ESPND: Morris Claiborne's No. 24 has Everson Walls' blessing

[WoodysGirl]

May 1
2:35
PM CT
By Calvin Watkins (http://search.espn.go.com/watkins_calvin/) | ESPNDallas.com

When rookie cornerback Morris Claiborne (http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/14943/morris-claiborne) takes the field at some point this summer, he's going to wear No. 24.

Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones held up the No. 24 jersey at Claiborne's introductory news conference at Valley Ranch last week and talked about Everson Walls (http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/6730/everson-walls) and Larry Brown (http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/7119/larry-brown) having worn it previously for the team as outstanding cornerbacks for the franchise.

The number is connected mostly to Walls, one of the Cowboys' greatest defensive backs.

"It was pretty cool," Walls said Tuesday when asked about Claiborne wearing his number. "I'm from Dallas and we don't have any official retired numbers. It's an unspoken rule nobody will wear Roger's number (No. 12)."

Read more: http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas/cowboys/post/_/id/4692529/everson-walls-on-claiborne-wearing-his-number-it-was-pretty-cool

[Biggems]

hell yes........Walls is my favorite Cowboys CB of all time.....to have Claiborne wearing it.....YEEEEEEEEEEEEEES

[sago1]

I believe same thing goes for Aikman's number. Doesn't same thing hold true for Randy White's number?

[Fletch]

I believe same thing goes for Aikman's number. Doesn't same thing hold true for Randy White's number?

Nope. Remember Bobby Carpenter and Darren Hambrick? Bruce Carter wears it now.

[Doomsday101]

I like the fact the numbers are not retired. I want the guy wearing the number to live up to that number. When Pearson retired Irvin came in an took 88 and lived up to it now we have Dez with 88 and again big shoes to fill but I want him to work hard and live up to that number and the men who wore it before him

[Hostile]

There are 4 unofficially retired numbers on the Cowboys.

74...no one has worn it since Bob Lilly which means he is the only one who ever has.

12...No one has worn it since Roger.

8...No one has worn it since Aikman.

22...No one has worn it since Emmitt. Tashard Choice asked if he could and was turned down.


As for Walls giving his blessing to this, show Morris that Cubby had 11 picks in his rookie year and challenge him to break that record.

[casmith07]

There are 4 unofficially retired numbers on the Cowboys.

74...no one has worn it since Bob Lilly which means he is the only one who ever has.

12...No one has worn it since Roger.

8...No one has worn it since Aikman.

22...No one has worn it since Emmitt. Tashard Choice asked if he could and was turned down.


As for Walls giving his blessing to this, show Morris that Cubby had 11 picks in his rookie year and challenge him to break that record.

Lynn Scott wore #22 for a season, I believe.

[Hostile]

Lynn Scott wore #22 for a season, I believe.
http://cowboyszone.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2812025&postcount=15

Lynn wore 21 while Emmitt was here and 38 the years Emmitt was with the Cardinals plus 2005.

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/ScotLy20.htm

[DeWare94]

hypothetically speaking, if some freak thing were to happen and we traded for tom brady or aaron rodgers, would either of them get to wear number 12? ie: the seahawks unretired steve largents no. 80 for jerry rice and now more recently the broncos have unretired frank tripucka's no. 18 for peyton manning.

[JackWagon]

hypothetically speaking, if some freak thing were to happen and we traded for tom brady or aaron rodgers, would either of them get to wear number 12? ie: the seahawks unretired steve largents no. 80 for jerry rice and now more recently the broncos have unretired frank tripucka's no. 18 for peyton manning.


Uhh ... the only 12 with a star on his helmet is my all-time hero Roger Staubach. Not even Brady gets that number, pick something else.

[trickblue]

I believe same thing goes for Aikman's number. Doesn't same thing hold true for Randy White's number?

Dallas doesn't officially retire numbers, but they really do...

No one will ever wear 12, 8, 22 or 33 again...

Other numbers are picked out specially... 54 and 88... for those who they think can fill the shoes of players wearing them in the past...

I almost lost my mind when they gave Meredith's 17 to Q... Meredith never garnered the respect he deserved... ask Roger...

[Hostile]

Dallas doesn't officially retire numbers, but they really do...

No one will ever wear 12, 8, 22 or 33 again...

Other numbers are picked out specially... 54 and 88... for those who they think can fill the shoes of players wearing them in the past...

I almost lost my mind when they gave Meredith's 17 to Q... Meredith never garnered the respect he deserved... ask Roger...Nathan Jones, 2004 to 2007.

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2007/10/14/sports/15patriots.1.600.jpg

And how could you forget 74?

[trickblue]

Nathan Jones, 2004 to 2007.

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2007/10/14/sports/15patriots.1.600.jpg (http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2007/10/14/sports/15patriots.1.600.jpg)

And how could you forget 74?

Forgot about that... hopefully we never make that mistake again...