Vikings rookie receiver Cordarrelle Patterson is wearing the No. 84 jersey that Randy Moss used to wear in Minnesota. Moss has a problem with that.
Moss, now a commentator for FOX, said on this morning’s pregame show that he thinks it was disrespectful to give a player who hasn’t accomplished anything in the NFL yet the number that Moss had so much success wearing.
“First of all, that’s disrespectful, to give a rookie my number,” Moss said. “I don’t really believe in numbers, but I think that from a professional standpoint, I did make that number. And for them to give him that number, he hasn’t proven anything yet. But, hey, what can I say, I’m just Randy Moss sitting here in the studio.”
Moss was smiling as he said that, so it’s possible that he was just trying to be funny, but he seemed to be genuinely disappointed that Patterson has his number. But his complaint is rather odd. For starters, what does Moss mean when he says he doesn’t believe in numbers? Does he think players should just wear plain jerseys without numbers on them? If so, why does he care who wears his number?
Then there’s the question of why Moss thinks a rookie can’t be issued his number until that rookie has proven himself in the NFL. But every rookie has to be issued a number, and every number has been worn by a good player at some point. If Patterson can wear No. 84 only after he proves himself, what is he supposed to do until then?
It’s also odd that Moss didn’t seem to have any problem with Michael Jenkins wearing No. 84 in Minnesota. What has Jenkins done to prove he deserves Moss’s number?
Maybe Moss just thinks the Vikings should retire his number.
