Beloved Cowboys rookie returner brings Tony Romo’s No. 9 back

Dallas Cowboys fans are undoubtedly excited about the performance that KaVontae Turpin put on during preseason games. The reigning USFL MVP was given his first shot to play in the NFL with the Cowboys, and he didn’t disappoint. In fact, he beat out other veterans and rookie hopefuls for a spot on the 53-man roster thanks to his undeniable speed, agility, and elusiveness.

What some Cowboys fans might not be excited about is the recent news that Turpin is choosing to wear jersey No. 9 for the 2022 season— the number famously worn by Tony Romo for 13 years. Turpin will now be the first offensive player since Romo retired after the 2016 season to wear the number. He’s also the first Cowboys receiver to wear No. 9.

Since Romo retired, LB Jaylon Smith briefly wore his number for only four regular season games. Former kicker Lirim Hajrullahu also wore No. 9 during the preseason before he was cut from the roster.

Cowboys fans have mixed feelings about KaVontae Turpin wearing Tony Romo’s No. 9 jersey

With the NFL’s new uniform rules that began last season, more players are allowed to wear single-digit numbers. It used to be exclusive to quarterbacks, kickers, and punters. So, it was really only a matter of time before someone had to take that number. Turpin was wearing No. 2 during the preseason, but that was cornerback Jourdan Lewis’s number from 2021, which he will be keeping.

The Cowboys’ new beloved kick returner went viral for his preseason performance against the Los Angeles Chargers. He had a kickoff return for a touchdown and a punt return for a touchdown that made it nearly impossible to not add him to the 53-man roster.

But some fans don’t think he’s done enough to earn the number that Romo wore for so many years. In their eyes, a great preseason performance doesn’t equate to the all-time leader in passing yards and passing touchdowns for the franchise.

The Cowboys are one of the few teams in the sports that don’t officially retire jersey numbers. The way the franchise celebrates its beloved former players and staff members is through its Ring of Honor — unless you’re Jimmy Johnson.

Certain numbers like 22 (Bob Hayes and Emmitt Smith), 8 (Troy Aikman), and 12 (Roger Staubach) have been avoided throughout the years. No one has worn those jerseys since those players retired. But they technically haven’t been retired to the rafters as other teams do.

Hopefully, Turpin has a long and successful career with the Cowboys and makes Romo fans happy that he is donning the famous No. 9.

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