A hero in number zero? Calvin Ridley to become Jaguars' first player to wear No. 0 jersey

The newest Jacksonville Jaguars receiver is ready to put the 0 in the 904.

Only hours after the NFL approved the No. 0 jersey, newly-added Jaguars wide receiver Calvin Ridley announced he will be the first player to wear the number for the Jags.

The Jaguars' official Twitter account subsequently confirmed the news.

For head coach Doug Pederson, quarterback Trevor Lawrence and legions of Jaguars fans, the hope is that Ridley in No. 0 translates to zero hope and zero chance for defensive backs matched up against him.

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What is Calvin Ridley's jersey number history?

Ridley, acquired via trade from the Atlanta Falcons, previously wore No. 18 with the AFC South club. He also wore No. 3 in college football at the University of Alabama, and he wore No. 8 at Monarch High School in Coconut Creek, near Fort Lauderdale.

What are Calvin Ridley's career NFL achievements?

Prior to joining the Jaguars, Ridley caught 248 passes for 3,342 yards and 28 touchdowns with the Falcons between 2018 and 2021, with a high of 90 catches for 1,374 yards in the 2020 season that earned second-team All-Pro recognition from the Associated Press. He missed last season under an NFL suspension for a breach of league gambling policy, but received reinstatement earlier this month.

When did the NFL permit the No. 0 jersey?

NCAA players received clearance to wear the No. 0 jersey beginning in 2020, but in the NFL, the number has been out of use for nearly a half century. However, owners voted at this week's 2023 meetings to permit most players — everyone except offensive and defensive linemen — to wear zero. The Philadelphia Eagles introduced the proposal.

Who is the NFL's most famous player to wear the number zero?

Former Oakland Raiders center Jim Otto, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, wore the 00 — which had been permitted by the American Football League prior to the AFL-NFL merger — until his retirement after the end of the 1974 season.

What other NFL players will be wearing No. 0 in 2023?

Ridley appears to be the first NFL player to announce his plans for No. 0 since the league permitted the jersey during the owners' meetings.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Calvin Ridley to wear Jacksonville Jaguars number zero jersey