: Saturday May 13, 2006 6:42PM; Updated: Saturday May 13, 2006 6:42PM



PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Lynn Swann might have worn No. 22, not No. 88, during his Hall of Fame career with the Pittsburgh Steelers if NFL rules had allowed it.

Swann wore No. 22 at Southern Cal, as did fellow Hall of Fame receiver John Stallworth at Alabama A&M, but arrived in the NFL in 1974 to find that number wasn't permitted for a wide receiver.

According to longstanding NFL rules, wide receivers and tight ends are supposed to wear numbers 80 through 89, and running backs are to wear numbers 20 through 49. Some receivers have been permitted to wear numbers 11 through 19 if all numbers in the 80s were assigned.

For example, wide receiver Quincy Morgan wore No. 11 for the Steelers last season.

So why was first-round draft pick Santonio Holmes, a wide receiver from Ohio State, wearing No. 10 during the Steelers' minicamp Saturday?

If the Steelers played a game this week -- and, of course, they don't -- Holmes could not wear that number. But a rule change that will be discussed by NFL owners at their quarterly meetings in Denver later this month would allow skill position players to wear numbers 1 through 49.
The NFL competition committee discussed the rule change during a conference call Friday and will make a report on the issue at the owners meetings.

If the rule change is enacted, No. 1 draft pick Reggie Bush of the New Orleans Saints would be allowed to wear the No. 5 he wore while winning the Heisman Trophy at Southern Cal. Paul Hornung once wore that number with the Green Bay Packers, before the number rule was enacted.

The Steelers apparently think there is a good chance the rule change will pass -- after all, Dan Rooney is one of the league's most influential owners. During their weekend minicamp, they are permitting some skill position players to wear numbers that previously would not have been allowed.

Rookie tight end Isaac Smolko of Penn State is wearing No. 48; previously, tight ends could wear only No. 80 through No. 89.

Theoretically, the rule change would allow running back Duce Staley to change his number from 22 to 2 if he wanted, to reflect his first name.


http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200....ap/index.html

LKelley67

I heard this reported on ESPN today too. Yesterday it was a subject in a league wide teleconference. It makes sense for college and the NFL to be uniform in this policy. I don't think college refs or announcers have had any trouble with that numbering system. A lot simpler when you think about it. They said the decision, if not at the end of next week, would be around the end of the month whenever their next official meeting is.

Maybe deuce will want 2. 2-5-9 coming atcha

saintswhodi

What's funny is, Reggie is wearing 5 in mini camp. A-Mac anyone? lol Or if this camp just for rookies. Matter of fact, thought I heard ESPN say that. Never mind.

pakowitz

amac is wearing #1

ATX_SAINT

I don't see Deuce wearing Aaron Brooks old number.

SaintCraig

Deuce would make that number proud, though.