Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders is considering changing jersey numbers.
Getty
Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders is considering changing jersey numbers.
Shedeur Sanders may be ready to reclaim a piece of his identity heading into his second NFL season.
Deion Sanders revealed this week that his son is considering switching jersey numbers with the Cleveland Browns. It’s a move that would bring the second-year quarterback back to the number he made famous in college.
“He’s switching up his numbers. He’s thinking about going to No. 2 instead of No. 12,” Deion Sanders said on his show “We Got Time Today.”
For Shedeur, No. 2 isn’t just a number. He wore it from high school through college, first at Jackson State, then at Colorado. The Buffaloes retired it at the conclusion of his college career. It’s stitched into his brand, with his personal apparel line called 2Legendary.
How Shedeur Sanders Ended Up With No. 12
When the Browns released jersey numbers for their 2025 rookie class, Sanders missed out on No. 2. Veteran wide receiver DeAndre Carter — who signed with Cleveland as a free agent — claimed it first, despite never having worn No. 2 at any point in his NFL career.
Carter’s seniority as a seven-year veteran likely factored into the decision. That didn’t make it any easier to swallow. Boogie Knight, a member of Sanders’ media team, posted a since-deleted complaint on Instagram, saying there was “no way” the Browns should have given the number to anyone else. He added that Sanders’ camp “knew it was coming.”
Sanders himself brushed it off with characteristic humor. When asked at rookie minicamp whether he’d considered buying No. 2 from Carter, he didn’t hesitate.
“Nah, I’m not trying to buy anything. My signing bonus ain’t that high right now,” Sanders said.
As the sixth pick of the fifth round, Sanders’ rookie contract came in at $4.6 million — including a $446,553 signing bonus. Offering a veteran cash to swap numbers wasn’t in the budget.
Sanders hinted that No. 12 was a nod to his father. Deion Sanders wore No. 21 for his first 12 NFL seasons. He also leaned into the Tom Brady connection. No. 12 was worn by the seven-time Super Bowl champion who has mentored Sanders.
“My story is gonna be similar,” Sanders said at minicamp. “I was a late-round draft pick, but we’re here now.”
Shedeur Sanders’ Jersey Sales Already Through the Roof
Shedeur Sanders moves merchandise at an elite level, regardless of the number on his back. Despite being a fifth-round pick, he led all NFL rookies in jersey sales for the entire month following the NFL Draft, according to Fanatics.
By the start of the season, Sanders ranked fifth in jersey sales across the entire NFL, per NFLPA data — ahead of Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson. The four players ahead of him were Saquon Barkley, Jalen Hurts, Jayden Daniels and Josh Allen. He was the only player in the top five who wasn’t a first-round pick.
It would be a no-brainer for the Browns to facilitate the switch. Fans would flock to own a No. 2 Sanders NFL jersey.
Sanders started the final seven games of his rookie season, going 3-4 as the starter. He finished the year completing 56.6% of his passes for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions, while adding 169 rushing yards and a touchdown.