The NFL has eased up on certain rules in regards to team apparel and so there was delight among the players when the league announced this past spring that they could wear No. 0.
Unfortunately, offensive and defensive linemen are now allowed to wear No. 0, but the other position groups get to enjoy the privilege. It will be the first time the number has been allowed since 1973 when the NFL standardized their jersey number system.
No. 0 is back in circulation, but the NFL is not allowing No. 00 at least for the time being. Still, there are 22 players slated to wear No. 0 during the 2023 season including Los Angeles Rams rookie Byron Young.
Young explained the decision to wear the number and what it means for him, via ESPN:
“Where I came from and my journey, [it] was like basically a 0 percent chance for you to make it to this level,” said Young, who had been an assistant manager at a discount supermarket before deciding to give football another chance at a Georgia junior college during the pandemic.”
Young added that he wants to remember the hard times in order to keep him motivated at the next level:
“I fought through it and now I’m here, so I don’t want to forget that part,” he said.
The rookie linebacker is set to become the first player in Rams history to wear No. 0, an interesting tidbit considering the team has been around since 1937. Young’s story is an inspirational one as he had to endure a lost season due to coronavirus (COVID-19) and later transfer to Tennessee in 2021 after spending time at Georgia Military.
During two seasons at Tennessee, Young recorded 83 total tackles and 12.5 sacks. That kind of production made him an intriguing pass rushing prospect and Los Angeles made sure to scoop him up in the third round of this past draft.
Without many pass rushing options, Young has a chance to contribute early on and hopefully he’s able to make an impact as the Rams defense needs all the help it can get.
Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson discusses NFL debut against Chargers
Like Young, Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson is looking to make a name for himself. The secondary has plenty of youth in it, and Hodges-Tomlinson could very well get snaps because of his aggressiveness and competitive nature.
The TCU product made his NFL debut in the Rams’ preseason game against the Los Angeles Chargers and reflected on his performance.
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