Sometimes the heart wants what it wants. In the case of Gerald McCoy, his longing for the No. 93 jersey in 2019 turned into an expensive endeavor.
Following an impressive nine-year stint with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the former first-round pick was released by his first NFL franchise following a regime change. McCoy, a 2013 All-Pro, had plenty of interest on the market but ultimately chose to join a former division foe, the Carolina Panthers.
Gerald McCoy paid a king’s ransom for No. 93
When McCoy joined the Panthers, his longtime number, 93, was taken. McCoy had worn those digits at the University of Oklahoma and with the Buccaneers. After spending more than a decade with the number, McCoy felt it was important he stayed with it. His wife agreed.
But snagging No. 93 away from fellow defensive tackle Kyle Love was pricey. That said, the McCoys were comfortable footing the bill.
“I’d been wearing 93 since I got to college, so when I got to the Carolina Panthers, I wanted 93,” McCoy said on NFL Total Access on Tuesday. “It cost me [$250,000]. Hey, listen, I wasn’t going to do it, but my wife said, ‘That’s your legacy.'”
You paid HOW MUCH for #93 in Carolina, @Geraldini93⁉️ 🤯 pic.twitter.com/0Wv1w0Spd2
— NFL Total Access (@NFLTotalAccess)
McCoy ended up being voted a team captain that season. He produced 37 tackles, five sacks, and two pass breakups in 16 games. However, that campaign would be his only one in Carolina.
McCoy left for the Dallas Cowboys in 2020 but never played a down for the franchise after suffering a ruptured quad in training camp practice. He spent the entire season on the shelf but signed with the Las Vegas Raiders in August of last year. McCoy played one game, in the No. 93 (of course), for the Raiders before getting shut down on in injured reserve before Week 2.
Love, who made a fortune off the number swap, switched from No. 93 to No. 77. As it turned out, 2019 was Love’s final year with the Panthers. So, Love made out pretty well on a one-year jersey rental.
Love was smart to ask for a significant payday from McCoy, as his career didn’t last much longer than 2019. He signed with the Buccaneers in 2020 but didn’t make it past final cuts following training camp. Love announced his retirement in March of last year.
Love played 11 seasons in the league for the Panthers, Kansas City Chiefs, Jacksonville Jaguars, and New England Patriots. A former undrafted free agent, Love made $5.4 million off his various NFL contracts in the league, according to Over The Cap. The $250,000 payment from McCoy was good enough to add another 4.6% of his contract total to his career earnings.
Recently, New York Jets rookie cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner admitted he paid $50,000 to veteran cornerback D.J. Reed for the rights to the No. 1 jersey. Reed held the number for a few months after signing a three-year, $33 million deal with the Jets in free agency.
So much for inflation…
