Colorado football star Travis Hunter's take on Tom Brady's No. 12 jersey amid Patriots link
Colorado football star Travis Hunter is set to be one of the top picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, and he discussed what he will do if he is unable to wear number 12 in the league, specifically mentioning what he would do if he went to the New England Patriots or Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
"Bro if I don't get number 12, bro, I'm going number 40," Travis Hunter said, via Overtime. "What if I go to the Patriots, bro? I'm not finna wear Tom Brady's number, bro. ... I can wear 12 there (Buccaneers). He ain't spend 15 years there. I'm wearing 12."
As Hunter mentioned , he would obviously not wear 12 with the Patriots, as the number is unavailable due to it being retired for Tom Brady. Wearing 40 is a unique choice, though, and it would be a bit jarring to see a top receiver or cornerback wearing that number. Going to the Patriots is a very real possibility as well, as they could be at the top of the draft. The Buccaneers less so, as they are in wild card contention, and Hunter is projected to go in the first few picks.
Would Travis Hunter pay to wear 12 in the NFL?
Usually, if a rookie wants to wear a number that is already being worn by a veteran on the team, there is some kind of financial compensation. Hunter, despite likely getting a large signing bonus on his eventual rookie deal, said he will not do that in order to wear 12 in the NFL.
"I'm not buying a number," Hunter said, via Overtime. "I'm telling you, I'ma rock number 40 though, like nobody want to give number 12, they want me to pay for it, bro. Say goodbye."
The Patriots are a team where Hunter surely would not wear 12, but there are currently nine teams in the NFL who have two wins, so there are a lot of possible destinations. A team like the New Orleans Saints, who already have a key player in Chris Olave wearing the number, seem like a team in which Hunter would wear a different number.
However, other two-win teams like the Jacksonville Jaguars, Carolina Panthers, New York Giants, and some others have conceivable openings when it comes to the jersey number.
It will be interesting to see where Hunter lands in this year's draft. With it being a weak quarterback class, it is conceivable that he goes as high as the first pick, but top five at least feels likely.
