What earns the right to have a number retired?

Bengals78 · 03-14-2010, 01:26 PM

Over on the Bengals board, some people were clammering to have Henry's #15 retired and I think it is a dumb idea to retire his number.

Should a player who was never great on the field have his number retired?

I always thought, unless you impact society and the game like a Jackie Robinson did, you shouldnt get your number retired for anything non-football related.

The Bengals havent even retired Munoz's 78.
Redskins havent retired 21 formally yet if I remember right.
Did the Cards retire Tillman's?

What qualifies a player to have his number retired on a team?

Their football greatness?
Impact on the team itself?

WinslowBodden · 03-14-2010, 01:33 PM

I dont think you should retire a number because the player died. Retiring a number is meant for greatness, and if you do it with one player thats okay like Henry what's to say you don't do it every time you have a player that dies (This sounds harsh but it's not meant to be at all.)

Honoring the player during the year with numbers on the jersey and something during the first game after death is great, and if you want to put their name somewhere on the stadium that's cool too.

Retiring a number is more of prolonged service at a high level by a player and rewarding him for his excellence.

MiWolves · 03-14-2010, 01:34 PM

Pat Tillman did get his number retire fyi

Bengals78 · 03-14-2010, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MiWolves

Pat Tillman did get his number retire fyi

Thanks for that.

WB, I agree.
Some people think tragedy should outweigh that I guess.

I think it should also depend on the player being important to the franchise itself.

iowatreat54 · 03-14-2010, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MiWolves

Pat Tillman did get his number retire fyi

Yes, but that's completely different than someone like Chris Henry.

RealityCheck · 03-14-2010, 01:50 PM

Tillman died serving his country. Henry died after a fight with his girlfriend. Two different stories.

HeavyLeggedWaistBender · 03-14-2010, 01:59 PM

Pat Tillmans death was a little different though...Im not saying I agree with that one either but whatever.

Can you describe the history of the franchise without Slim? Thats how I think of it.

Bengals78 · 03-14-2010, 02:02 PM

I was never saying Henry SHOULD have it retired. I am against it. It just got me thinking what makes a number worthy of retiring.

V.I.P · 03-14-2010, 02:35 PM

Sean Taylor was good but his career wasn't long enough to get his number retired. Ala Darrent Williams.

Denver Bronco56 · 03-14-2010, 02:41 PM

I think the retiring of a number is justified if the player was THAT GOOD...like John Elway of Shannon Sharpe for the broncos....but Darrent Williams not so much

GB12 · 03-14-2010, 03:50 PM

The Packers have 20 players in the NFL Hall of Fame, but only 5 of them have had their numbers retired.

Not saying it has to be quite that exclusive for every team, but I do think you should have to be a Hall of Famer to have your number retired.

RealityCheck · 03-14-2010, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GB12

...but I do think you should have to be a Hall of Famer to have your number retired.

More like reverse.

Bengals78 · 03-14-2010, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RealityCheck

More like reverse.

I think the HOF is getting to close to the Hall of Really Good. Football isnt so bad but baseball...yeeesh.

GB12 · 03-14-2010, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RealityCheck

More like reverse.

No, like the way I had it. Reverse wouldn't make any sense. Some teams don't even officially retire numbers.

Having your number retired should be as big of an honor if not bigger than being inducted into the hall of fame.

Splat · 03-14-2010, 04:06 PM

I think it should depend on the impact the player had on the franchise not the length of his career.

I have nothing against Chris Henry my he rest in peace that said I don't think his impact was that great.

That said Sean Taylor had a pretty big impact for his team and while his career was cut short I would have no problem with his number being retired.

BlindSite · 03-14-2010, 04:19 PM

I tend to think that if you start retiring jerseys for any old reason we'll get a futurama like state in 50 years where everyone is wearing fractions.

RAVENS/WIZARDS/ORIOLES · 03-14-2010, 06:38 PM

This number should be retired!!!!!

Bengals78 · 03-14-2010, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RAVENS/WIZARDS/ORIOLES

This number should be retired!!!!!

I would be shocked if it isnt by the time he is in the HOF.
Man is the face of the franchise and has been for over a decade.

RaiderNation · 03-14-2010, 07:30 PM

81 should be retired for Oakland

Splat · 03-14-2010, 07:50 PM

If any one even thinks about wearing a 88 jersey for the Chiefs I will be pist.

wogitalia · 03-14-2010, 08:40 PM

I think the greatness thing is easy. Jordan clearly should have had his number retired by the Bulls.

It becomes a little more complicated when a player dies though. I think the first thing is how they died. Tillman is probably the ultimate example here as he was serving the country. I think you still need to have achieved something as a player though to warrant it. So if Benny Sapp were to join the Navy and get killed I would still not support his number being retired but if perhaps Peterson did it I think there is a case.

I would also like to see it be a career guy. Maybe if you played 80% or more with one team but I would prefer 100%. Reward a guy for being loyal to your team. Especially if they leave via Free Agency, if the team traded them it becomes interesting I guess.

Personally I have no time for retiring numbers of players who do stupid things that end their careers/lives. So guys like Williams and Henry wouldn't qualify.

Personally I think that ultimately it should be for long time loyal service and great production. Probably should be harder to get than the HOF, imo, because you have to do it all with one team. If there is someone who does something like Jackie Robinson, then they deserve special recognition because they have transcended the sport.

frubulubu · 03-14-2010, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RaiderNation

81 should be retired for Oakland

#75, Howie Long. If this man cant get his number retired I dont know who can.

21ST · 03-14-2010, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by V-I-P

Sean Taylor was good but his career wasn't long enough to get his number retired. Ala Darrent Williams.

I doubt there will be a redskin that wears number 21 for a long time though

LizardState · 03-15-2010, 08:51 AM

For a different perspective, Dallas doesn't retire numbers.

They have the Ring of Honor. Good concept, good idea. A lot of other teams thought so too, whether they retired numbers or not, b/c so many of them copied it in their stadiums.

And there's nothing wrong with that except when they put their owners' names in the rings, which is crass & shameful IMO.

MichaelJordanEberle (sabf) · 03-15-2010, 08:56 AM

Yeah I don't think ST's number will be formally retired, but no one will wear it for a long time, especially with all the U guys there. He's definitely the most deserving of any of the players who have recently died and I have little doubt he'd get his number retired when he called it quits if he didn't tragically die. Henry, Darrent, and all the others who have passed never would have been good enough.

Getting your number retired is a tremendous honour. Of the guys mentioned in this thread, I think the only shoe ins are Elway and Lewis. Everyone else is borderline, at best. Getting your # retired isn't just for HOFers, it's for guys who shaped the NFL while they were playing. Not just their position, but the whole NFL. Elway and Lewis can say that.