Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Makai Lemon, selected in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, will wear jersey number 9, becoming the first player to do so since Super Bowl LII-winning quarterback Nick Foles.[1][2]

Foles quarterbacked the Eagles to their first NFL championship, defeating the New England Patriots 41-33 in Super Bowl LII on February 4, 2018, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. He earned MVP honors with 373 passing yards and three touchdowns.[3][4]

Foles wore No. 9 during his stints with the Eagles from 2012 to 2014 and 2017 to 2018. The number has not been issued since Foles departed after the 2018 season.[1][5]

Lemon, who wore No. 6 at the University of Southern California, chose No. 9 after that number remained with Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith, a 2021 first-round pick.[6][7]

Speaking to reporters at the Eagles' rookie minicamp, Lemon said of Foles: "I appreciate the Eagles so much and Nick Foles, especially to pass that number down... I’ll represent the No. 9 well."[8]

Lemon recorded 39 receptions for 598 yards and five touchdowns as a freshman at USC in 2023.[9][10]

Sources

1. NFL.com, "Nick Foles Player Page", accessed October 2024, https://www.nfl.com/players/nick-foles/
2. Pro-Football-Reference.com, "Nick Foles Career Stats", accessed October 2024, https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/F/FoleNi00.htm
3. NFL.com, "Super Bowl LII Game Recap", accessed October 2024, https://www.nfl.com/superbowl/lii/
4. Philadelphia Eagles official site, "Super Bowl LII", accessed October 2024, https://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/history/super-bowl-lii/
5. Philadelphia Eagles official site, "Team Roster", accessed October 2024, https://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/team/players-roster/
6. Philadelphia Eagles official site, "DeVonta Smith Player Page", accessed October 2024, https://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/team/players-roster/devonta-smith/
7. ESPN.com, "DeVonta Smith College Draft Profile", accessed October 2024, https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4032501/devonta-smith
8. NBC Sports Philadelphia, "Philadelphia Eagles News", accessed October 2024, https://www.nbcsportsphiladelphia.com/nfl/philadelphia-eagles/
9. USCTrojans.com, "Makai Lemon Player Profile", accessed October 2024, https://usctrojans.com/sports/football/roster/makai-lemon/7191
10. ESPN.com, "Makai Lemon College Stats", accessed October 2024, https://www.espn.com/college-football/player/_/id/4685399/makai-lemon