Nick Foles Takes Jersey No. 9 Out of Mothballs and Philly

When Nick Foles signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars he wore jersey No. 7 instead of his customary jersey No. 9.

"No. 9 stays in Philadelphia," Foles told NBC Sports Philadelphia. "That number means a lot to me. It pertains to that city."

Apparently wearing that jersey number to win the Super Bowl in Philadelphia doesn't mean as much in Chicago.

Foles will wear No. 9 for the Bears, the team announced on Wednesday.

There's a good reason he can't wear No. 7 in Chicago. There was this guy named George Halas who wore it and kind of started the league so it's retired.

Foles is taking the jersey number third-string quarterback Tyler Bray has worn for two seasons as the sometimes-practice squad, sometimes regular-roster guy.

Several other Bears in recent years have worn No. 9, which was best known for being the jersey number worn by their only Super Bowl-winning quarterback. Jim McMahon wore it well. Shane Matthews and Robbie Gould wore it, as well.

A few new Bears will wear the same number they wore with other teams.

Cornerback Artie Burns will be the same No. 25 he was with the Steelers. Tight end Jimmy Graham remains No. 80 with the Bears, as he was with the Packers and outside linebacker Robert Quinn will wearing No. 94 again like he did with the Rams, but he wore No. 58 in Dallas last year.

Barkevious Mingo won't obviously wear the No. 52 he wore in Texas, because it's Khalil Mack's number. Mingo will instead wear No. 50.

Other jersey numbers fixed for new Bears are No. 21 for safety Jordan Lucas, No. 38 for safety Kentrell Brice, No. 44 for basketball player-turned-football player Darion Clark, No. 74 for guard Germain Ifedi, No. 78 for tackle Jason Spriggs, No. 6 for kicker Ramiz Ahmed and No. 86 for tight end Demetrius Harris.

Tight ends are taking up nine jersey numbers at the moment, and possibly more after the draft.

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