National Football League

Russell Wilson who? Seahawks give former QB's No. 3 to defensive back

Published May. 24, 2023 2:52 p.m. ET

Russell Wilson's old jersey number isn't being set aside and locked away by the Seattle Seahawks.

In fact, the team has assigned No. 3 — the number Wilson wore throughout his 10 years in Seattle — to cornerback Artie Burns.

The way Burns received the No. 3 jersey number was a bit odd, though. He wore No. 21 for the Seahawks last season. But Seattle didn't immediately re-sign him this offseason, waiting until earlier this week to bring him back after standout corner Tariq Woolen underwent arthroscopic knee surgery on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the Seahawks selected Illinois corner Devon Witherspoon with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and assigned No. 21 to Witherspoon.

The juggling of jerseys left the Seahawks with limited numbers as they filled out their 90-man roster. Even with the 2021 change that loosened rules over which positions can wear which numbers, defensive backs are still limited to 0-49. There were only two other numbers within that range available for Burns (No. 43 and 48), per the team's website.

Burns' ownership of No. 3 could be temporary. If he makes the final 53-man roster, other jersey numbers will likely be available.

Still, Seattle making the No. 3 available even for possible temporary use is interesting considering the way Wilson's tenure ended with the Seahawks. Wilson reportedly grew frustrated with the organization in his final years with the team and even went as far as requesting that head coach Pete Carroll be fired — something Wilson denied doing.

Wilson's first game with the Denver Broncos also marked his return to Seattle. Seahawks fans didn't welcome back Wilson with much love, booing him throughout the game even after he helped the organization win their first Super Bowl and take them back to another.

The Seahawks have retired five numbers in their franchise's history — Steve Largent's No. 80, Walter Jones' No. 71, Cortez Kennedy's No. 96 and Kenny Easley's No. 45. No. 80 was briefly made available to Jerry Rice for the 2004 season. In addition, No. 12 was retired in 1984 in honor of the fans, who are often referred to as "The 12th Man."

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