Tom Brady Frustrated Over NFL Uniform Number Rule Change

Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Tom Brady isn't a fan of the NFL's new uniform number rules.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady is not among the skill players across the NFL celebrating the league's uniform number policy being eased. Instead, he finds the new rules "DUMB."

Brady expressed frustration over the rule change, which passed on Wednesday after being submitted by the Kansas City Chiefs, via his Instagram story on Thursday with a picture of the new range of eligible uniform numbers by position. "Good luck trying to block the right people now!" Brady wrote. "Going to make for a lot of bad football!"

No longer will only quarterbacks and specialists be allowed to wear single-digit jersey numbers. Running backs (1-49, 80-89), wide receivers (1-49, 80-89), tight ends (1-49, 80-90), linebackers (1-59, 90-99) and defensive backs (1-49) are now allowed to wear single-digits, which should lead to a lot of jersey swaps back to the numbers that athletes wore in college. The rule change does not affect quarterbacks, offensive and defensive linemen, and specialists.

Players would have to buy out the remaining allotment of their jerseys to change their number for the 2021 season but can make a request for a change in the 2022 season. 

"Why not let the Lineman wear whatever they want too? Why have numbers?" Brady pondered. "Just have colored jerseys...why not wear the same number?...DUMB."

Identifying players in coverage could become more difficult for quarterbacks under the new rule, which might lead to Brady's frustration. At the same time, the same can be said for defenders tracking running backs, wide receivers and tight ends near the line of scrimmage. 

Single-digit numbers don't seem to create a problem in college football, so it's hard to imagine professional football players will have much of an issue. Maybe Brady knows something we don't, but only time will tell as players are sure to take advantage of the change. 

Buccaneers running back Leonard Fournette tweeted on Wednesday that he wants to wear the No. 7 in the future, which he wore at LSU and dedicates to his hometown in the 7th Ward of New Orleans, Louisiana.

1, 2, 6, 7, 9 are the single-digit numbers currently available on the Buccaneers roster.