Cowboys rookie Caleb Downs locked down his jersey number with Dallas but his mother thinks he should reconsider. Is she right about why?
First-round draft choice Caleb Downs is gearing up for his debut with the Dallas Cowboys. The much-hyped rookie recently locked down his jersey number with the team, settling on 13.
While it seems like an innocuous decision, one important fan of Downs is not pleased with his choice.
According to Downs, his own mother told him she hoped he would reconsider. ... Not so much due to superstition but rather a belief that no one great has ever worn No. 13.
"My mom literally said this to me the other day. She was like, 'I've never seen anybody wear 13 and it be a good player," said Downs on the St. Brown Podcast with Lions wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown.
There could always be a first to make any number iconic, with Downs' skillset not somehow limited by the digit or digits scrawled across his jersey. But are the claims made by his mom even true? (Not calling you a liar, Mrs. Downs.)
Well, as it turns out there have been quite a few notable athletes across not just the NFL but other leagues that have donned the 13. In the midst of the timely topic, here is a list of some of those figures Downs will hope to join.
10. Johnny Gaudreau - NHL (2014-24)
Kicking off the list off the field and on the ice, Gaudreau was an 11-year NHL veteran with both the Calgary Flames and Columbus Blue Jackets. Known as "Johnny Hockey", he earned many accolades and also was a staple of the USA National Team. He tragically passed away during his career after being struck by an alleged drunk driver.
9. Paul George - NBA (2010-Now)
George is commonly referred to by his nickname, "PG-13." A current 14-year vet of the NBA, George has spent time with four different franchises and notched various awards, but has yet to hoist the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
8. Jake Scott - NFL (1970-78)
Scott starred at safety - the same position Downs is set to play - for both the Washington Redskins and Miami Dolphins throughout the '70s. The pinnacle of his career came with two Super Bowl victories in Miami and the title of Super Bowl VII MVP after a 14-7 win over his other team, Washington.
7. Don Maynard - AFL/NFL (1960-73)
Another NFL standout but this time on offense. Maynard's era may be long past, as he saw his glory days happen in the AFL before the two leagues merged to create the NFL that Downs will soon step into. However, his feats are not any less impressive with a Super Bowl title, nearly 12,000 receiving yards and 88 touchdowns. His No. 13 is also retired by the New York Jets.
6. Pavel Datsyuk - NHL (2001-16)
Dubbed "The Magic Man," Datsyuk helped lead the Detroit Red Wings to two Stanley Cup wins in 2002 and 2008. He was a three-time winner of the Selke Trophy, which goes to the league's best defensive forward. Datsyuk is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame and was named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players in 2017.
5. Steve Nash - NBA (1996-2015)
One of the most prolific facilitators in the history of the NBA, Nash - who has a Dallas link as he started his career with the Mavs - spent much of his career with the Phoenix Suns.
He could never get over the championship hump but was a two-time NBA MVP during a competitive era, eight-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA First Team and finished third all-time in assists. Nash's 13 is retired by Phoenix.
4. Kurt Warner - NFL (1998-2009)
The greatest underdog story in NFL history, according to most, Warner came from being undrafted to earning two NFL MVP awards, a Super Bowl title and MVP of the 34th edition of the game. He spent 12 seasons in the league between most notably the St. Louis Rams and Arizona Cardinals, which both saw Super Bowl berths under Warner.
3. Alex Rodriguez - MLB (1994-2016)
A veteran of the major leagues, Rodriguez joined the New York Yankees in 2003 and switched his number to 13. (He'd worn No. 3 here in DFW with the Texas Rangers.) In his most notable stint in MLB, he racked up two AL MVP awards and the coveted World Series title in 2009. In each of those MVP seasons, Rodriguez led the league in home runs and had at least 30 in each of his first seven seasons in the Bronx.
2. Dan Marino - NFL (1983-99)
One of the most iconic passers in NFL history, Marino spent all 17 seasons with the Miami Dolphins. He tallied 61,361 passing yards, which was the most in league history at the time of his retirement. Add on 420 touchdowns and an NFL MVP in 1984 and its easy to see why the hype was there. The biggest and most well-known knock against Marino is his zero in the Super Bowl win column. Despite that fact, he was a first-ballot NFL Hall of Famer and his 13 is retired by the Dolphins.
1. Wilt Chamberlain - NBA (1959-73)
Maybe it's because of the 82-0 trend going around that has Chamberlain swirling in the mainstream again, but he is truly one of the most iconic figures to don the number and the best for the sake of this list.
He is arguably the most dominant scorer in NBA history, as the only player to ever record 100 points in a single game. Beyond that, he won four NBA MVP awards, two NBA championships and was a 13-time All-Star. While there is an argument for anyone in the top four to take the crown, Chamberlain has the No. 13 retired by four different teams, including the Harlem Globetrotters. That's enough to take the cake.
So, in fact - though Mom usually knows best - there have been great players to wear No. 13. And Downs will aim to be the next and possibly even the best of them all, which would surely make his mom proud as she'd come around agree that "13'' is not such an unimportant number at all.
