There's a chance your favorite Bears player will be sporting a different look on the field this upcoming season.
Next month NFL owners are expected to vote on a proposal that would expand jersey number options for certain positions. The new rule, which was proposed by the Kansas City Chiefs, would allow running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, linebackers and defensive backs to wear new numbers, including single digits.
Here are the numbers that each position is currently permitted to wear with the proposed additional number ranges in parentheses:
Running backs: 20-49 (1-19, 80-89)
Wide receivers: 10-19, 80-89 (1-9, 20-49)
Tight ends: 40-49, 80-89 (1-39)
Linebackers: 40-49, 50-59, 90-99 (1-39)
Defensive backs: 20-49 (1-19)
The following positions would be unaffected by the new rule:
Quarterbacks: 1-19
Offensive linemen: 50-79
Defensive linemen: 50-79, 90-99
Punters and kickers: 1-19
The proposal needs approval from 24 of the 32 NFL owners to be adopted. The difficulty of assigning numbers by position increased last year when practice squads expanded from 10 to 16 players. It's especially challenging for the Bears, whose 14 retired numbers are the most of any NFL team.
Only time will tell if the proposal is approved and which Bears players will ultimately change numbers. But it's interesting to note that:
• Receivers Anthony Miller (Memphis) and Darnell Mooney (Tulane) and linebacker Roquan Smith (Georgia) all wore No. 3 in college. They could be tempted to switch to a single digit, but it won't be No. 3 because that number is retired by the Bears in honor of Hall of Fame fullback Bronko Nagurski.
• Receiver Allen Robinson II wore No. 8 at Penn State and could switch to that number if the proposal is approved. No Bears player has worn No. 8 since quarterback Mike Glennon in 2017.
• There are only four single-digit numbers currently available with the Bears: Nos. 1, 4, 6 and 8. Nos. 5 and 7 have been retired to honor Hall of Famers George McAfee and George Halas, respectively, while Nos. 2 and 9 belong to kicker Cairo Santos and quarterback Nick Foles, respectively.
Safety Eddie Jackson, who has worn No. 39 since joining the Bears in 2017, would seemingly be a candidate for No. 4, the number he wore at Alabama.
Interestingly, No. 7 was worn by two Bears Hall of Famers: Halas (1920-29) and defensive end Ed Sprinkle, who is scheduled to be inducted posthumously this year.
The last Bears to wear Nos. 1, 4 and 6 were, respectively, kicker Cody Parkey in 2018, quarterback Chase Daniel in 2018-19 and quarterback Mark Sanchez in 2017.
• The new rule would allow linebacker Danny Trevathan to switch from No. 59—the number he's worn in all nine of his NFL seasons with the Broncos (2012-15) and Bears (2016-20)—to No. 22, the number he wore at Kentucky. Of course, Trevathan would probably have to "purchase" the number from Bears cornerback Kindle Vildor, a 2020 fifth-round pick from Georgia Southern who wore No. 22 last year as a rookie.
A rigid numbering system didn't exist in the NFL until 1973, which explains why Bears Hall of Fame quarterback Sid Luckman was able to wear No. 42 in the 1940s, Hall of Fame running back Red Grange was permitted to don No. 77 in the 1920s and '30s, etc.
A handful of tweaks have been made since 1973, the most noteworthy of which occurred in 2004 when receivers were allowed to wear numbers in the 10-19 range. Last season the Bears' top three receivers all wore numbers in that range: Robinson (12), Mooney (11) and Miller (17).
Senior writer Larry Mayer ranks his 10 favorite Bears players who changed jersey numbers prior to the 2021 season.
(10) Sam Acho (No. 49 to 93)
The outside linebacker wore No. 49 in his first two seasons with the Bears in 2015-16 before changing to No. 93 in his final two years in 2017-18. Acho made the switch because he liked the number "3" following the release of defensive lineman Will Sutton, who had been wearing No. 93.
(9) Jim Flanigan (No. 68 to 99)
After wearing No. 68 as a Bears rookie in 1994, the defensive tackle from Notre Dame wore No. 99 for his final six seasons with the team.
(8) Emery Moorehead (No. 43 to 87)
After wearing No. 43 in his first season with the Bears in 1981, the veteran tight end switched to No. 87 for his final seven years with the team.
(7) Rashied Davis (No. 21 to 81)
Before joining the Bears in 2005, Davis had played receiver and cornerback in the Arena Football League with the San Jose SaberCats. Signed by the Bears to play cornerback, Davis was assigned No. 21. But when he was switched to receiver in his second season, he changed to No. 81.
(6) Earl Bennett (No. 85 to 80)
The Bears receiver wore No. 85 as a rookie in 2008 before switching to No. 80 for his final five seasons with the team. Bennett did not catch a pass as a rookie before registering 185 receptions the next five years.
(5) Josh McCown (No. 15 to 12)
The popular quarterback had worn No. 12 in each of his first eight NFL seasons with the Cardinals (2002-05), Lions (2006), Raiders (2007) and Panthers (2008-09). But when he signed with the Bears in 2011, Caleb Hanie had No. 12, so McCown took No. 15. McCown's contract expired after the season and the Bears acquired receiver Brandon Marshall in a trade with the Dolphins and gave him No. 15. McCown re-signed with the Bears one day later and was given No. 12.
(4) Mike Ditka (No. 82 to 89)
After Mike Ditka was selected by the Bears with the fifth pick in the 1961 draft, the Hall of Fame tight end was assigned No. 82. The No. 89 that Ditka had worn at the University of Pittsburgh belonged to Bears kicker John Aveni. But Aveni was released before training camp and Ditka was able to get No. 89—a number that has since been retired by the team in his honor.
(3) Lance Briggs (No. 91 to 55)
When Briggs was chosen by the Bears in the third round of the 2003 draft, the No. 55 belonged to veteran linebacker Mike Caldwell. But Caldwell was released before the start of the season and Briggs switched to No. 55.
(2) Doug Plank (No. 25 to 46)
The hard-hitting safety was originally given No. 25 after arriving as a 12th-round pick in the 1975 draft. But the Bears traded for Steelers receiver Ron Shanklin in late August and Shanklin asked for No. 25—the number he had worn for five seasons in Pittsburgh. Plank acquiesced and switched to No. 46. Had that not happened, we'd probably all be talking about the famed 25 defense!
(1) Walter Payton (No. 21 to 34)
The legendary Hall of Fame running back was initially assigned No. 21 when he arrived as the fourth overall pick in the 1975 draft, but he switched to his famed No. 34 before the start of the regular season.
