Alex Wright switches to 99, so that Dalvin Tomlinson can wear 94 in Cleveland
Sometimes, it can be delicate or expensive or ultimately litigious for a new player on a team to wear his number of choice. Sometimes, it can all happen smoothly.
It’s apparently happening smoothly for the Browns. Via Irie Harris of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, defensive end Alex Wright has switched from No. 94 to No. 99, so that new teammate Dalvin Tomlinson can wear his preferred number of 94.
Wright was a third-round pick in 2022. Last year, Taven Bryan wore 99 for the Browns, but he has since signed with the Colts.
Wright announced the change on Instagram. He didn’t say whether any money changed hands, directly to him or to a charity of his choice, in order to make it happen.
The most notorious number swap happened in 2005, when Clinton Portis agreed to pay Ifeanyi Ohalete $40,000 for No. 26, after Portis was traded from Denver to Washington. Portis paid the first $20,000 and then stiffed Ohalete for the balance, since he had been cut.
Ohalete sued Portis, securing a settlement of $18,000. (Which wouldn’t be bad if Ohalete didn’t have to pay his lawyers.)
The entire issue of player numbers continues to be a fascinating aspect of the game. The teams ultimately control the numbers, but they usually defer to the players when an issue needs to be resolved.
And while the truth remains that the player doesn’t make the number, plenty of players remain convinced that the number makes the player.
Alex Wright switches to 99, so that Dalvin Tomlinson can wear 94 in Cleveland originally appeared on Pro Football Talk
