Kyle Pitts isn't changing his number, but Kirk Cousins is.
The new Falcons quarterback will wear No. 18 in Atlanta, the team announced on Monday.
2024 will mark the first time in Cousins' career in which he hasn't worn either Nos. 8 or 12, instead finding a way to combine two of the three digits into 18. Cousins entered the NFL in 2012 as the No. 12-clad backup to Robert Griffin III before changing back to his Michigan State No. 8 in 2014, a digit he's worn in every season since.
Speculation regarding Cousins' jersey number has persisted since the news of his move south broke last week. Pitts has worn No. 8 since arriving as the fourth-overall pick of the Falcons in 2021, benefitting from the NFL's jersey number policy change that opened new avenues for skilled players, including tight ends.
Pitts mulled switching back to his collegiate No. 84 worn during his career at Florida, but it appears as if he will instead hang onto his number while Cousins adopts a new one.
