List of National Football League retired numbers

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Teams in the National Football League retire jersey numbers of players who either are considered by the team to have extraordinary talent and have made significant contributions to that team's success, or who have experienced untimely deaths during their playing career. As with other leagues, once a team retires a player's jersey number, it never issues the number to any other player, unless the player explicitly allows it.

Since the NFL began retiring numbers, 139 players have had their jersey number retired. The Chicago Bears have the most retired numbers of any team with 14. Two players, Reggie White and Sam Mills, have had their numbers retired by two different teams. Three teams - the Oakland Raiders, the Atlanta Falcons,[1] and the Dallas Cowboys - traditionally do not retire jersey numbers, and three others - the Buffalo Bills, the Washington Redskins, and the Pittsburgh Steelers - only do so in extremely rare circumstances. Also without a retired jersey number are the Baltimore Ravens, the Houston Texans, and the Jacksonville Jaguars; however, all of those teams are less than 20 years old[2] and may retire numbers in the future.

Unlike Major League Baseball (Jackie Robinson) and the National Hockey League (Wayne Gretzky), but like the NBA, the NFL, as of 2014, has never retired a jersey number league-wide in honor of any person or people. Numbers 0 and 00 were not retired in honor of any particular player but are no longer allowed, since the NFL's positional numbering system, imposed in 1973, does not allocate a position for persons wearing those numbers (the NFL did allow those numbers in the past; Johnny Olszewski, Jim Otto and Ken Burrough all wore 0 or 00).[3]

