DETROIT – Detroit Lions rookie wide receiver Jameson Williams will reportedly wear the No. 9 jersey after reaching out to Matthew Stafford and getting his permission.
Williams posted an Instagram story that showed the Honolulu Blue No. 9 jersey hanging on a door. ESPN’s Eric Woodyard reported the rookie reached out to Stafford about the jersey.
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Stafford wore No. 9 for 12 seasons in Detroit. The Lions selected him with the No. 1 overall pick in 2009, and he went on to throw for 45,109 yards and 282 touchdowns before being traded to the Los Angeles Rams last offseason.
Williams wasn’t a No. 1 overall pick, but the Lions did make a trade with the division rival Minnesota Vikings in order to select him at No. 12. The 21-year-old originally chose No. 18, but he was hoping to wear a single-digit number, so he texted Stafford as a courtesy to make sure he didn’t have a problem with this change, according to Woodyard.
Williams injured his knee during Alabama’s national championship game loss to Georgia in January, so he’s not expected to be ready for the start of the season.
When he does return to the field, it’ll be hard for Williams to match Stafford’s statistical production. But the Lions sure hope this No. 9 era is much more successful for the team, as Stafford got the Lions to the postseason only three times and never won a playoff game.
Watching No. 9 run routes and catch touchdown passes will take some getting used to, but if the Lions can finally win some meaningful games, fans will be all-too-happy to make the adjustment.
