Player Numbers by Position (2024)

FAQs

Are football player numbers based on position? ›

Professional football

As of 2023, players are generally required to wear numbers within ranges based on their positions as shown in the following table. Exceptions to this system do exist, including during the National Football League preseason with associated larger team rosters.

Numbers 4 and 5: The "centre-back" and "sweeper" Numbers 6 and 7: defensive midfielders. Numbers 8 and 10: attacking midfielders. Number 11: the second striker. Number 9: the centre-forward.

As to why its a big man, that's because Football has ranges of numbers you are supposed to wear for certain positions. 69 falls in the offensive lineman range. You'll note that you've probably never seen a WR wear 61. You couldn't because that number isn't allowed to catch the ball.

Below are the new rules for jersey numbers: Quarterbacks, punters, placekickers: 0-19; Punters, placekickers: 0-49 and 90-99.

Travis Kelce, the tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, has opted to wear the jersey number 87 as a tribute to his brother, Jason Kelce. The reason behind this decision is the deep emotional connection between the two brothers, as Jason, who plays as a center, was born in 1987.

This NFL numbering system is based on a player's primary position. Any player wearing any number may play at any position at any time (though offensive players wearing numbers 50–79 or 90–99 must let the referee know that they are playing out of position by reporting as an "ineligible number in an eligible position").

According to the NFL website, the rule – which was proposed by the Philadelphia Eagles – allows quarterbacks to choose from numbers 0-19; defensive backs 0-49; fullbacks, tight ends, halfbacks and wide receivers 0-49 and 80-89; linebackers 0-59 and 90-99.

Following the NFL number standardization of 1973, numbers 0 and 00 were no longer eligible to be issued by teams. But this has been recently changed in recent years. It was changed by the NFL in 2023 that made it so any player can wear any number they want from 0-99 if it hasn't already been taken.

7– Right Attacking Midfielders/Wingers. 8– Central/Box-to-Box Midfielder. 9– Striker. 10– Attacking Midfielder/Playmaker.

The classic number 10 role is so named because it was traditionally the number worn by the player in that position. It was called the 'enganche' in Argentina, which translates as 'hook', to describe its importance in connecting midfield and attack.

What does number 8 mean in football? ›

A number eight is a central midfielder who traditionally operates as a box-to-box player, doing both attacking and defensive jobs. In the modern game, however, the role has evolved to include support play through the inside channels, with lots of matches seeing more control and less end-to-end football.

Number 00 is no longer allowed, but was not retired in honor of any particular player; rather, the NFL's positional numbering system, instituted in 1973, does not allocate a position for players wearing that number- the NFL allowed 00 in the past, with Jim Otto and Ken Burrough wearing it.

It has a catchy name – "triskaidekaphobia" – and plenty of adherents, many of them in the world of sport. Competitors, teams and even leagues have shied away from the number, fearing it to be a harbinger of bad luck and, potentially, harmful to revenue.

It is a number that has been associated with some of the greatest football players in the game, and wearing the number 7 jersey is considered an honour. To football players and fans alike, the number 7 is iconic in football, representing skill, creativity, and leadership on the field.

In the NFL, jersey numbers are typically assigned based on a player's position. There are specific number ranges designated for each position group. While players may have preferences, the final decision often depends on availability within their positional range.

The numbers in American Football at the NFL level are designed to tell you what position a player plays quickly. There are more than a few exceptions to the rule, but this holds true for 90+% of the players. Numbers 20–49 are reserved for Running Backs (Halfbacks/Fullbacks) and Defensive Backs (Cornerbacks/Safeties)*.

When calling a play, the first number will always correspond to the left most (or “X”) receiver, the second number to the second left most (or “Y”) receiver, and so on, with the last number going to the right-most (or “Z”) receiver.