Numbers Game
May 7, 2019
by Eric Hill
Whenever a new player joins the Redskins, either by draft or free agency, three questions are immediately asked: 1) How many championships are we going to win?, 2) Who should we have picked instead?, and 3) What number will he wear? The first two will be argued ad nauseum until the heat death of the universe but the third only takes a few days to be answered, usually with little fanfare.
Learning that your new free agent defensive back will wear number 34 and your fifth round guard will wear number 62 generally earns a resounding “Cool, what’s for lunch?”
Occasionally, though, the number question will register a ‘hmmmm’ on the dramameter (dra-MAH-me-ter). This happens when a player has made a name for himself elsewhere in a number that is deemed off limits by the Redskins since it was worn by a legendary player.
This offseason had two such moments, when free agent safety Landon Collins openly campaigned for Sean Taylor’s number 21 and quarterback Dwayne Haskins was issued number Joe Theismann’s number 7. Haskins got his wish, Collins didn’t. Let’s explore why.
First, we need a crash course on the Redskins jersey number policy.
The only officially retired number for the Washington Redskins is Sammy Baugh’s 33. When you’re the first guy to lead the league in touchdown passes, passing yards, punting, tackles and interceptions in the same year, that’s the kind of respect you get.
Aside from Baugh’s 33, there are several numbers that are ‘unofficially retired,’ meaning the team doesn’t give them out but is too lazy to organize a ceremony, I guess. There is no official list of these numbers (hence the term ‘unofficially retired’) but they appear to be, in addition to Theismann’s 7 and Taylor’s 21, numbers 9 (Sonny Jurgenson), 28 (Darrell Green), 42 (Charley Taylor), 43 (Larry Brown), 44 (John Riggins), 49 (Bobby Mitchell), 65 (Dave Butz), 70 (Sam Huff) and 81 (Art Monk). If I missed any, I’m sure you’ll let me know in the comments.
There doesn’t seem to be any specific criteria for a number being taken off limits. Jurgenson, Green, Charley Taylor, Riggins, Mitchell, Huff and Monk are all Hall Of Fame players, but there are plenty of other Redskins Hall Of Famers whose numbers are still freely given out, like Cliff Battles’ 20, Ken Houston’s 27, Bill Dudley’s 35, Chris Hanberger’s 55 and Russ Grimm’s 68.
Theismann, Brown and Butz, while not enshrined in Canton, all had long, decorated careers as Redskins, but so did Pat Fisher, Monte Coleman and Jerry Smith, and 37, 51 and 87 are still available to back up linebackers and special teams gunners alike.
Sean Taylor spent only four years with the Redskins before his career was tragically cut short, making two pro bowls along the way; his number 21 has been deemed untouchable. Doug Williams, number 17, spent four years with the Redskins and made NFL history as the first African-American quarterback to start and win a Super Bowl. Before that, 17 was worn by Hall Of Fame tackle Turk Edwards. 17 should be double off limits and yet it has since been worn by who‘s who of ‘who’s that?’ cast of players such as Danny Weurfel, Jason Campbell and Michael Floyd.
Many folks will say ‘It’s just a number, get over it.’ but these numbers are serious business. Bobby Mitchell, the five-time All-Pro flanker back and first African-American player in team history, angrily retired from his job as Assistant general manager in 2003 after the team mistakenly issued his number 49 to 3rd string tight end Leonard Stephens. Mitchell stuck around after being passed over for the GM job in favor of Vinny “let’s give Albert Haynesworth $100M” Cerrato but his jersey number was the reason he quit. This stuff is no joke to the guys who wore those numbers.
So, we have an unofficial list with no real qualifying criteria and guys on the ‘off-limits’ list who are hyper-sensitive about their numbers. We’re off to a good start. Now, how does a player manage to pry one of these numbers off the ‘no bueno’ list? The contrast of Landon Collins and Dwayne Haskins approaches may have provided a blueprint.
Collins idolized Sean Taylor and wore number 21 in New York as a tribute to his favorite player. He made it no secret that he wanted to keep that number when he joined the Redskins in March. He acknowledged he would have big shoes to fill when speaking to the media about the prospects of unretiring the number but expressed confidence that he was up to the task. He was eventually assigned number 20.
Haskins, when asked after he was drafted if he wanted wear the number 7 he lit up the NCAA with at Ohio State, responded “I’ll have to speak to Mr. Theismann first.” Haskins then privately reached out to Theismann and Theismann publicly told everyone that he would speak to Haskins. After a conversation between the two, Theismann agreed to let Haskins become only the second player in franchise history to wear number 7.
Had Haskins made the appeal on national television immediately after being drafted that he wanted Theismann’s number, the outcome may well have been different. Had Collins first privately reached out to Taylor’s family to discuss honoring Taylor, number 21 may well have been roaming the secondary once again this fall.
This is all speculation, of course. Every ex player is different and simply asking may not be enough, but Haskins’ example of making humble request in private may be the key to unlocking the mystery of semi-retired jersey list in DC.