Las Vegas Raiders’ all-pro Daniel Carlson did a huge favor for rookie running back Ashton Jeanty. Notably, Carlson gave up his jersey No. 2 to fulfill a personal wish. Jeanty was born on December 2, and his older brother and uncle were also born on the second.
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“It’s kind of like the family number. So that’s the main reason I wear No. 2,” Jeanty explained after the NFL Draft. Carlson had worn No. 2 since 2020, and how he acquired the number in the first place is a story of its own. Back then, Marcus Mariota had requested jersey No. 8, which Carlson originally wore, thereby prompting Carlson to switch to No. 2.
Now, with Carlson once again stepping aside, this time for Jeanty, it marks a rare gesture: two jersey swaps by the same record-setting kicker. As a result, Jeanty was grateful to his veteran teammate for being open to the idea as he recalled how smoothly the deal was made.
“I was talking to the equipment guy Bob, and I was like, ‘Man, how do I get the number two?’ And he’s like, ‘Well, somebody else got that number right now. You gonna have to talk to him. I can’t help you with that.’ So, he gave me his number. We got into contact and then we pretty much negotiated, and I mean, it wasn’t too stressful at all. He kept it pretty simple and it actually happened pretty fast,” Jeanty recalled during his interview with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Additionally, the jersey swap also gave Jeanty a chance to experience community service firsthand, as the undisclosed amount which was exchanged in the deal was donated to charity.
This isn’t the first time players have made such mutual arrangements. Back in 1995, Deion Sanders famously gave Alundis Brice a metallic blue BMW 325i in exchange for jersey No. 21 with the Dallas Cowboys.
But, of course, not all jersey swaps end peacefully. In 2004, Clinton Portis and Ifeanyi Ohalete ended up in court over a $40,000 dispute involving No. 26 with Washington, which reportedly impacted team morale. That same year, Eli Manning struck an amicable deal with Giants punter Jeff Feagles, offering him an all-expenses-paid family trip to Florida in exchange for jersey No. 10.
Meanwhile, all is good with the Raiders as Jeanty expressed heartfelt gratitude to Carlson, emphasizing how much the number meant to his family. “The number 2 means a lot to me and my family. I know it meant a lot to him as well. So, I’m just thankful that he was open to sharing the number and giving it to me, but also helping me get into the community as well,” he added.
It’s clear that Carlson’s gesture will serve as extra motivation for Jeanty. And, the rookie will be looking to make the number meaningful on the field this season. If mandatory minicamps are any indication, Jeanty is shaping up to be a “coachable” and promising prospect, as admitted by head coach Pete Carroll.
