Parris Campbell is bringing Ohio State’s “Block 0” tradition to the NFL.
The former Ohio State wide receiver will become one of the first NFL players to wear the number zero after the league approved a rule change Tuesday to allow players other than offensive and defensive linemen to use 0 as a jersey number.
Parris Campbell will wear No. 0 pic.twitter.com/H5HHsAkQLn
— New York Giants (@Giants) March 29, 2023
Campbell’s new jersey number comes after he signed a one-year deal with the New York Giants following four years with the Indianapolis Colts. He wore No. 1 in his final two seasons with the Colts after starting his NFL career wearing No. 15; he wore No. 21 at Ohio State.
The use of the number zero was not allowed in the NFL from 1973-2022. The reintroduction of 0 as a jersey number comes two years after the NFL began allowing players to wear a wider variety of jersey numbers; while NFL players are still only allowed to wear numbers within specific ranges designated for their respective positions, those ranges are now far less restrictive than they were prior to 2021.
It’s no surprise that a Buckeye is one of the first players to officially change his jersey number to No. 0, given its resemblance to the Block O at Ohio State. Since the NCAA began allowing players to wear No. 0 in 2020, the number has taken on special meaning at Ohio State, with the team awarding the jersey to one player each year as a recognition of “toughness, accountability and the highest of character.” Jonathon Cooper, Thayer Munford and Kamryn Babb were the first three Buckeyes selected to wear the jersey, though Munford was not allowed to wear it in games due to restrictions that require offensive linemen to wear numbers between 50-79.
Campbell is the second NFL player to officially change his number to 0, joining Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Calvin Ridley. Other NFL players who have expressed in wearing zero include New England Patriots cornerback Jack Jones and Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons, among others.
