The Philadelphia Eagles want a goose egg. Just not on the score board.
The team petitioned the NFL to allow players to wear No. 0, according to The Athletic. Right now, No. 0 is not a jersey option for any position, and the Eagles are running out of room in the single digits. The only number not taken up in the single digits is the No. 9. Players on offense, defense and special teams are sporting single-digit uniforms in Philadelphia, including quarterback Jalen Hurts, who wears No. 1; cornerback Darius Slay wears No. 2; wide receiver DeVonta Smith has No. 6; linebacker Haason Reddick dons No. 7 and punter Arryn Siposs is the owner of No. 8.
In 2013, Philadelphia retired No. 5 for quarterback Donovan McNabb.
Both the No. 0 and No. 00 were allowed for use league-wide before the NFL regulated jersey numbers by position in 1973. The NFL competition committee will review the Eagles’ proposal this week in Indianapolis.
NEWSLETTER: Sign up to get sports news and features delivered daily
Which players in the NFL can wear single digits?
The league expanded which players can wear single digits in 2021 after the Kansas City Chiefs requested to have the numbers more widely distributed. Quarterbacks, kickers and punters have always been allowed to wear single digits. Running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, linebackers and defensive backs are allowed to wear No. 1 through No. 9 under the rule change. So the only positions that are not allowed to wear single digits are offensive and defensive lineman.
Which sports stars have worn No. 0 or No. 00?
In the NFL, Oakland Raiders center Jim Otto wore No. 00 throughout most of his Hall of Fame career. Wide receiver Ken Burrough, a two-time Pro Bowler, wore No. 00 with both of his teams, the New Orleans Saints and Houston Oilers.
Currently, the NBA is the league where the No. 0 is most popular. Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard, Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum and Los Angeles Clippers point guard Russell Westbrook are just a few of the many players who wear the single digit. LeBron James’ son Bronny wears No. 0 as a tribute to the former Oklahoma City Thunder star. Former Washington Wizards star Gilbert Arenas, who was known as ‘Agent 0,’ is widely credited with starting the current trend. Hall of Famer Robert Parish wore No. 00 throughout his two-decade career.
A handful of WNBA players selected No. 0 as their number, including Los Angeles Sparks guard Alana Beard and current Dallas Wings forward Satou Sabally.
In the NHL, players are no longer allowed to wear No. 0 or No. 00. Prior to the 1996-97 season, a handful of players donned the single digit, including New York Rangers goalie Andy Aitkenhead, Montreal Canadiens goalie Paul Bibeault and Hartford Whalers defenseman Neil Sheehy. New York Rangers goalie John Davidson wore No. 00.
Over in the MLB, Al Oliver was the first player to wear No. 0 and rocked it with several of the teams he played on. Pitcher Adam Ottovino has worn the single digit since 2013. Jack Clark wore No. 00 in his short stint with the San Diego Padres, and Bobby Bonds wore it in his lone season with the St. Louis Cardinals.
In soccer, only one player has been known to wear the No. 0. Moroccan attacker Hicham Zerouali was permitted by the Scottish team Aberdeen FC to use the single digit as an homage to his nickname, ‘Zero.’
