The New York Giants clearly have high expectations for their first-round draft pick.
LSU star Malik Nabers has the makings of a generational player, and the team wants to make sure he’s got everything he needs to be at his best.
That’s why they even allowed him to have a number that wasn’t even available to anybody else.
As reported by Yahoo Sports on X, the young star will wear No. 1 next season, and that’s no ordinary number.
The Giants rookie will rock the first jersey number to ever be retired by any team in the NFL 🤯 pic.com/o74focnbAr
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) September 1, 2024
That number was retired in honor of Giants legend Ray Flaherty, who played for the team in the 1930s and even won a championship.
Nabers, frustrated because Daniel Jones had No. 8 and Jalin Hyatt had No. 13, reached out to Giants owner John Mara, who contacted the Flahertys to gather their thoughts on potentially allowing them to unretire the number.
The family, hesitant at first, eventually caved in and allowed Nabers to don the legendary No. 1 jersey.
Notably, that was the very first number to be retired in NFL history, so he’s going to have a heavy burden to shoulder from the very moment he sets foot on the field.
Nabers is the only bright spot in the Giants’ otherwise unimpressive offense.
And while there will be some frustrations and growing pains, mostly due to subpar quarterback play, he has the potential to be one of the best players in the league right out of the gate.
Worry not, Ray Flaherty, your beloved jersey is in the best hands it can possibly be.
