By the Numbers: The Best-Looking Jersey Numbers in Patriots History
I was walking through a store the other day and did a double take when I passed a guy in a random vintage #88 Terry Glenn jersey. RIP, Terry Glenn.
I am comfortable enough in my masculinity to say the jersey looked outstanding on the guy. He had the right lanky frame – he was about 6'1" and probably weighted 170. The "88" suited him. The guy looked like a wide receiver.
When I go to my friend's house to watch the Patriots play every Sunday, there are between 10-15 people there. The most popular jersey worn is, of course, Tom Brady. But there are a couple of Edelmans and Gronkowskis among them. There is also a #16 Jakobi Meyers t-shirt and a #99 Keon White jersey (bought just three weeks before he was traded... whoops!) mixed in.
I've never been good at looking good while wearing a jersey. I am 6-foot tall and about 230 pounds. I got broad shoulders and a big, bald head. I'm also 54 years old.
I don't know if those things factor into why I never look right wearing one. Maybe.
It seems like everyone looks good wearing a #12 – short, tall, fat, skinny, man, woman. But not me.
I do wear a Christian Barmore #90 jersey and that seems to suit me alright. I think I used to look good back in the day with my #55 Willie McGinest jersey. Five has always been my lucky number, so I figured two fives would be really lucky.
But forget about wearing anything below 40 for me. I draw the line at 40 because I do have a Pat Tillman #42 Cardinals jersey which I think I look decent in, as well.
So that got me thinking about the best looking Patriots jerseys of all-time. I'm not necessarily talking about retiring jersey numbers here. I am talking about jerseys that you may see at Gillette Stadium in the winter when fans are bundled up in layers or at Patriots summer camp when fans are wearing shorts and sunglasses.
My criteria, of course, includes the player's performance and career/longevity with the Patriots. But it goes beyond that. My rankings are also based on how me looking at that jersey and number makes me feel. Does it stir up feelings of nostalgia, pride, laughter, joy?
Does the jersey bring back memories for me like the guy with the Terry Glenn #88 jersey? Did the player represent the toughness and blue collar work ethic of the fanbase – the type of fans that sat on the frozen aluminum benches at the old Foxboro Stadium to watch their team go 2-14? Did the player represent the franchise and the region with grace and humility (that definitely eliminated one player, and maybe a couple of others, too)?
And, quite frankly, how does the jersey look on an average New England Patriots' fan. Is the look of the jersey versatile enough for fans of different shapes and sizes to wear?
I was originally going to do just a top ten, but I enjoyed going down memory lane so much I expanded it to a top 25. I will note that I didn't put any current or very recent (post-Brady) players on here. They have to win a Super Bowl first. If that doesn't incentivize them, I don't know what will.
Here is my list with a little of my reasoning for each:
25.
James White #28
A Super Bowl hero and underrated key to the Patriots second dynastic run.
24.
Lawyer Milloy #36
Something about the number 36 is cool. Milloy was the hard-hitting safety and defensive team leader before Rodney Harrison came to town.
23.
Russ Francis - #81
No one wore #81 better in Patriots history... until Randy Moss came to Foxboro thirty years later. Francis was tall and ran like a gazelle. He had movie star good looks. He was an instant fan favorite until he outgrew Foxboro and left town due to a contract dispute. He began the run of outstanding tight ends in franchise history.
You have to be tall and be of a certain age to wear his jersey.
22.
Vince Wilfork - #75
How do I say this politely? You need to be of a certain girth to wear Wilfork's #75 around town.
21.
Richard Seymour - #93
Seymour played next to Wilfork, but had a completely different body type. He is tall, slim, muscular, and mean. He did leave New England on not-the-best of terms (a trade following a contract holdout).
He is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame so wear his jersey with pride.
20.
Doug Flutie - #2
Flutie was one of those whose mythos is far greater than his productivity. But, damn, how many times do you get a local kid who grows up to play with his hometown team?
The Natick native is a favorite son of Massachusetts and his best years may well have been his college years when he starred for the Boston College Eagles – although he had a great career in Canada and some very good years with the Bills and Chargers.
The #2 classic Patriots jersey with "Flutie" along the top is outstanding, but give me that BC Eagles #22 half-mesh jersey any day of the week! You have to be under 5'10" and weigh less than 170 pounds to pull off wearing the Flutie jersey, though.
19.
Willie McGinest #55
I just love this jersey. Unfortunately, Willie has had issues with his temper in recent years which makes it hard to feel comfortable wearing his jersey out in public.
18.
Stanley Morgan #86
Morgan gets forgotten in Patriots history, but there may not be a better wide receiver in New England history.
17.
Mike Haynes #40
Haynes' time with the Patriots was a little before my time. He played for New England for seven seasons from 1976-1982. I remember him as being one-half of a great cornerback duo with Lester Hayes playing for the Oakland/LA Raiders during the Plunkett Super Bowl years.
