Chiefs Asked Shields And Gonzalez For Permission To Use Numbers
 

Chiefs Asked Shields And Gonzalez For Permission To Use Numbers

http://cdn0.sbnation.com/profile_ima...dshot_tiny.jpg by Joel Thorman on May 4, 2010 3:13 PM PDT in 2010 Campaign

Over the weekend the Chiefs had a bunch of rookies and tryout players in camp. Since they all needed a jersey -- and a jersey number -- the Chiefs issued them numbers. Two of those numbers -- #68 and #88 -- held a special place in the heart of Kansas City.

Of course they are they numbers of Will Shields and Tony Gonzalez.

Well, as Adam Teicher of the Kansas City Star noticed over the weekend, the Chiefs issues #68 and #88 to two players at the rookie minicamp. One was an undrafted free agent signed to the team (DL Garrett Brown) and the other to a tryout player.

As it turns out, the Chiefs placed a call to both Will Shields and Tony Gonzalez seeking permission to use the number, according to Teicher. Both players gave them their blessing. Shields said it was done in a "class-act way."

''A number is only a number," Shields told Teicher. "It served me well when I played but now it's someone else's turn. There's got to be someone wearing it before me and there's got to be someone wearing it afterward.''

I'm glad this is the way it turned out. I suspected the Chiefs would want to get their side of the story out there since it considerably changes the focus of the story.

Those numbers should be retired and banned from other players to use, esp shields

On the pace we are on, the Chiefs would run out of numbers.

Retiring numbers in general is stupid. I wish the Chiefs didn't do it at all.

Tony G and Shields are going into the HOF.

No one else should wear those numbers.

Guys like Priest, Trent and Roaf are completely different. Those are the kinds of numbers that shouldn't be retired.

Teicher tried to make it seem disrespectful, and compared it to giving an UDFA #58. That's a LOT different. DT died, FFS.

I didn't understand what the big deal was.

But, props to the Chiefs for making the call, and props to Will and Tony for being cool with it. IMO, you'd have to be an epic douche not to...

When and if those numbers are retired... fine.

It was a classy move by the Chiefs front office to even ask. They didn't have to.

I don't know that I'd call it classy. But it's certainly not a big deal.

Brandon Lloyd wears #84 for Denver. Kevin Williams wears #93 for Minnesota. And those guys are full-time players. I would hope that this is only for practice and that if they were asked to wear the jerseys full-time, they'd be politely asked to pick another #.

How is it not? Pioli didn't have to ask. But he did, out of respect.

That's a classy move, IMO.

It was a nice move to call them, and typical class from Shields and Gonzalez to give permission. I think it pokes a hole in the theory that these new guys have no respect for Chiefs tradition/history.

Exactly.

i dont see why they would refuse to let them use their numbers, its not like its a big deal to them anymore. It is a good thing they showed the respect to these two players considering they definately earned it while playing in KC. I wonder if the asked green or holmes to allow legget or copper to wear numbers 10 and 31????

I'm not opposed to the practice, but I think the Chiefs have retired too many, relative to their success and years of existence. Looks to me like the only teams with more retired numbers are the Bears and Giants, who each have been NFL franchises for 300 years.

I thought I once read somewhere that the league sort of frowned on teams retiring numbers, so I'd sort of be surprised if either number was retired. I'd just put them on the shelves for the regular season for 5-10 years.

I agree, although in the rare exceptions of the absolute best. i.e. Gretzkys #99. However, I can't think of any football player that dominated their sport like Gretzky did hockey.