Unlike other athletes who have allowed a teammate to wear their number, Wilson did not ask for a financial reward.
ENGLEWOOD, Colo — Zach Wilson hasn’t been here a month and already he’s made a nice play.
When the Broncos traded for the quarterback Wilson on April 22, it was during the time the NFL wanted teams to assign numbers to their players leading into the NFL Draft. Wilson, the No. 2 overall selection in the 2021 draft who wore No. 2 during his three years as quarterback for the New York Jets, took No. 10 with few options available.
Three days later, the Broncos drafted quarterback Bo Nix with their No. 12 overall selection in the first round.
Nix had worn No. 10 all his life. He wore No. 10 at Pinson Valley (Alabama) High School and No. 10 at both Auburn and Oregon.
Even his dad, Pat Nix, wore No. 10 as Auburn’s starting quarterback in the mid-1990s.
Wilson either knew this or became aware of it, and shortly after the Broncos selected another quarterback in the first round, he proactively reached out to the Broncos’ equipment room to let them know he was willing to give Nix jersey No. 10 if he wanted it.
Nix will be wearing No. 10 when he takes part in his first professional football practices this weekend when the Broncos conduct their rookie minicamp.
It was an extraordinary gesture by Wilson considering, one, he’s the veteran and Nix is the rookie, and two, he proactively offered to make the change graciously when so many other professional athletes sell their numbers to teammates, sometimes for substantial sums.
When the Broncos traded running back Clinton Portis to Washington in exchange for Champ Bailey in 2004, Portis agreed to pay $40,000 to Ifeanyi Ohalete for his No. 26. When Ohalete was released, Portis stopped paying and Ohalete took him to court. The matter was settled out of court with Portis reportedly having to pay $18,000.
Giants punter Jeff Feagles got a one-week, all-expenses-paid Florida vacation from Giants rookie Eli Manning for the No. 10.
Baseball pitcher Tom Glavine wound up footing the bill for a new baby nursery in the home of new Mets teammate Joe McEwing for the No. 47.
When University of Colorado coach Deion Sanders was a Prime Time superstar cornerback who signed with the Cowboys in 1995, he gave Alundis Brice a new BMW for No. 21.
Former Broncos receiver Eric Decker paid $25,000 and a steak dinner to his new Jets teammate for the No. 87 in 2014.
Wilson asked for nothing while gifting Nix the No. 10. Perhaps, Nix can return the favor by giving Wilson the signature appetizer from Buffalo Wild Wings, which the rookie already endorses.
Wilson, by the way, will now be wearing No. 4 while Jarrett Stidham will wear No. 8, a switch he made earlier this offseason.
