Panthers star receiver D.J. Moore newest to change quantity following NFL rule change

It is jersey swapping season within the NFL as a big selection of gamers throughout the league are making the most of the newly relaxed quantity guidelines which were put in place starting this coming season. The newest is Panthers large receiver D.J. Moore, who introduced on Friday that he’ll be leaving his former No. 12 within the rearview mirror. Going ahead, he’ll be rocking No. 2 in Carolina. 

The 24-year-old has rocked No. 12 all through his first three years within the NFL after the Panthers chosen him within the first spherical of the 2018 NFL Draft out of Maryland. For the Terps, he donned No. 1, so he is not going again to his faculty roots within the midst of this quantity change, which is one thing that has grown fairly widespread amongst gamers making a swap this offseason. As a substitute, this swap is a nod to one thing additional again in his childhood. 

“(It) happened after I was in Little League,” Moore advised the official workforce web site of switching to No. 2. “It was my first ever actual quantity I had after I received a championship after I was 5 years outdated. I nonetheless have the identical precise jersey.”

Underneath this new rule change, large receivers can put on any quantity between 1-49 and 80-89. Earlier than, pass-catchers have been solely permitted to choose numbers between 10-19 and 80-89, leaving single digits strictly for quarterbacks, kickers, and punters. 

In the meantime, this transfer might have been a expensive one for Moore. For veterans to make a swap for the 2021 season, the NFL required gamers to purchase out the remaining stock of their outdated numbers from their official distributors. Provided that Moore is a very fashionable receiver, he might be taking a look at fairly the gathering that he wanted to repay to pave the best way for this swap.  

“It wasn’t laborious, I believe it will be funding in the long term,” Moore stated. “I believe single digits look good on me as a result of that is what I wore my entire life. And plus, it is one thing new.”

Whereas this marks a change in how we’ll see Moore on the sector, this is hoping his play stays acquainted. Already, the receiver has blossomed into one of many higher gamers at his place within the league, posting back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. In 2020, Moore hauled in a career-high 1,193 yards receiving to go together with 66 receptions and 4 touchdowns.