Some players are more connected to their choice of jersey number than others. And it’s safe to say Lamar Jackson is one of those ones that is very connected to his jersey No. 8. He has not only worn it for the Baltimore Ravens in the NFL, but for Louisville in college, and at Boynton Beach High School in Florida before that.
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However, he’s not the only great NFLer to don that number. Hall of Famers at other positions have worn the number, such as safety Larry Wilson, kicker Morten Andersen, and punter Ray Guy. But the most famous to wear it were QBs, including Super Bowl winners and HOFers Troy Aikman of the Dallas Cowboys and Steve Young of the San Francisco 49ers.
There is no “No. 8 club” camaraderie, however, as Lamar Jackson actually took Aikman to task for trademarking the number and using it on his apparel and bags. Thankfully, Aikman didn’t get bent out of shape about it at all, instead playing it off as a joke.
“Hey Lamar, looks like a worthy conversation over a couple cold EIGHT beers! Maybe Steve Young can arbitrate??”
Hey Lamar – looks like a worthy conversation over a couple cold EIGHT beers!🍺🍺 Maybe Steve Young can arbitrate?? https://t.co/rPLVThmSMg @Lj_era8 @SteveYoungQB @drinkeightbeer @espn pic.twitter.com/M0aDiYka2J
— Troy Aikman (@TroyAikman) July 20, 2024
Jackson believed it would cause confusion among consumers who weren’t sure if they were buying Aikman’s or his trademarked gear. Aikman had trademarked the word “EIGHT” for a litany of products such as bags and beer, and Jackson had trademarked several phrases, including the number, such as “Era 8”. For that reason, he worried about the confusion among potential customers.
However, at the end of the day, it wasn’t worth the aggravation for either side.
Many fans were confused by the fact that someone could trademark something as basic as a number anyway. “It’s f*cking stupid that something as atomic and fundamental as the single digit ‘8’ can be trademarked. Whoever let that one through is a f*cking idiot,” said one.
Another pointed out an interesting fact about the battle: “So interesting that Aikman called Ravens games while he was in a legal battle with one of the key players on the field.”
Others took the opportunity to make puns: “Checkm8!” one said.
One Redditor was angrier and more vindictive in his response to Jackson’s removal of the challenge than perhaps anyone involved: “Lamar finally realized he just looked silly thinking the number 8 revolved around him more than a three-time Super Bowl winner and Hall of Famer. Or anybody, for that matter.”
In terms of which NFL player has a better claim over the No. 8, Lamar Jackson definitely has a case as good as any. Aikman is revered for being the QB on those great Cowboys teams of the early ’90s, but he was never a league MVP or even an All-Pro. He also never threw for over 3,500 yards or 25 TDs. Lamar is clearly the better player overall; he just needs those rings to stamp himself for those “it’s all about winning” critics.
This wasn’t the first such trademark snafu for Lamar Jackson, either. His team also filed an opposition to NASCAR driver Dal Earnhardt Jr.’s trademark on the number (which was his car number for about a decade). This caused Earnhardt to back down in April.
