DALLAS (105.3 The Fan) - Cowboys linebacker Jaylon Smith is officially making the switch to his former college number.
Smith is swapping his No. 54 jersey for No. 9, the same number former Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo's wore during his time with the franchise.
ESPN's Todd Archer was the first to report on Smith's decision Tuesday.
"It’s a blessing and honor to be able to carry on the 9 legacy. Tony Romo did an incredible job of being elite," Smith said after day two of organized team activities at the Ford Center at The Star.
Archer reports that Smith received owner Jerry Jones' blessing to make the change, and he also reached out to Romo to discuss the switch.
Smith confirmed Tuesday that he is "working on conversations right now" with Romo, but added that the former Cowboys quarterback is "a busy guy" and he has "nothing but love" for him.
The NFL passed a proposal in April that loosened uniform number restrictions for certain positions, with single-digit jerseys now open to all offensive and defensive skill positions in addition to quarterbacks, punters and placekickers.
On the defensive side, defensive backs can wear between 1-49 while defensive linemen can choose between 50-79 and 90-99. Linebackers can also wear 1-59 and 90-99, which made it possible for Smith to switch back to his former number at Notre Dame.
However, Smith will have to pay "close to mid-six figures to buy out the current inventory of No. 54 jerseys and t-shirts" in order to make the switch for the 2021 season, Archer reports. Had Smith decided to change his number for the 2022 season he would not have had to cover the costs of the existing inventory, according to NFL rules.
Smith was one of the first players to speak out publicly on social media when rumblings of the potential rule change came about. And he may not be the only Cowboy to make the switch, as his teammates CeeDee Lamb and Ezekiel Elliott also entertained switching back to their old numbers recently.
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