Jersey numbers are often a big deal in the NFL. Some numbers have personal ties to a player. Other times it's merely a superstition or longstanding routine. Regardless, numbers commonly become synonymous with the players who wear them.
Take Deion Sanders, for example, who wore the No. 21 throughout all but two years his entire Hall of Fame career. Sanders was so tied to his number that he went as far as gifting Dallas Cowboys cornerback Alundis Brice a new car for it back in 1995.
Just a few months ago, Kendrick Bourne willingly gave up the No. 10 to incoming quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. Now Jimmie Ward is the latest player to relinquish his number.
Richard Sherman spoke to KNBR on Tuesday morning to discuss Ward's decision to hand over No. 25, the number that both players have owned since entering the NFL.
"We had a good conversation and he's going to give me my number, which is cool and a testament to him," Sherman said. "He's a great guy and he told me the story of why he wore the number and it actually meant a lot to him. So I appreciated him being willing to give me a chance at it."
Though we're not sure if there was any compensation involved, it definitely made for a welcoming gesture from Ward.
