MIAMI _ Tua Tagovailoa currently has the two highest selling jerseys on NFL.com.
Changing his number, at this point, would likely be more of a hassle than it's worth _ that is, unless he gets a call from someone who was also deemed the Miami Dolphins' savior.
While there's no indication that Dan Marino would hand over No. 13 to Tagovailoa, at least one hall of famer thinks he should.
"Call Dan Marino and tell him to let Tua wear his number, man," Charles Barkley told ESPN radio host Dan Le Batard during Monday's episode.
Barkley's reasoning is rather simple. He explained that the Philadelphia 76ers called him a few years ago to ask if a player could wear his No. 34 jersey which the team retired at the turn of the century.
"I asked, 'Is he a good player?' 'Yeah, he's going to be a good player,' " Barkley recalled of the conversation. "I said 'No problem' because my name is retired _ the number isn't retired.
"So call Dan Marino, who I love to death, and say 'You're Dan Marino and you're always going to be. Let Tua wear his number 13.' "
The question now becomes whether Barkley is right.
There's no doubting Marino's legacy. He's not only one of the best to ever sling a football but also an irreplaceable figure on the Mount Rushmore of South Florida sports.
Letting another player wear No. 13 wouldn't tarnish Marino's accomplishments. But jerseys retirements do show respect and are essentially a team's way of saying nobody will ever achieve more with this number."
Tagovailoa seemed at peace with not being able to keep No. 13, the number he wore at Alabama, when asked about it after the Dolphins made him the fifth overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft.
"I'm not too worried about what number I have. I understand No. 13 is retired and it should be," Tagovailoa said in his introductory press conference. "Dan Marino, he's the GOAT. He's like the mayor out there and I have much respect for him."
Although Tagovailoa eventually chose No. 1 as an ode to his Christian faith, the speculation on whether Marino will hand off his number will continue to loom _ especially considering the lack of sports and his newly inked four-year deal with the Dolphins worth $30.28 million.
