When the Green Bay Packers traded All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders ahead of the 2022 NFL Draft, they replaced him with three wide receivers from that class: Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, and Samori Toure. Both Watson and Doubs are entering their third seasons with the Packers while Toure was released at the end of training camp this year. He has since signed with the Chicago Bears.
While Watson has dealt with numerous injuries in his first two seasons, Doubs has been on the field more often than not (save for missing four games with a sprained ankle as a rookie). In that time, he has also made team history, becoming just the third Packers player ever with 100 receptions, 1,000 receiving yards, and 10 touchdowns in his first two seasons.
Hall of Famer James Lofton and should-be Hall of Famer Sterling Sharpe are the other two to accomplish the feat.
Green Bay Packers Wide Receiver Romeo Doubs Reveals Why He Wears #87
Ryan Wood of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel recently wrote an article in which he got various Packers players to reveal the significance behind their jersey numbers. Doubs’ story was very interesting, to say the least.
Per Wood, Doubs said, “I definitely did not choose that number. That is a true story. Not Romeo. I did not get a phone call, what number I wanted. I found out through my number through InstaGram. My mom is a Packers fan. So it just came about scrolling through InstaGram, it was on her timeline. She said, ‘Yeah, son. You are the number 87.’ By then, I was a day away from going to rookie minicamp, so I wasn’t thinking about it too much. From that point forward, I didn’t say a word. I just got a number, and here I am in my third year.”
It is pretty cool that Doubs ended up playing for his mom’s favorite team. Over the weekend, new kicker Brayden Narveson’s in-laws are Packers fans as well.
Of course, the number 87 has a great deal of significance for Packers fans, something that is not lost on Doubs.
Prior to Doubs, Jordy Nelson was the last prominent Packers wide receiver to wear the number 87. A fan-favorite, Nelson remains popular in Green Bay with many fans even calling for him to unretire and join the team as recently as 2022.
Doubs talked to Wood about the number and what Nelson told him about it: “He just wished me the best of luck throughout my journey. Obviously, making sure I make the right decisions.”
So far, so good. Doubs tied for the team lead in touchdown receptions last year and was second in receptions and receiving yards (behind Jayden Reed).
Other Green Bay Packers Players to Wear #87 Include Jordy Nelson and a Pro Football Hall of Famer
The history of players wearing number 87 for the Packers is an impressive one. Below is a list of each player to don that number for Green Bay:
- Bob Mann (1952-1954)
- Nate Borden (1955-1959)
- Willie Davis (1960-1969)
- Marty Amsler (1970)
- Alden Roche (1971-1976)
- Walter Tullis (1979)
- Bill Larson (1980)
- Walter Stanley (1985-1988)
- Corn Reddick (1987)
- Clarence Weathers (1990-1991)
- Robert Brooks (1992-1998)
- Bobby Collins (2001)
- David Martin (2002-2006)
- Ryan Krause (2007)
- Jordy Nelson (2008-2017)
- Jace Sternberger (2019-2020)
- Romeo Doubs (2022-Present)
