Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Is anyone familiar with or knows where to find the official NFL jersey number standardization rules that took place in 1952 and then again in 1973?

For 1952 I know some of the notable differences from today were that linebackers were allowed to wear jerseys in the 60's, and defensive ends could wear 80's. Then with 1973, the changes closely resembled today's rules, only nobody was allowed to wear a number in the 90's, centers had to wear 50's... But I know there were wide receivers in the 1970's that wore numbers in the 20's and 40's. I even remember during preseason in the 1990's wide receivers wearing jersey numbers in the 40's.

Just wanted to get a better handle on those rules. Thank you!

The way I've always understood it is the numbering system was based on single-platoon ball. Backs were backs, ends were ends, etc., regardless of which side of the ball they played on:

1-19 QB and kicking specialists
20-49 All other backs, including defensive backs and flanker backs
50-59 Centers and middle linebackers (in the early 1960s at least, gamebooks often listed all players on a single platoon with MLBs listed at center and OLBs listed at guard)
60-69 Guards and outside linebackers
70-79 Offensive and defensive tackles
80-89 Ends, both split ends on offense and defensive ends

I don't know that I've seen this officially laid out anywhere, but it's the way I've interpreted it.

1973
1-19—kickers and QBs
20-49—RBs and DBs
50-59—C and LB
60-79—OL and DL
80-89—WR and TE

1979
90-99—DL

then the 80s got relaxed
for LBers


Players who had numbers outside new rules were grandfathered in
like John Hadl, Harold Carmichael, etc

Alan Page was a defensive tackle who wore #88

The 1952 rulebook has the following (Rule 5-1-2):

All players must be numbered according to their positions and as follows: Centers 50's; Guards 60's; Tackles 70's; Ends 80's; Half Backs 20's and 40's; Fullbacks 30's; and Quarterbacks in the teens (13-19).

Note—All nationally known players who have been in the National Football League and/or the A.A. Conference for a period of three years may use their old numbers. Otherwise, any and all players entering the League for 1952 must be numbered in accordance with Article 2.

And for comparison, here is Rule 5-1-2 from the 1973 rulebook:

All players must be numbered according to their positions and as follows: Quarterbacks and Kickers 1 to 19; all backs (running and defensive) 20 to 49; centers and linebackers 50 to 59; defensive lineman and interior offensive linemen, excluding centers, 60 to 79; wide receivers and tight ends 80 to 89. (90's reserved for use during pre-season when team rosters are large, but cannot be used during the regular season without permission of the Commissioner's Office.)

Note—All players who had been in the National Football League in 1972 may use their old numbers. Otherwise, any and all players entering the League must be numbered in accordance with Article 2.

Thanks guys for all the info!

Otto Graham was the perfect example of the 1952 number standardization. Went from #60 to #14.

Shipley wrote:Otto Graham was the perfect example of the 1952 number standardization. Went from #60 to #14.

That did happen but the rule states (per the above):

65 toss power trap wrote:The 1952 rulebook has the following (Rule 5-1-2):
Note—All nationally known players who have been in the National Football League and/or the A.A. Conference for a period of three years may use their old numbers...

So, I wonder why Otto changed his number?

JuggernautJ wrote:

Shipley wrote:Otto Graham was the perfect example of the 1952 number standardization. Went from #60 to #14.

That did happen but the rule states (per the above):

65 toss power trap wrote:The 1952 rulebook has the following (Rule 5-1-2):
Note—All nationally known players who have been in the National Football League and/or the A.A. Conference for a period of three years may use their old numbers...

So, I wonder why Otto changed his number?

It seems like all the Browns changed numbers to be in compliance, even though they weren't required to do so. Motley went from 76 to 36, Groza went from 46 to 76, Lavelli switched from 56 to 86, and Speedie switched from 58 to 88.