Retired numbers

Elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Jim Kelly in 2010
Jim Kelly, the first player to have his jersey number (12) officially retired by the Buffalo Bills, is seen here in 2010
Otto Graham in 1959
Otto Graham, whose number 14 was retired by the Browns, at his new job, as the new U.S. Coast Guard Academy Athletic Director
Lenny Moore in 2011
Lenny Moore, whose number 24 was retired by the Colts, poses for a picture at Baltimore in 2011
Junior Seau in 2008
Junior Seau, whose number 55 was retired by the Chargers, in 2008 playing a game with the New England Patriots
Phil Simms in 2003
Phil Simms, whose number 11 was retired by the Giants, signing autographs at Rams Park in 2003
Gale Sayers giving a speech in 2008
Gale Sayers, whose number 40 was retired by the Bears, giving a keynote speech at an awards ceremony in 2008 for the U.S Army High School Football Player of the Year award
Mike Ditka in the press booth of a pre-season football game
Mike Ditka, whose number 89 was retired by the Bears in a Monday night game against the Dallas Cowboys
Fran Tarkenton in 2010
Fran Tarkenton, whose number 10 was retired by the Vikings, after giving a speech at Atlanta in 2010
Warren Sapp visiting members of the US Navy
Warren Sapp (left), whose number 99 was retired by the Buccaneers, visits members of the US Navy
Player No. Team Years with team References[4]
Jim Kelly 12 Buffalo Bills 1986—96 [4][5]
Bruce Smith 78 Buffalo Bills 1985—99 [6]
Bob Griese 12 Miami Dolphins 1967—80 [4]
Dan Marino 13 Miami Dolphins 1983—99 [4]
Larry Csonka 39 Miami Dolphins 1968—74, 1979 [4]
Gino Cappelletti 20 New England Patriots 1960—70 [4][7]
Mike Haynes 40 New England Patriots 1976—82 [4][8]
Steve Nelson 57 New England Patriots 1974—87 [4][8]
John Hannah 73 New England Patriots 1973—85 [4][8]
Bruce Armstrong 78 New England Patriots 1987—2000 [4][8]
Jim Lee Hunt 79 New England Patriots 1960—70 [4][8]
Bob Dee 89 New England Patriots 1960—67 [4][8]
Joe Namath 12 New York Jets 1965—76 [4]
Don Maynard 13 New York Jets 1963—72 [4]
Curtis Martin 28 New York Jets 1998—2005 [9]
Joe Klecko 73 New York Jets 1977—87 [4]
Dennis Byrd 90 New York Jets 1989—92 [10][11]
Bob Johnson 54 Cincinnati Bengals 1968—79 [4]
Otto Graham 14 Cleveland Browns 1946—55 [4]
Jim Brown 32 Cleveland Browns 1957—65 [4]
Ernie Davis 45 Cleveland Browns 1962[12] [4]
Don Fleming 46 Cleveland Browns 1960—62 [4]
Lou Groza 76 Cleveland Browns 1946—59, 1961–67 [4]
Ernie Stautner 70 Pittsburgh Steelers 1950—63 [4]
Joe Greene 75 Pittsburgh Steelers 1969—81 [13]
Peyton Manning 18 Indianapolis Colts 1998—2011 [4] [14]
Johnny Unitas 19 Baltimore Colts 1956—72 [4][15]
Buddy Young 22 Baltimore Colts 1953—55 [4][15]
Lenny Moore 24 Baltimore Colts 1956—67 [4][15]
Art Donovan 70 Baltimore Colts 1950, 1953—61 [4][15]
Jim Parker 77 Baltimore Colts 1957—67 [4][15]
Raymond Berry 82 Baltimore Colts 1955—67 [4][15]
Gino Marchetti 89 Baltimore Colts 1953—66 [4][15]
Warren Moon 1 Tennessee Titans 1984—93 [16][17]
Earl Campbell 34 Tennessee Titans 1978—84 [4]
Jim Norton 43 Tennessee Titans 1960—68 [4]
Mike Munchak 63 Tennessee Titans 1982—93 [4]
Elvin Bethea 65 Tennessee Titans 1968—83 [4]
Bruce Matthews 74 Tennessee Titans 1983—2001 [4]
John Elway 7 Denver Broncos 1983—99 [4]
Frank Tripucka 18 Denver Broncos 1960—63 [4][18]
Peyton Manning 2012—15
Floyd Little 44 Denver Broncos 1967—75 [4]
Jan Stenerud 3 Kansas City Chiefs 1967—79 [4]
Len Dawson 16 Kansas City Chiefs 1962—75 [4]
Emmitt Thomas 18 Kansas City Chiefs 1966—78 [19]
Abner Haynes 28 Kansas City Chiefs 1960—74 [4]
Stone Johnson 33 Kansas City Chiefs 1963[20] [4]
Mack Lee Hill 36 Kansas City Chiefs 1964—65 [4]
Derrick Thomas 58 Kansas City Chiefs 1989—99 [21]
Willie Lanier 63 Kansas City Chiefs 1967—77 [4]
Bobby Bell 78 Kansas City Chiefs 1963—74 [4]
Buck Buchanan 86 Kansas City Chiefs 1963—75 [4]
Dan Fouts 14 San Diego Chargers 1973—87 [4]
Lance Alworth 19 San Diego Chargers 1962—70 [22]
LaDainian Tomlinson 21 San Diego Chargers 2001—09 [23]
Junior Seau 55 San Diego Chargers 1990—02 [24]
Ray Flaherty 1 New York Giants 1928—35 [4]
Tuffy Leemans 4 New York Giants 1936—43 [4]
Mel Hein 7 New York Giants 1931—45 [4]
Phil Simms 11 New York Giants 1979—93 [4]
Ward Cuff 14 New York Giants 1937—45 [25]
