AP Photo/Paul SancyaDetroit Lions receiver Jameson Williams is yet to play an NFL game, but he has already made a jersey change.
The 2022 No. 12 overall draft pick will now wear No. 9 after getting permission from former quarterback Matthew Stafford:
Eric Woodyard @E_Woodyard<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Lions?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Lions</a> rookie Jameson Williams has officially switched his jersey to No. 9 — Matthew Stafford’s old Detroit number. He was looking for a single digit number and actually reached out to Stafford on his own via text as an act of courtesy, according to a source. Classy move. <a href="https://t.co/wzkhJmQRQd">pic.twitter.com/wzkhJmQRQd</a>
Stafford wore No. 9 for 12 years with the Lions before moving to the Los Angeles Rams in a 2021 trade. He won a Super Bowl in his first year with his new team.
Though Detroit has not yet retired the quarterback's number, Stafford is the franchise's all-time leader in passing yards, passing touchdowns and wins as a starting quarterback.
Williams, meanwhile, originally planned to wear No. 18 after his first choice of No. 1 was already taken by Jeff Okudah.
"One reason was Calvin Johnson had 81 and seeing 81, I wanted to flip it," Williams told reporters in May. "Then Randy Moss had 18 one time. He was my favorite receiver, so 18."
The rookie will instead go with the single-digit number as he tries to make his mark in the NFL.
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