The Prime Numbers series on NBCSN’s Pro Football Talk started Monday with No. 1. And the best player who ever wore that number was Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon.
So why did Moon pick No. 1?
“A couple of different reasons,” Moon told Erik Kuselias. “I think, first, it was a very different number and it was something that nobody else was wearing, but I think it had more meaning to me than that. It was something that my teammates could look at on my back. Every time they looked at me as a leader on our football team, they saw the number 1, which is something that signifies a lot of different things. Hopefully, number 1 is where we want our team to finish. If you’re an individual, you want to be probably the best at your position, the same way for me, and having that number 1 on my chest or on my back meant the same thing to me. I wanted to be the best at my position so I worked towards that, and that number 1 was a constant reminder of that. So not only was it a constant reminder hopefully for me, but also for my teammates, and where we wanted our team to finish.”
Moon’s NFL teams never finished No. 1, but not because of Moon’s lack of ability or effort.
Today, the most recognizable player to wear No. 1 is Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, who led Carolina to an unlikely playoff berth in his third NFL season. As Newton thrives and younger players hope to emulate him, there could be more and more non-kickers wearing No. 1 in the NFL before too long.