Evan Engram's jersey number will make NFL history
Evan Engram will make NFL history with the Denver Broncos this season.
When the tight end signed with the Broncos earlier this month, the No. 17 that he previously wore with the Jacksonville Jaguars was unavailable (Devaughn Vele holds that number in Denver). Before playing in Florida, Engram wore No. 88 with the New York Giants, but the Broncos have unofficially retired that number in honor of late wide receiver Demaryius Thomas.
So Engram picked jersey No. 1.
As Henry Chisholm of DNVR Sports pointed out on Twitter/X, Engram will be the first tight end to wear No. 1 since the NFL relaxed its numbering rules.
No tight end has worn No. 1 in the five years since the NFL changed its jersey number rules, which had stood (with a few tweaks) since 1973.
— Henry Chisholm (@HenryChisholm) March 14, 2025
That means Evan Engram is the first tight end to wear No. 1 in at least 51 years. https://t.co/m5y5wYCfwF
The NFL adopted a rigid numbering system in 1973 that limited positions to a specific range of numbers. From 1973 to 2021, tight ends were not allowed to wear single-digit numbers. That changed four years ago when the league announced that multiple positions would be allowed to wear Nos. 1-10.
So it's been at least 51 years since a tight end last wore No. 1 in and NFL game. Engram will end that streak in 2025, becoming the first tight end in the NFL's modern era to don No. 1.
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This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: Denver Broncos: Evan Engram's jersey number will make NFL history
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