Y. A. Tittle 14 New York Giants 1961—64 [4]
Frank Gifford 16 New York Giants 1952—64 [4]
Al Blozis 32 New York Giants 1942—44 [4]
Joe Morrison 40 New York Giants 1959—72 [4]
Charlie Conerly 42 New York Giants 1948—61 [4]
Ken Strong 50 New York Giants 1936—47 [4]
Lawrence Taylor 56 New York Giants 1981—93 [4]
Donovan McNabb 5 Philadelphia Eagles 1999—2009 [26]
Steve Van Buren 15 Philadelphia Eagles 1944—51 [4][27]
Brian Dawkins 20 Philadelphia Eagles 1996—2008 [28]
Tom Brookshier 40 Philadelphia Eagles 1953—61 [4][27]
Pete Retzlaff 44 Philadelphia Eagles 1956—66 [4][27]
Chuck Bednarik 60 Philadelphia Eagles 1949—62 [4]
Al Wistert 70 Philadelphia Eagles 1944—51 [4][27]
Reggie White 92 Philadelphia Eagles 1985—92 [4][27][29]
Jerome Brown 99 Philadelphia Eagles 1987—91 [4][27][30]
Sammy Baugh 33 Washington Redskins 1937—52 [4]
Bronko Nagurski 3 Chicago Bears 1930—37, 1943 [4]
George McAfee 5 Chicago Bears 1940—41, 1945—50 [4]
George Halas 7 Chicago Bears 1920—28 [4]
Willie Galimore 28 Chicago Bears 1957—63 [4]
Walter Payton 34 Chicago Bears 1975—87 [4]
Gale Sayers 40 Chicago Bears 1965—71 [4]
Brian Piccolo 41 Chicago Bears 1965—69 [4]
Sid Luckman 42 Chicago Bears 1939—50 [4]
Dick Butkus 51 Chicago Bears 1965—73 [4]
Bill Hewitt 56 Chicago Bears 1932—36 [4]
Bill George 61 Chicago Bears 1952—65 [4]
Bulldog Turner 66 Chicago Bears 1940—52 [4]
Red Grange 77 Chicago Bears 1925—34 [4]
Mike Ditka 89 Chicago Bears 1961—66 [citation needed]
Dutch Clark 7 Detroit Lions 1934—38 [4]
Barry Sanders 20 Detroit Lions 1989—98 [citation needed]
Bobby Layne 22 Detroit Lions 1950—58 [4]
Doak Walker 37 Detroit Lions 1950—55 [4]
Joe Schmidt 56 Detroit Lions 1953—65 [4]
Chuck Hughes 85 Detroit Lions 1970—71 [4]
Tony Canadeo 3 Green Bay Packers 1941—52 [4]
Brett Favre 4 Green Bay Packers 1992—2007 [31]
Don Hutson 14 Green Bay Packers 1935—45 [4]
Bart Starr 15 Green Bay Packers 1956—71 [4]
Ray Nitschke 66 Green Bay Packers 1958—72 [4]
Reggie White 92 Green Bay Packers 1993—98 [4][32]
Fran Tarkenton 10 Minnesota Vikings 1961—78 [4]
Mick Tingelhoff 53 Minnesota Vikings 1962—78 [4]
Jim Marshall 70 Minnesota Vikings 1961—79 [4]
Korey Stringer 77 Minnesota Vikings 1995—2000 [4]
Cris Carter 80 Minnesota Vikings 1990—2001 [4]
Alan Page 88 Minnesota Vikings 1967—78 [4]
Steve Bartkowski 10 Atlanta Falcons 1975—85 [4]
William Andrews 31 Atlanta Falcons 1979—83, 1986 [4]
Jeff Van Note 57 Atlanta Falcons 1969—86 [4]
Tommy Nobis 60 Atlanta Falcons 1966—1976 [4]
Sam Mills 51 Carolina Panthers 1995—97 [4]
Jim Taylor 31 New Orleans Saints 1967 [4]
Doug Atkins 81 New Orleans Saints 1967—69 [4]
Derrick Brooks 55 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1995—08 [33]
Lee Roy Selmon 63 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1976—84 [4]
Warren Sapp 99 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1995—03 [34]
Larry Wilson 8 Arizona Cardinals 1960—72 [4]
Pat Tillman 40 Arizona Cardinals 1998—2001 [4]
Stan Mauldin 77 Arizona Cardinals 1946—48 [4]
J. V. Cain 88 Arizona Cardinals 1974—78 [4]
Marshall Goldberg 99 Arizona Cardinals 1939—43, 1946—48 [4]
Bob Waterfield 7 Los Angeles Rams 1945—52 [4][35]
Marshall Faulk 28 Los Angeles Rams 1999—2006 [4][36]
Eric Dickerson 29 Los Angeles Rams 1983—87 [4][35]
Merlin Olsen 74 Los Angeles Rams 1962—76 [4][35]
Deacon Jones 75 Los Angeles Rams 1961—71 [35][37]
Jackie Slater 78 Los Angeles Rams 1976—95 [4][35]
Isaac Bruce 80 Los Angeles Rams 1994—2007 [38]
Jack Youngblood 85 Los Angeles Rams 1971—84 [4][35]
Steve Young 8 San Francisco 49ers 1987—99 [39]
John Brodie 12 San Francisco 49ers 1957—73 [4][40]
Joe Montana 16 San Francisco 49ers 1979—92 [4]
Joe Perry 34 San Francisco 49ers 1948—60 [4]
Jimmy Johnson 37 San Francisco 49ers 1961—76 [4]
Hugh McElhenny 39 San Francisco 49ers 1952—60 [4]
Ronnie Lott 42 San Francisco 49ers 1981—90 [41]
Charlie Krueger 70 San Francisco 49ers 1959—73 [4]
Leo Nomellini 73 San Francisco 49ers 1950—63 [4]
Bob St. Clair 79 San Francisco 49ers 1953—63 [4]
Jerry Rice 80 San Francisco 49ers 1985—2000 [42]
Dwight Clark 87 San Francisco 49ers 1979—87 [4]
Walter Jones 71 Seattle Seahawks 1997—2009 [citation needed]
Steve Largent 80 Seattle Seahawks 1976—89 [4][43]
Cortez Kennedy 96 Seattle Seahawks 1990—2000 [44][45]
(12th man) 12 Seattle Seahawks 1984—

