Playoff Lenny Changing Numbers?
April 22nd, 2021
Hints at new number.
Joe wouldn’t be shocked if Bucs players wear new numbers this season.
The NFL approved new numbers for positions yesterday.
The new number combos for each position are:
Quarterbacks 1-19
Running backs 1-49, 80-89
Wide receivers 1-49, 80-89
Tight ends 1-49, 80-90
Offensive line 50-79
Defensive line 50-79, 90-99
Linebackers 1-59, 90-99
Defensive backs 1-49
Kickers 1-19
Punters 1-19
The rule change was proposed by the Chiefs. Their motivation, it seems, was too many retired numbers. So they needed more flexibility.
(Joe’s peeved the NFL didn’t revert to an old rule that allowed quarterbacks to wear Nos. 20 and 21. Also, Joe likes how sometimes in college, defensive ends wear single digits.).
This almost immediately prompted Bucs running back Playoff Lenny to announce a number change.
The reason Joe didn’t just embed Playoff Lenny’s Twitter is because Playoff Lenny deleted it (but not before Joe got a screenshot). But why would Playoff Lenny delete that?
Well, for a player to change numbers in 2021, the player would have to buy out all inventory of his old jersey number. That could get expensive, as Kevin Seifert of ESPN points out.
Per NFL rules, if a player wants to change his number THIS SEASON, he would have to buy out the existing inventory of jersey distributors.
If he wants to give notice now to change his number NEXT SEASON, there would be no requirement to buy out inventory. https://t.co/XvduiMgSw3
— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) April 21, 2021
So Playoff Lenny probably learned it would cost him tens of thousands of dollars to buy up all the inventory of his Bucs jersey. Of course, he could do this and give the jerseys away to kids.
Why would Playoff Lenny want to flip to No. 7? Well, that was his old number at LSU. And per LSU Reveille, No. 7 is a sacred number for LSU football. That number has been worn by arguably the team’s most dominant player, aside from one season.
For LSU, the No. 7 was semi-retired after Tigers quarterback legend Bert Jones left for the NFL in 1973. But in 2008, No. 7 was brought out of mothballs by LSU when Patrick Peterson wore it, and it’s been given to a star player ever since (but for one season).
So we shall see if Playoff Lenny wants to cough up the cash to wear No. 7.
UPDATE: Playoff Lenny added this after he deleted the twitter above. (Hat tip: @alenasc12.)
@Buccaneers I need number 7 thank you https://t.co/TCuca8zD7N
— 7⃣ Leonard Fournette (@_fournette) April 1, 2021
April 22nd, 2021 at 5:39 am
GIVE US MO ROJO PLEASE
April 22nd, 2021 at 6:23 am
He deleted that tweet, but tweeted this instead
Maybe he’s asking for the team to pay for the existing inventory?
April 22nd, 2021 at 6:57 am
Rojo will have Lenny back on the bench again whining.. #GoBucs
April 22nd, 2021 at 6:59 am
I’m not happy, I just ordered my #28 jersey.
April 22nd, 2021 at 7:08 am
Actually I think we will sign Lenny or Rojo next year, and we might draft a guy to compete with Vaughn for number 2. Draft an O center or best D lineman or linebacker at number 1.
April 22nd, 2021 at 7:37 am
What makes me feel certain the Bucs will draft Travis Etienne is that jersey number 9 is available….(sarcasm)
April 22nd, 2021 at 8:22 am
I learned something today! Joe, are we talking wholesale or retail value for buying out inventory? I assume this is officially licensed gear only, and not those cheap JW3 forever style tshirts ndog hawks on the corner of Himes and Columbus either?
April 22nd, 2021 at 8:54 am
NFL doesn’t care about unofficially licensed gear, except for the cops to jail the owners of the stores that sell that stuff.
April 22nd, 2021 at 9:10 am
He should ask for #3.8 to remind himself how dominant he was last year running the ball.
Fournette 3.8 ypc
Rojo 5.0 ypc
Ronald Jones fought for 1.2 extra yards per carry that Fournette simply laid down and refused to fight for.
April 22nd, 2021 at 9:25 am
Gotbbucs – how about 4.7 YPC which is what he averaged in the postseason after Rojo got injured?
Rojo also averaged 4.0 YPC in the post season. Sure he wasn’t exactly healthy for most of it due to his quad, and finger.. Still should be grateful Fournette was there with fresh legs to step in and step up when he did.
April 22nd, 2021 at 9:35 am
Anyone wants Rojo to get more snaps, then you go and talk to Brady. This is not on the coaches. Brady is the one running the huddle, and Rojo has still not earned Brady’s respect. Brady was getting the ball to AB instead of Rojo at the end of regular season, anyone remember? So Rojo it is time to step or get less and less snaps. Do not blame the coaches, this is between Brady and Rojo. The Goat is the Boss of the Huddle. GO BUCS!!!!
April 22nd, 2021 at 10:11 am
would like to see Dean in #21 or at least a # in the 20s…lol…
GO BUCS!!!!
April 22nd, 2021 at 10:22 am
I would love to get into the weeds of this, but I don’t ever expect Nike and the NFL to release this kind of info…
-How accurate is 10’s of thousands of dollars
-Does he have to buy back the one’s that have already been distributed to third party sellers, like Dicks’ sporting goods and Lids Locker?
-Does the player have to buy them at the retail price, store purchase price (what Dick’s sporting goods pays for them), or the manufacturing price?
And lastly, because this isn’t Tom Brady or Mike Evans…
Are there really that many Fournette jerseys floating around on shelves and in warehouses?
Like I said, we’ll never know but the nerd in me is very curious.
April 22nd, 2021 at 11:25 am
@ Mitch
I watched the games and I saw one guy that ran hard, and one guy that laid down. I saw one guy that left it all on the field for his teammates, and I saw one guy that cared about himself.
Yep, Leonard Fournette had a couple nice bounced runs in the playoffs, unfortunately, he lost my respect long before that in the regular season. As a former offensive lineman, I can’t stand running backs that don’t fight for extra yards. It’s a slap in the face.
April 23rd, 2021 at 12:30 am
This is a purely academic discussion. TB clearly prefers Lenny over Rojo and that’s that. Given that RoJo has stone hands and failed to get the ball into the end zone from the one yard twice in the SB I think TB’s thinking is totally justified.
If he stays healthy GB may lessen the importance of this issue.