Mar 4, 2022; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Oregon defensive lineman Kayvon Thibodeaux (DL45) talks to the media during the 2022 NFL Combine. Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Giants rookie Kayvon Thibodeaux to wear No. 5

By Zac Wassink | Last updated May 9, 2022 6:38 PM ET

Humorous reports surfaced last June explaining that then-New York Giants safety Jabrill Peppers wanted to buy the No. 5 jersey from placekicker Graham Gano but didn't because Gano's asking price was "way too high."

That situation took an interesting turn on Monday when the Giants confirmed that rookie and fifth overall draft pick Kayvon Thibodeaux has secured the rights to the team's No. 5 jersey for the 2022 NFL season.

Thibodeaux got it pic.twitter.com/CgugYafpd4
— New York Giants (@Giants) May 9, 2022

Gano also addressed the news via Twitter:

Thought you guys were gonna post my new jersey hanging up… https://t.co/Ozcka0NPRe
— Graham Gano (@GrahamGano) May 9, 2022

The number has special meaning to Thibodeaux, who wore it during his days playing for the Oregon Ducks. As Charean Williams noted for Pro Football Talk, Thibodeaux has a tattoo of five tally marks on one hand that represents five friends who have had his back over the years, and some may say it was fate that saw him get selected with the fifth overall pick last month.

Per Braulio Perez of Fansided's GMen HQ, Gano recently took to Twitter to pour cold water over the idea he and Thibodeaux were actually feuding over the jersey number. According to a Fox Sports piece, Thibodeaux previously hinted Gano wanted $250,000 for the jersey, but it's unclear how much the single digit cost the first-year pro.

Zac Wassink

Zac Wassink is a longtime sports news writer and PFWA member who began his career in 2006 and has had his work featured on Yardbarker, MSN, Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report. He is also a football and futbol aficionado who is probably yelling about Tottenham Hotspur at the moment and who chanted for Matt Harvey to start the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field. You can find him on X at @ZacWassink

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