I have an unhealthy obsession with jersey numbers (no idea why). As I can't sleep I decided to go through the numbers in my head to see if I could name who I thought was the best player associated with each number. (Generally if a player wore more than one number, I associated them only with the one they are best known for, for example Montana 16 and Rice 80). It got tough when you get to the non-skill numbers, but I thought people might want to debate my list:
The QB numbers (1-19)* Yes, I know non-QBs can wear these numbers also.
1 Warren Moon
2 Matt Ryan
3 Russell Wilson
4 Brett Favre
5 Donovan McNabb
6 Jay Cutler
7 John Elway
8 Steve Young
9 Drew Brees (was on the fence between him and Sonny Jurgensen)
10 Fran Tarkenton
11 Larry Fitzgerald
12 Tom Brady
13 Dan Marino
14 Dan Fouts
15 Bart Starr
16 Joe Montana
17 Philip Rivers
18 Peyton Manning
19 Johnny Unitas
Notes: Its funny how certain numbers seem to be way more popular with QBs than others. For example, 12 is absolutely loaded (in addition to Brady, you have Rodgers, Bradshaw, Griese, Kelly, Staubach, Namath and Stabler). I can't believe Jay Cutler was the best number 6 I could name.
The RB/DB numbers (20-49)
20 Barry Sanders
21 Deion Sanders
22 Emmitt Smith
23 Troy Vincent
24 Champ Bailey
25 Fred Biletnikoff
26 Rod Woodson
27 Steve Atwater
28 Darrell Green (This was a tough one, Marshall Faulk could be argued too)
29 Eric Dickerson
30 Terrell Davis
31 Donnie Shell
32 Jim Brown
33 Tony Dorsett (honorable mention to Roger Craig)
34 Walter Payton
35 Aeneas Williams
36 Jerome Bettis
37 Jimmy Johnson
38 Sam Baker
39 Larry Csonka
40 Gale Sayers
41 Eugene Robinson
42 Ronnie Lott (honorable mention to Paul Warfield)
43 Troy Polamalu
44 John Riggins
45 Kenny Easley
46 Tim McDonald
47 Mel Blount (honorable mention John Lynch)
48 Stephen Davis
49 Bobby Mitchell
Notes: I jokingly wanted to put Ickey Woods in for 30 or 31 since he was amazing in 1988 when I first started watching the NFL. Interestingly he changed numbers half way through that season. He wore 31 for the first 8 games and 30 for the second 8 games. 32 and 34 are both tough, with lots of candidates, 32 also has Edgerrin James, Franco Harris, Marcus Allen, and OJ. 34 also has Thurman Thomas, Earl Campbell, Herschel Walker, and Bo Jackson. 38. 46, and 48 seem the most devoid of historical talent.
The OL numbers (50-79) (yes, Linebackers too)
50 Mike Singletary
51 Dick Butkus
52 Ray Lewis
53 Mick Tingelhoff
54 Brian Urlacher (as a Dolphins fan I wanted to say Zach Thomas)
55 Junior Seau
56 Lawrence Taylor
57 Rickey Jackson (Dolphins Pick: Dwight Stephenson)
58 Derrick Thomas
59 Jack Ham
60 Larry Grantham
61 Nate Newton
62 Jim Langer
63 Gene Upshaw
64 Randall McDaniel
65 Gary Zimmerman
66 Larry Little
67 Bob Kuechenberg
68 Will Shields
69 Jared Allen
70 Logan Mankins
71 Walter Jones
72 Dan Dierdorf
73 Larry Allen
74 Bruce Matthews
75 Joe Greene
76 Orlando Pace
77 Willie Roaf
78 Bruce Smith (honorable mention to Anthony Munoz)
79 Harvey Martin
The WR/TE numbers (80-89).
80 Jerry Rice
81 Tim Brown (considered Terrell Owens, Art Monk, Calvin Johnson, and Car Elier)
82 Jason Witten
83 Andre Reed (Wes Welker was also consider, the Dolphins Fan in me wanted Mark Clayton)
84 Randy Moss
85 Nick Buoniconti
86 Buck Buchanan (honorable mention Hines Ward)
87 Willie Davis (honorable mention Reggie Wayne, Gronk)
88 Tony Gonzalez (also considered Marvin Harrison, Michael Irvin, and Alan Page)
89 Steve Smith
The defensive line numbers (90-99)
90 Julius Peppers
91 Kevin Greene
92 Reggie White
93 John Randle
94 Charles Haley
95 Richard Dent
96 Cortez Kennedy
97 La'Roi Glover
98 Jessie Armstead
99 Jason Taylor (honorable mention Warren Sapp)
The QB numbers (1-19)* Yes, I know non-QBs can wear these numbers also.
