For those Jaguars fans who purchased a Denard Robinson jersey with No. 29 on it, we have good news and bad news.
The good news/bad news is you’ll apparently get to buy another Denard Robinson jersey.
Via the Associated Press, Robinson changed his number from 29 to 16, which is the number Robinson wore in college at Michigan.
When Robinson was drafted in April, No. 16 belonged to receiver Jordan Shipley. But with receiver Taylor Price now gone and No. 15 available, Shipley took 15 and Robinson got 16.
With Shipley and Robinson represented by the same firm, the change was more easily accomplished
“It means a lot to me,” Robinson said. “I took it from my brother. He wore 16. That was my role model. I wanted to copy him.”
Technically, 16 is available only to quarterbacks and receivers; the Jaguars recently indicated that Robinson’s focus will be running back and Wildcat quarterback. The NFL has no specific numerical range for “offensive weapon,” which is Robinson’s official designation.
It’s a little odd that the buttoned-down NFL would permit a guy who apparently will be playing more running back than quarterback or receiver to stray from the range of numbers available to running backs. (Maybe if the Saints had listed Reggie Bush as an “offensive weapon” in 2006, he would have been able to wear No. 5, something he tried to get the NFL to allow him to do.)
Then there’s the issue of any unsold Nike jerseys with Robinson’s name on the back and No. 29 on the front, back, and sleeves. Typically, the player has to write a check for the wholesale value of the wasted merchandise if he changes his name.
For those reasons, there’s a chance that the shift is not yet a done deal. Indeed, the Jaguars’ official website shows that two players wear No. 16: Robinson and newly-acquired receiver Charly Martin.
UPDATE 10:10 a.m. ET: Martin will wear No. 85; the information on the website was erroneous. Also, a Jaguars spokesman tells PFT that Robinson’s initial number was intended to be temporary, and no jerseys were sold or marketed with No. 29. The league has not objected to the change. (Yet.)