Giants quarterback J.J. McCarthy won’t be sporting his iconic No. 9 jersey in New York, effectively retiring the “NINE” alter ego he built his game-day persona around. Yeah, you read that right. The number is taken, and McCarthy is headed for a new look on the field.
Number NINE Is No More for McCarthy
So, why the switch? Turns out, Giants tight end Isaiah Likely already has No. 9 locked down. This isn’t some slight, just the new reality in the league. Remember when single digits were just for quarterbacks and kickers? Not anymore! The league recently liberalized number assignments for skill-position players, meaning those coveted single digits are now “all over the field,” and guys like McCarthy gotta adapt. It’s a sign of the times, for sure, but it’s a big deal when a player’s identity is tied to that number.
From NINE to Eighteen: Does It Even Matter?
McCarthy will now wear No. 18. Does that even matter, you ask? For some players, it absolutely does. It’s wild how much an “interchangeable designation” can become a part of a player’s identity. The article even touches on that, saying it can make them “not known by their name or their likeness but by an interchangeable designation.” For McCarthy, who literally created a game-day alter ego around his old number, this has got to hit different.
So, what’s next for McCarthy? Will “Eighteen” become the new rallying cry? He’s gotta make that new number his own on the field, because you know for some guys, that jersey number means *everything*.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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