1 Warren Moon
2 Matt Ryan
3 Russell Wilson
4 Brett Favre
5 Donovan McNabb
6 Jay Cutler
7 John Elway
8 Steve Young
9 Drew Brees (was on the fence between him and Sonny Jurgensen)
10 Fran Tarkenton
11 Larry Fitzgerald
12 Tom Brady
13 Dan Marino
14 Dan Fouts
15 Bart Starr
16 Joe Montana
17 Philip Rivers
18 Peyton Manning
19 Johnny Unitas
Notes: Its funny how certain numbers seem to be way more popular with QBs than others. For example, 12 is absolutely loaded (in addition to Brady, you have Rodgers, Bradshaw, Griese, Kelly, Staubach, Namath and Stabler). I can't believe Jay Cutler was the best number 6 I could name.
The RB/DB numbers (20-49)
20 Barry Sanders
21 Deion Sanders
22 Emmitt Smith
23 Troy Vincent
24 Champ Bailey
25 Fred Biletnikoff
26 Rod Woodson
27 Steve Atwater
28 Darrell Green (This was a tough one, Marshall Faulk could be argued too)
29 Eric Dickerson
30 Terrell Davis
31 Donnie Shell
32 Jim Brown
33 Tony Dorsett (honorable mention to Roger Craig)
34 Walter Payton
35 Aeneas Williams
36 Jerome Bettis
37 Jimmy Johnson
38 Sam Baker
39 Larry Csonka
40 Gale Sayers
41 Eugene Robinson
42 Ronnie Lott (honorable mention to Paul Warfield)
43 Troy Polamalu
44 John Riggins
45 Kenny Easley
46 Tim McDonald
47 Mel Blount (honorable mention John Lynch)
48 Stephen Davis
49 Bobby Mitchell
Notes: I jokingly wanted to put Ickey Woods in for 30 or 31 since he was amazing in 1988 when I first started watching the NFL. Interestingly he changed numbers half way through that season. He wore 31 for the first 8 games and 30 for the second 8 games. 32 and 34 are both tough, with lots of candidates, 32 also has Edgerrin James, Franco Harris, Marcus Allen, and OJ. 34 also has Thurman Thomas, Earl Campbell, Herschel Walker, and Bo Jackson. 38. 46, and 48 seem the most devoid of historical talent.
The OL numbers (50-79) (yes, Linebackers too)
50 Mike Singletary
51 Dick Butkus
52 Ray Lewis
53 Mick Tingelhoff
54 Brian Urlacher (as a Dolphins fan I wanted to say Zach Thomas)
55 Junior Seau
56 Lawrence Taylor
57 Rickey Jackson (Dolphins Pick: Dwight Stephenson)
58 Derrick Thomas
59 Jack Ham
60 Larry Grantham
61 Nate Newton
62 Jim Langer
63 Gene Upshaw
64 Randall McDaniel
65 Gary Zimmerman
66 Larry Little
67 Bob Kuechenberg
68 Will Shields
69 Jared Allen
70 Logan Mankins
71 Walter Jones
72 Dan Dierdorf
73 Larry Allen
74 Bruce Matthews
75 Joe Greene
76 Orlando Pace
77 Willie Roaf
78 Bruce Smith (honorable mention to Anthony Munoz)
79 Harvey Martin
The WR/TE numbers (80-89).
80 Jerry Rice
81 Tim Brown (considered Terrell Owens, Art Monk, Calvin Johnson, and Car Elier)
82 Jason Witten
83 Andre Reed (Wes Welker was also consider, the Dolphins Fan in me wanted Mark Clayton)
84 Randy Moss
85 Nick Buoniconti
86 Buck Buchanan (honorable mention Hines Ward)
87 Willie Davis (honorable mention Reggie Wayne, Gronk)
88 Tony Gonzalez (also considered Marvin Harrison, Michael Irvin, and Alan Page)
89 Steve Smith
The defensive line numbers (90-99)
90 Julius Peppers
91 Kevin Greene
92 Reggie White
93 John Randle
94 Charles Haley
95 Richard Dent
96 Cortez Kennedy
97 La'Roi Glover
98 Jessie Armstead
99 Jason Taylor (honorable mention Warren Sapp)