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Last year, a long-standing precedent in sports was shattered when New York Giants rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers was granted permission to wear uniform No. 1, which had been retired for franchise great and Pro Football Hall of Famer Ray Flaherty for many years.
Many questioned the gall of Nabers to ask the team and the Flaherty family to forego such a time-honored tradition.
But they did. Nabers was the Giants' top pick and the exception was made. He promised to bring honor and homage to the jersey and did just that by having an electrifying rookie season.
Could this year's top pick, Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter, follow suit? He wore No. 11 at Penn State and might want to carry that number into his pro career.
The only issue is that the number is retired in honor of quarterback Phil Simms, one of the franchise's greatest players.
It will likely not go over with the Giants or Simms, either. No one alive had seen Flaherty play and many modern day Giants fans had to question who he even was.
Simms is very much in the memory of Giant fans, both as a player and as a broadcaster. The fans will likely balk at the notion of another player wearing No. 11.
That doesn't mean the conversation won't be broached. Nor does it mean that Carter will even ask. Nabers opened up a can of worms and it's no long taboo to make such a request.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Could Abdul Carter wear Phil Simms' No. 11 for Giants?
Continue reading...
Many questioned the gall of Nabers to ask the team and the Flaherty family to forego such a time-honored tradition.
But they did. Nabers was the Giants' top pick and the exception was made. He promised to bring honor and homage to the jersey and did just that by having an electrifying rookie season.
Could this year's top pick, Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter, follow suit? He wore No. 11 at Penn State and might want to carry that number into his pro career.
The only issue is that the number is retired in honor of quarterback Phil Simms, one of the franchise's greatest players.
It will likely not go over with the Giants or Simms, either. No one alive had seen Flaherty play and many modern day Giants fans had to question who he even was.
Simms is very much in the memory of Giant fans, both as a player and as a broadcaster. The fans will likely balk at the notion of another player wearing No. 11.
That doesn't mean the conversation won't be broached. Nor does it mean that Carter will even ask. Nabers opened up a can of worms and it's no long taboo to make such a request.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Could Abdul Carter wear Phil Simms' No. 11 for Giants?
Continue reading...