Haynes was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1997. That nostalgic red jersey with the #40 on it looks clean and sleek – suitable for someone as smooth as Haynes was.
16.
John Hannah #73
I need to put a disclaimer on this one.
Caution: Only a select few can pull off wearing this jersey,
John Hannah is one of the greatest offensive linemen to ever play the game of football. They didn't come any tougher or any nastier than him. You have to be a certain breed to wear his number and if you see anyone wearing his jersey, I suggest you don't mess with them.
15.
Adam Vinatieri #4
Now if you see a Patriots fan wearing the #4, you can probably give him a nudge when you walk by him. You shouldn't have anything to fear. You don't see too many people wear a kicker's jersey, but then again, not many kickers had as many kicks to help a team win three Super Bowls (plus one with the Colts, but we don't count that). If you see someone wearing the #4, it is probably safe to say they are cool under pressure... and don't like conflict.
14.
Ben Coates #87
Boy – is that a beautiful jersey or what? It's too bad Coates played in the era that he did. It was a dark time for the Patriots.
There weren't many better quarterback-tight end combinations better than Bledsoe and Coates for the short period of time they were together. Coates was Gronkowski before Gronkowski. He was an absolute beast.
13.
Rodney Harrison #37
Harrison called Lawyer Milloy's #36 and raised him to 37. Ok, that was a weak attempt at a poker joke.
Harrison came to New England with a bad reputation for being a dirty player while playing his entire career with the San Diego Chargers. New England fans love dirty. He quickly became a fan favorite.
12.
Randy Moss #81
Randy didn't play long for New England, but it was a dream for a couple of years, though. It was the only time Brady ever had a legitimate #1 wide receiver on the outside. Moss's #81 looks good on just about anybody.
11.
Devin McCourty #32
No. 32 is usually a running back number, or at least it used to be back in my day. McCourty played his entire 13-year career with the Patriots – a rarity in modern sports. He played center field on defense for three Super Bowl teams and was a stalwart in the community. His character is impeccable. If you see someone wearing the #32, you know they are, most likely, intellectual, caring, and a leader.
10.
Steve Grogan #14
Grogan is another one of those blue collar, dirt dog-type players that New Englanders love to root for. His name is almost synonymous with the New England Patriots in my book. This man deserves a statue at Gillette, as well.
Few quarterbacks took as much of a beating as Grogan did in his career with the Patriots and kept getting back up. If you see anyone wearing the #14, you know they know their Patriots history. And that they are tough, maybe not John Hannah-tough, but you don't want to mess with anyone wearing #14, either.
9.
Troy Brown #80
Talk about blue collar. Brown was drafted in the 8th round in 1993 (same year as Bledsoe). Today, the NFL draft only has seven rounds so, essentially, he would have gone undrafted by today's standards. He was waived by the Patriots in 1994 and bounced between the practice squad and the active roster for a while. But he found a regular spot on the team on special teams and busted his ass to became an integral part of the offense – ending his career as New England's all-time leader in receptions. Who can't root for someone like that?
8.
Curtis Martin #28
It was a tough call between the white or the blue jersey, but I will go with the white one. I love the blue shadow effect on the red numbers and, of course, the enormous Flying Elvises on the shoulders. The numbers on the jerseys were enormous, too. I don't think the first picture below does it justice.
But just watch Curtis Martin run while wearing the uni in the picture below it – grace in motion. He played with such smoothness and handled himself with humility. It was a sad day when he left for the Jets. What could have been?
7.
Andre Tippett #56
The Giants had their #56 – Lawrence Taylor. We had ours – Andre Tippett. Tippett played in a day where wearing #56 meant you were the most feared player on your defense. The #56 still holds a mystique in my eyes.
6.
Drew Bledsoe #11
I just love it, love it... love it. I love this jersey! The sleekness of the two ones, the shade of blue of the jersey, the red shadows on the white numbers, the oversized Flying Elvises on the shoulders, and the cool name – Bledsoe.
5.
Julian Edelman #11
Similar to Troy Brown, Edelman made himself into a player. He did the dirty work over the middle. He took a pounding. He also made some of the greatest catches in Patriots' history. Package that with a fun-loving personality and you have one of the greatest Patriots' fan favorites of all-time.
4.
Rob Gronkowski #87
What can you say? Gronk is just that loveable teddy bear. He may be an idiot, but he is our idiot. If you see someone wearing 87, you know they are a good time.
3.
Tedy Bruschi #54
Bruschi. Bruschi. Brewsky. Come on'. That is a name out of central casting for a football player. How can you not feel great walking into a bar wearing a Bruschi jersey?
2.
Ty Law #24
I just love this Ty Law jersey. Give me this white one over the more modern ones he wore later in his career. But, honestly, any of his jerseys look bad-ass. There is just something aesthetically pleasing about the number 24 and the name "Law."
Ty played with a swagger that few in Patriots history can match.
1.
Tom Brady #12
Is there anyone in New England that doesn't have this particular jersey?
