Los Angeles Rams star changing number after team signs All-Pro
Los Angeles Rams star receiver Puka Nacua is changing his number, according to ESPN.
Nacua will make the change to accommodate his new teammate, six-time NFL Pro Bowl wide receiver Davante Adams.
Adams signed a two-year deal with the Rams after his release from his former team, the New York Jets, clearing the way for the potential Hall-of-Famer to join Nacua and quarterback Matthew Stafford in L.A.
Since being drafted by the Green Bay Packers in 2014, Adams has only ever worn 17 in the NFL; he wore 15 when he attended Fresno State.
Nacua will go back to college for his new number, shifting from 17 to 12, which he wore as a member of the BYU Cougars.
It’s not unusual in most American sports for players to swap numbers when a more established player joins the team.
Adams is one of the great wide receivers of his generation and could possibly be enshrined in Canton when he hangs up his cleats. But Nacua is already building his own impressive resume, becoming Stafford’s go-to target and shattering long-standing NFL receiving records as a rookie.
Nacua was a Pro-Bowler and second-team All-Pro in 2023 and was on pace to have an impressive sophomore season before injuries stole six games from his regular season campaign. He still managed to average the third-most receptions among all players during his 11 appearances.
Even with Adams in town, his role is likely to continue to grow in Sean McVay’s offense with the expected departure of franchise legend Cooper Kupp.
For fans who purchased a now-vintage Puka Nacua No. 17 jersey, there aren’t a lot of options available to get it replaced before the 2025-26 season.
Fanatics and NFLShop.com offer a “Jersey Assurance” policy which allows someone who purchased a jersey within the last 90 days to receive an updated one if that player recently switched teams.
The policy does not, however, cover players who continue to play for the same team and simply changed the number on their back.
Instead, Nacua fans will have to wear their No. 17 with pride and with additional bragging rights that they’ve been rooting for him since the beginning, way before some guy named Adams joined the team.