Eagles camp: Keevan Lucas is wearing Jordan Matthews’ old number
As the Eagles took the field for Sunday’s practice, the team’s newest wide receiver was wearing number 81.
It’s something about the number 81 with the Philadelphia Eagles. That’s especially true recently. Whether it’s Terrell Owens screaming at the top of his lungs that he was on “half a leg” and the New England Patriots couldn’t stop him in Philadelphia’s most recent Super Bowl appearance or whether it’s Jordan Matthews racing into the end zone to close out an overtime game to close out a Sunday night game against the Dallas Cowboys, guys wearing the number 81 have left their marks in the memories of this team’s fans.
Now, we can add Keevan Lucas walking onto the Eagles practice field wearing that same number just two days after Matthews was traded. Talk about drawing some unnecessary attention to someone.
Take a look:
#Eagles gave Keevan Lucas No. 81 pic.twitter.com/n1UmIaKAIf
— Eliot Shorr-Parks (@EliotShorrParks) August 13, 2017
Are jersey numbers really important?
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Though they have absolutely no effect on a player’s performance, we talk about jersey numbers all of the time. Any Eagles fan can probably tell you who wore number five. The same can be said about numbers 92 and 20. Heck. What do any of us think about when we see the number 23 worn by anybody? Don’t we all think about one person?
Think about it. Less than twenty-four hours ago, everyone was publishing an article discussing a three way number exchange involving Ronald Darby, Terrence Brooks and LeGarrette Blount. We at Inside The Iggles were right there talking about the same thing.
Now, following mixed reactions about the Jordan Matthews trade, try this one on for size. One of the newest members of the Eagles walks out onto the field wearing the exact same number worn by a man who can lay claim to having one of the most productive stretches to start any NFL career.
Don’t think for a second that no one noticed.