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La'el Collins' new jersey number is bound to make Cowboys fans nostalgic

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Tyler Browning | Last updated 1/4/24

If there is one thing that Dallas Cowboys haters and fans alike can agree on, it is that they are fond of the past.

Fans and players alike can get temperamental when other players disrespect Cowboys traditions much like how George Teague defended the Cowboys' star back in 2000.

Recently the Cowboys brought back a familiar face in offensive lineman La'el Collins to add some much-needed depth for a playoff run up front.

However, his old number, number 71 has already been claimed by backup left tackle Chuma Edoga. We often see players offer significant money to teammates in exchange for the number they once wore.

That is not the route that La'el Collins took and I can't blame him for that. Instead, he opted to take number 72, per The Athletic's Jon Machota, who posted a picture on Twitter/X of Collins stretching on the practice field.

Cowboys OT La’el Collins wearing No. 72 pic.twitter.com/jMnDYRlbrs
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) January 4, 2024

This can cause a conundrum in some Cowboys' fans hearts for a couple of reasons.

For the more seasoned Cowboys' fans it was once the number of the legendary Ed "Too Tall" Jones. For the more recent Cowboys' fans it was once the number of future Hall-of-Famer Travis Frederick.

Frederick in particular is bound to generate some nostalgia for a simple reason: We'll always wonder what could've been. He retired too early for your usual NFL standards having have dealt with Guillain-Barré syndrome. In his six seasons played, Frederick earned three All-Pro seasons (one First-Team, two Second-Team).

Only time will tell how fans react, but his coming at a position and time of need should soften the heartache.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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