- May 21, 2026
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Nine is no more. In more ways than one.
Giants quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who created a game-day alter ego he dubbed NINE after his jersey number, won't be wearing it in New York.
Tight end Isaiah Likely has No. 9. Instead, McCarthy will wear No. 18.
Does it matter? For some players, it does. Still, it's the thing that dehumanizes them. That makes them not known by their name or their likeness but by an interchangeable designation.
The unavailability of No. 9 in New York is a product of the recent liberalization of number assignments for skill-position players. Previously, single digits were the territory of quarterbacks and kickers. Now, they're all over the field.
Giants quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who created a game-day alter ego he dubbed NINE after his jersey number, won't be wearing it in New York.
Tight end Isaiah Likely has No. 9. Instead, McCarthy will wear No. 18.
Does it matter? For some players, it does. Still, it's the thing that dehumanizes them. That makes them not known by their name or their likeness but by an interchangeable designation.
The unavailability of No. 9 in New York is a product of the recent liberalization of number assignments for skill-position players. Previously, single digits were the territory of quarterbacks and kickers. Now, they're all over the field.