See also

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Team Encyclopedias and Records - Pro-Football-Reference.com
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ 4.000 4.001 4.002 4.003 4.004 4.005 4.006 4.007 4.008 4.009 4.010 4.011 4.012 4.013 4.014 4.015 4.016 4.017 4.018 4.019 4.020 4.021 4.022 4.023 4.024 4.025 4.026 4.027 4.028 4.029 4.030 4.031 4.032 4.033 4.034 4.035 4.036 4.037 4.038 4.039 4.040 4.041 4.042 4.043 4.044 4.045 4.046 4.047 4.048 4.049 4.050 4.051 4.052 4.053 4.054 4.055 4.056 4.057 4.058 4.059 4.060 4.061 4.062 4.063 4.064 4.065 4.066 4.067 4.068 4.069 4.070 4.071 4.072 4.073 4.074 4.075 4.076 4.077 4.078 4.079 4.080 4.081 4.082 4.083 4.084 4.085 4.086 4.087 4.088 4.089 4.090 4.091 4.092 4.093 4.094 4.095 4.096 4.097 4.098 4.099 4.100 4.101 4.102 4.103 4.104 4.105 4.106 4.107 4.108 4.109 4.110 4.111 4.112 4.113 4.114 4.115 4.116 4.117 4.118 4.119 4.120 4.121 4.122 4.123 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found..
  5. ↑ The Times newspaper 2001-12-19, scanned and uploaded to Google News, retrieved 2011-12-06
  6. ↑ Bills’ Bruce Smith to have jersey number retired at 2016 home opener. WIVB-TV (May 10, 2016). Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  7. ↑ "Gino Cappelletti: New England" - Taste of the NFL website
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 "Patriots Grogan and Bledsoe Caught in Retired Numbers Game" - Bleacher Report
  9. ↑ "Curtis Martin has jersey number retired by Jets", Daynews, 9 September 2012
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Davis was a member of the 1962 Browns team but due to a recent bout with cancer that at the time was in remission, coach Paul Brown refused to play him. The cancer returned later in 1962, eventually killing Davis in the 1963 offseason. Ernie Davis biography
  13. ↑ http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2014/11/02/Jersey-retirement-brings-out-the-emotions-in-Mean-Joe-Greene/stories/201411020265
  14. ↑ [1]
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 15.6 Played for the Colts while the franchise was at Baltimore.
  16. ↑ "Titans Retire Warren Moon's No. 1", 2010-10-06
  17. ↑ Retired jersey numbers on Titans website
  18. ↑ Peyton Manning received permission from Frank Tripucka to wear #18 during his time with the Broncos.
  19. ↑ "Kansas City Chiefs to retire Emmitt Thomas' number" - KC Chiefs online
  20. ↑ Johnson died from injuries sustained in the 1963 preseason, his rookie campaign. Stone Johnson died 50 years ago from injury in NFL game
  21. ↑ "Chiefs retire Thomas' No. 58 at half" - ESPN, 2009-12-06
  22. ↑ "On a banner day for Alworth, Chargers retire jersey No. 19", The San Diego Union Tribune, 2005-11-21
  23. ↑ "Chargers To Retire LaDainian Tomlinson's Number"
  24. ↑ ESPN, 2012-05-11
  25. ↑ http://prod.static.giants.clubs.nfl.com/assets/docs/pdf/giants-history.pdf
  26. ↑ "Donovan McNabb cheered in Philly"
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 27.2 27.3 27.4 27.5 Daily Philadelphian.com, 2011-08-14
  28. ↑ Dawkins Speaks, Number Retired
  29. ↑ "Eagles honor Reggie White, retire his jersey", ESPN, 2005-12-05
  30. ↑ "Eagles make sure no one wears 99 again" - The Morning Call, 1992-09-07
  31. ↑ Green Bay Packers#Retired numbers
  32. ↑ "Packers retire Reggie White's jersey", 1999-10-11
  33. ↑ Brooks' #55 To Be Retired
  34. ↑ "Bucs to retire Warren Sapp's No. 99", 2013-05-02
  35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 35.2 35.3 35.4 35.5 Played for the Rams while the franchise was at Los Angeles.
  36. ↑ "Rams retire Faulk's No. 28 jersey at halftime", NFL news (official), 2007-12-22
  37. ↑ "Rams retire Jones' No. 75 jersey", ESPN, 2009-09-27
  38. ↑ "Rams retire Isaac Bruce's number", ESPN, 31 October 2010
  39. ↑ "49ers to retire Young's #8", TSN website, 2008-09-25
  40. ↑ Trent Dilfer received permission from Brodie, a personal friend, to wear #12 during his time with the 49ers."Dilfer to wear longtime hero Brodie's No. 12", ESPN, 2006-07-28
  41. ↑ "49ers to retire Lott's jersey" - SF Gate.com, 2003-11-06
  42. ↑ "49ers retire Jerry Rice's number at half" - ESPN, 2010-09-21
  43. ↑ Jerry Rice received permission from Largent to wear #80 during his time with the Seahawks."Seahawks/NFL: Loan of No. 80 a class act by Hawks' classiest", 2004-10-22
  44. ↑ "Seahawks retire Cortez Kennedy's No. 96", King5.com, 14 October 2012
  45. ↑ "Hawks to retire Cortez Kennedy’s jersey", The News Tribune, 11 October 2012
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