Every NFL team previously fielded a star player whose jersey would be fitting for retirement honor
Several National Football League (NFL) teams are yet to retire the jersey numbers of their most deserving former players, reflecting varying organizational philosophies about this honour.
The Detroit Lions should consider retiring Calvin Johnson's number (81), given his exceptional career with the team. Johnson, also known as "Megatron," was a five-time Pro Bowler and the 2012 NFL receiving yards leader.
The Tennessee Titans/Houston Oilers should retire LB Robert Brazile's number (52). Brazile, a defensive powerhouse, won Defensive Rookie of the Year, was a seven-time Pro Bowler, a two-time first-team All-Pro, and a four-time second-team All-Pro during his first eight seasons.
The Minnesota Vikings should retire WR Randy Moss' number (84). In seven seasons in Minnesota, Moss was a five-time Pro Bowler, three-time All-Pro, and the 1998 Offensive Rookie of the Year.
The Dallas Cowboys should retire Bob Lilly's number (74). Lilly, a defensive lineman, was a member of the Cowboys' first Super Bowl team and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1980.
The Green Bay Packers should retire Aaron Rodgers' number (12) at some point. Rodgers, a four-time league MVP, led the Packers to a Super Bowl victory in 2010 and is widely regarded as one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history.
The San Francisco 49ers should retire RB Roger Craig's number (33). Craig won Offensive Player of the Year the season the 49ers won their third of four Super Bowls during the 1980s.
The Pittsburgh Steelers should retire QB Terry Bradshaw's number (12). Bradshaw is the franchise's only player to win league MVP, the first quarterback to win four Super Bowls, and the second player in history to win multiple Super Bowl MVP awards.
The Jacksonville Jaguars should retire Jimmy Smith's number (82).
The Denver Broncos should retire Terrell Davis' number (30).
The Indianapolis Colts should retire Marvin Harrison's number (88).
The Kansas City Chiefs should retire Otis Taylor's number (89).
The Raiders should retire QB Ken Stabler's number (12). Stabler was the Raiders' first player to win league MVP and the first starting quarterback to lead the team to a Super Bowl title.
The Houston Texans should retire JJ Watt's number (99).
In addition to these teams, six teams—the Dallas Cowboys, Las Vegas Raiders, Atlanta Falcons, Houston Texans, Baltimore Ravens, and New Orleans Saints—do not officially retire numbers despite having several iconic players who merit the recognition.
For instance, the Atlanta Falcons have never retired any numbers, even though players like Matt Ryan (QB) and Julio Jones (WR) have had outstanding careers worthy of such honour. The Dallas Cowboys similarly have no officially retired numbers, despite legendary figures like Roger Staubach and Emmitt Smith. The Saints previously retired numbers but chose to unretire them following an ownership change, opting instead to withhold certain numbers from circulation without an official retirement.
The Pittsburgh Steelers take a unique approach, officially retiring only two numbers—#75 for "Mean" Joe Greene and #32 for Franco Harris—due to their team-first philosophy. They prefer celebrating players through halls of honor rather than widespread number retirements, keeping numbers active to allow new players to carry on the legacy.
Other teams have been more active with retiring numbers; for example, the Chicago Bears hold a league record with 14 retired jerseys, while the Washington Commanders recently began formally retiring numbers of distinguished players such as Art Monk and Bobby Mitchell after years of reluctance.
As the NFL continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see which teams choose to honour their legendary players by retiring their jersey numbers. The retirement of a player's number is a significant gesture that not only acknowledges their contributions to the team but also immortalises their legacy for future generations of fans.
- Many NFL teams, like the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers, should consider retiring the jersey numbers of their most notable former players, such as Calvin Johnson and Aaron Rodgers, whose exceptional careers warrant such recognition.
- Players like Roger Brazile of the Tennessee Titans/Houston Oilers, Randy Moss of the Minnesota Vikings, and Bob Lilly of the Dallas Cowboys have also demonstrated remarkable performances and are worthy of having their numbers retired.
- Other deserving players include Roger Craig of the San Francisco 49ers, Terry Bradshaw of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Jimmy Smith of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Terrell Davis of the Denver Broncos, Marvin Harrison of the Indianapolis Colts, and Otis Taylor of the Kansas City Chiefs.
- However, some teams, including the Dallas Cowboys, Las Vegas Raiders, Atlanta Falcons, Houston Texans, Baltimore Ravens, and New Orleans Saints, do not officially retire numbers despite having multiple iconic players.
- The retirement of a player's number is a significant gesture that signifies their contributions to the team and immortalizes their legacy for future generations of sports fans.
- As the NFL continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see which teams join the Chicago Bears and Washington Commanders in honoring their legendary players by retiring their jersey numbers.
