Former Packers linebacker Clay Matthews sounded a little shocked Monday that his old team already had given away his uniform number.
The Packers announced new uniform numbers for their eight-player rookie class, and first-round pick Rashan Gary took No. 52, which Matthews had worn for 10 seasons in Green Bay.
It came as a surprise to the franchise’s all-time sack leader, who left Green Bay as a free agent last month.
Occasionally, the Packers have waited a year or two before reassigning numbers of popular players. For instance, Jordy Nelson’s No. 87 went unused throughout the 2018 season.
However, Gary, who wore No. 3 at Michigan, didn’t have much for choices. Most of the numbers eligible for a linebacker or defensive lineman were already taken by players on the roster, so his options were limited.
A number is just a number. Then again, numbers can be symbolic, especially for star players, and it was probably a little weird for Matthews – who signed with the Los Angeles Rams – to see someone else in the No. 52 green and gold uniform.
Gary has big shoes to fill as the Packers’ new No. 52.
