Joe Theismann Leaves Stefon Diggs’ No. 7 Decision to Washington — Commanders Daily

Joe Theismann is leaving the fate of No. 7 in Washington’s hands after Stefon Diggs expressed interest in wearing the iconic number. Plus, Laremy Tunsil plans to remain around the Commanders during his rehab.

Washington Commanders wide receiver Stefon Diggs takes the field for his first training camp practice with the team Friday in Ashburn, Va. | Washington Commanders

Theismann addressed the situation while speaking with 106.7's Grant Paulsen: "The jersey belongs to the football team. I was honored to wear it. I will leave it to the Commanders to make that decision." | Philip Hughes | HTTR4LIFE LLC

A few days ago, newly signed receiver Stefon Diggs posted online, saying he wants to use the iconic No. 7 that former Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann wore during his career, including Super Bowl XVII. The number has remained out of circulation except for brief usage by the late Dwayne Haskins, who asked Theismann directly to use it.

Joe Theismann is leaving the fate of No. 7 in Washington’s hands after Stefon Diggs expressed interest in wearing the iconic number. Plus, Laremy Tunsil plans to remain around the Commanders during his rehab. | Stefon Diggs Instagram

Tuesday, Theismann addressed the situation while speaking with 106.7's Grant Paulsen: "The jersey belongs to the football team. I was honored to wear it. I will leave it to the Commanders to make that decision." Now, for those of you keeping score at home, Theismann did not explicitly give Diggs permission to wear No. 7, but he also did not object, instead putting the decision entirely in Washington’s hands.

Talking with @Theismann7 about Stefon Diggs wanting wear his No. 7 that isn't currently in circulation:

"The jersey belongs to the football team.. I was honored to wear it.. I will leave it to the Commanders to make that decision.."

— Grant Paulsen (@GrantPaulsen) August 11, 2026

This situation brings a decades-long debate back to life among fans who believe numbers should be enshrined and those who do not. One thing the organization needs to get away from is "soft retiring" numbers by not officially retiring them, but also not giving them out. Number legacies either need to be captured and never used again, or embraced and passed on.

A good example of a reused number through the years is 17. Among those who have worn that number are Turk Edwards (who is in the Hall of Fame), Billy Kilmer, Doug Williams, Jason Campbell, and now, in this era, Terry McLaurin.

In this situation, Theismann is making the right call by leaving the decision up to the team because it does two things at once. It puts the pressure back on the organization to finally decide the fate of the jersey number while allowing Theismann to come across as a team-first guy in the process.

This is low-key a big moment for the new ownership group in terms of how they handle the legacy of the numbers moving forward. Daniel Snyder left the issue to fester in conversations among fans; let's hope, like many of the other things that left with him, that those days are over.

To move forward on this, Washington has to ask itself a question. Do they believe adding Diggs is enough reason to put one of its most protected numbers back into circulation? If so, do it and move forward without crossing over this bridge again in the future. If not, retire the No. 7 next season and honor your legend while he is still alive.

Laremy Tunsil Plans to Stay Around Commanders During Rehab

Laremy Tunsil has made his intentions clear: after surgery, he is still going to help the younger guys on the offensive line even though he cannot currently help on the field. ESPN's John Keim reported Tuesday that Andrew Wylie said Tunsil told the offensive line he would return to Ashburn for treatment after surgery so he could remain around the team and continue helping the younger linemen he has been tutoring.

One thing to note on Laremy Tunsil: Andrew Wylie said he told the OL that he would return to Ashburn for his treatment post surgery so he can be around the team. Can still help the younger OLinemen he’s been tutoring.

— John Keim (@john_keim) August 11, 2026

Tunsil tore his left triceps muscle and is out indefinitely, which prompted the team to shift Brandon Coleman back to left tackle. This is beyond what most players would do and means that, while Washington loses his snaps, the team does not completely lose the influence and experience gained when they brought him into the offensive-line room. His third set of eyes could be far more helpful than any coach.

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