Here is something you do not see every day in the NFL, and even after seeing it you might have a hard time getting used to it.
It is Detroit Lions quarterback Teddy Bridgewater taking the field for Saturday's preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars wearing a number — 50 — that is usually worn by linemen and linebackers.
It just looks .... strange.
5️⃣0️⃣ Teddy pic.twitter.com/pNrh4VRQ7W
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) August 19, 2023
Quarterbacks typically wear numbers 1-19, but because Bridgewater was a late addition to the roster in training camp, and because the NFL has allowed players to basically wear whatever number they want regardless of position, Bridgewater's options were very limited.
He usually wears No. 5, but that is occupied by running back David Montgomery, and because No. 7 is retired by the team, it left him with only two options for a traditional quarterback number — No. 4 and No. 17. He chose neither and simply added a 0 to his normal number for 50.
While the NFL has become far more open about player's number choices, it still requires quarterbacks to wear number 1-19 during regular-season games. So if Bridgewater makes the Lions' roster for the regular season, he is going to have to shift away from 50 when the real games start. For now, though, it is just a fun — and kind of bizarre — preseason story.
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