After having them wear numbers in the 50s and 60s throughout the offseason and training camp so far, the New England Patriots have finally given their rookie class some real jersey numbers — from first-round pick Mac Jones switching to 10, to seventh-round pick Tre Nixon and undrafted rookie Quinn Nordin taking over 87 and 3, respectively.
Nixon’s number in particular has led to a lot of discussion online. The number, after all, was last worn by franchise legend Rob Gronkowski between 2010 and his departure following the 2018 season. In between, Gronkowski established himself as a future Hall of Famer and helped the Patriots win three Super Bowls.