San Francisco 49ers receiver Deebo Samuel will switch from No. 19 to No. 1 in 2024.
The star wideout announced the jersey swap on social media on Tuesday.
Samuel’s number change also includes adding Sr. to his nameplate.
Samuel wore No. 1 during college at South Carolina. The 28-year-old wideout has donned No. 19 since entering the NFL as the Niners’ second-round pick in 2019. At the time he entered the league, numbers were more restrictive, with single digits reserved for QBs, kickers and punters. Since then, the NFL has relaxed the rules, leading to a bevy of changes.
In 2021, when the NFL changed its jersey number rules, then-Niners safety Jimmie Ward claimed No. 1 due to seniority. Ward left for Houston in free agency last offseason. No Niner wore No. 1 on the 49ers in 2023.
Players who change numbers with the same club without a year’s notice are required to purchase unsold inventory of their previous jersey. For Samuel, one of the most popular players in the NFL, that would be a hefty price tag. However, if he made his intention to switch known last year -- and it would make sense given that no Niner claimed the number in 2023 -- he wouldn’t have to buy up all the No. 19s in stores across the country.