All Dolphins

Long Ready to Take On New (Old) Number

Long is going back to his old college number for his second season in Miami

Alain Poupart

David Long Jr. wore 51 during his first season with the Miami Dolphins.
David Long Jr. wore 51 during his first season with the Miami Dolphins. / Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
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Linebacker David Long Jr. acknowledged Saturday he'll be wearing a new uniform number in his second season with the Miami Dolphins.

Actually, it will be an old number because Long will be going back to the number he wore at the end of his time at West Virginia University: 11.

Long couldn't take that number last season because it already belonged to wide receiver Cedrick Wilson Jr., but Wilson now is a member of the New Orleans Saints after leaving as a free agent this offseason.

NFL rules prevented Long from wearing 11 when he entered the NFL with the Tennessee Titans in 2019, but now linebackers can wear anything from 10-59 or 90-99, which is how Jaelan Phillips ended up with number 15.

Long wore 51 for his first five NFL seasons, including his first with the Dolphins in 2023.

NEW DOLPHINS NUMBERS TO BE ASSIGNED

The Dolphins roster on the team website still show Long with 51, but that's because the team announces the new jersey numbers for the upcoming season after the draft and rookie free agent signings, doing it all at one time.

For example, veteran safety Jordan Poyer already has said publicly he'll keep the number 21 he wore in Buffalo after it became available when DeShon Elliott signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

New cornerback Kendall Fuller figures to get number 29, which he wore for the last five seasons with Kansas City and Washington, because it belonged to Brandon Jones, who signed with Denver in the offseason.

New center Aaron Brewer wore 62 and 55 each for two seasons while with Tennessee and both of those numbers currently are available, so he could have his pick.

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Alain Poupart
ALAIN POUPART

Alain Poupart is the publisher/editor of Miami Dolphins On SI and co-host of the All Dolphins Podcast. Alain has covered the Miami Dolphins on a full-time basis since 1989 for various publications and media outlets, including Dolphin Digest, The Associated Press and the Dolphins team website. In addition to being a credentialed member of the Miami Dolphins press corps, Alain has covered three Super Bowls (for NFL.com, Football News and the Montreal Gazette), the annual NFL draft, the Senior Bowl, and the NFL Scouting Combine. During his almost 40 years in journalism, which began at the now-defunct Miami News, Alain has covered practically every sport at one time or another, from tennis to golf, baseball, basketball and everything in between. The career also included time as a copy editor, including work on several books, such as "Still Perfect," an inside look at the Miami Dolphins' 1972 perfect season. A native of Montreal, Canada, whose first language is French, Alain grew up a huge hockey fan but soon developed a love for all sports, including NFL football. He has lived in South Florida since the 1980s.

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