AP story incorrect

[pats1]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/20...steelers.numbers.ap/index.html?section=si_nfl

According to longstanding NFL rules, wide receivers and tight ends are supposed to wear numbers 80 through 89, and running backs are to wear numbers 20 through 49. Some receivers have been permitted to wear numbers 11 through 19 if all numbers in the 80s were assigned.

That is incorrect. Holmes would be completely free to wear #10 if the season started tomorrow.

NFL rules state that receivers can wear #80-89 AND #10-19, not just when the #80s are filled up.

For example, when Matt Jones joined the Jaguars last year, he wore #18 - all season - and in fact, Ernest Wilford wore #19 and Reggie Williams wore #11. However, here were their players in the 80s:

80 - Kyle Brady, TE
81 - FREE
82 - Jimmy Smith, WR
83 - Todd Yoder, TE (I.R.)
84 - Chad Owens, WR
85 - Cortez Hankton, WR
86 - FREE
87 - George Wrighster, TE
88 - Joe Zelenka, TE
89 - FREE

Or, as the article uses as an example, when Quincy Morgan joined the Steelers last year and wore #11:

80 - Cedrick Wilson, WR
81 - Sean Morey, WR
82 - Antwaan Randle El, WR
83 - Heath Miller, TE
84 - Jerame Tuman, TE
85 - Nate Washington, WR
86 - Hines Ward, WR
87 - FREE
88 - Matt Kranchick - WR
89 - Lee Mays, WR

Or, when the Broncos had Todd Devoe as #14, Darius Watts as #17, and David Terrell as #13 throughout the 2005 season:

80 - Rod Smith, WR
81 - Charlie Adams, WR
82 - FREE
83 - Mike Leach, LS
84 - Wesley Duke, TE
85 - Ashley Lelie, WR
86 - FREE
87 - FREE
88 - Jeb Putzier, TE
89 - Nate Jackson, TE

Jerry Rice even had #19 before he retired on September 5th.

 

[Hok]

Lazy journalism is hardly a surprising thing, be it sports news or world news.

 

[pats1]

NFL Rule 5, Section 1, Article 4

All players must wear numerals on their jerseys in accordance with Rule 5, Section 3, Article 3c (see NOTE 1), and such numerals must be by playing position as follows: quarterbacks, punters, and placekickers, 1-19 (and 10-19 for wide receivers if 80-89 are all otherwise assigned); running backs and defensive backs, 20-49; centers, 50-59 (60-79 if 50-59 unavailable); offensive guards and tackles, 60-79; wide receivers and tight ends, 80-89; defensive lineman, 60-79 (90-99 if 60-79 unavailable); and linebackers 50-59 (90-99 if 50-59 unavailable).

However, ever since Keyshawn was allowed to wear #19, all sorts (as I showed above) of receivers have been wearing numbers in the teens without the required fill-up of the 80s.

 

[kazz64]

Small message board correction.

JAK
86 - FREE--Brian Jones, T

DEN
82 - FREE---Stephen Alexander, TE

 

[drew4008]

Maybe it incorporates numbers assigned to scrubs, which therefore would probably make those numbers taken if you verged into it further and checked.

 

[AdamJT13]

NFL Rule 5, Section 1, Article 4

That rule was changed in 2004.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/7221738

"The owners also ... allowed wide receivers to wear Nos. 10 through 19 even when numbers in the 80s are available."