Buy your jerseys: Joe Theismann says Dwayne Haskins can wear No. 7 for Washington
Give Dwayne Haskins credit. He clearly respects the past.
The same guy who showed up to an interview with the Denver Broncos wearing a John Elway jersey wanted to make sure that he had the green light to wear No. 7 with the Washington Redskins after they drafted him 15th overall.
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Haskins asked Joe Theismann, the most famous No. 7 in Redskins history, if he could wear the number. He probably didn’t need to do that since the number isn’t officially retired, but it was a polite nod to the past. Theismann, who hasn’t played in 34 years, said he wanted to meet Haskins first before deciding.
Well, good news to those Redskins fans looking to buy their new quarterback’s jersey: Theismann gave his blessing. Haskins will wear No. 7.
Joe Theismann OKs Dwayne Haskins’ jersey request
Grant Paulsen of NBC Sports Washington and other outlets said Theismann gave his OK for Haskins to wear No. 7, which the Redskins haven’t reissued for the regular season since Theismann’s last game in 1985.
Whether this was necessary, it was a good way to bridge generations and endear Haskins to a legion of fans who remember Theismann leading the Redskins to a Super Bowl championship.
“I gotta talk to Mr. Theismann first before I get that number. We’ll see,” Haskins said after he was drafted.
Nothing was keeping the Redskins from issuing No. 7 to Haskins, but they have unofficially kept some numbers out of circulation. A notable one is the late Sean Taylor’s No. 21; newly signed safety Landon Collins will switch from No. 21 with the Giants to wearing No. 20 with Washington, keeping Taylor’s jersey unofficially retired.
Theismann took Haskins’ request seriously, saying he wanted to talk to the rookie first.
Haskins will wear No. 7, as he did at Ohio State
Theismann wanted to make sure Haskins was the right player to wear No. 7 for the first time since he did, and whether it was his call or not, it says a lot about Haskins that he went along with it.
“It’s what’s inside the jersey that makes a big difference,” Theismann said on NBC Sports Washington’s “Redskins Talk” podcast before giving permission.
Theismann will allow Haskins to wear No. 7, and it would have been strange if he didn’t. Haskins gets to wear the number he wore in college, that has special meaning for the Redskins, and he got to show longtime fans that he respects the team’s past.
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Frank Schwab is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdown.corner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @YahooSchwab
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