A jersey number can mean a lot to an athlete — whether it’s tied to a personal superstition, a childhood memory, or simply being their favorite number. In the NFL, many players carry over their college number, and some even switch numbers during their careers if their preferred one wasn’t available initially.
Dallas Cowboys linebacker DeMarvion Overshown was emotional after receiving permission to go back to wearing the number he used throughout his college career — becoming the first player in Cowboys history to wear his favorite number.
DeMarvion Overshown ‘Honored’ for Being The First Player To Wear Zero in Cowboys History
In the NFL, not every player can wear just any number. The league enforces positional number restrictions to help identify which players are on the field within certain personnel groupings and to keep rosters organized. Some of these rules are well-known — for example, quarterbacks can only wear numbers 1 through 19.
However, between 2021 and 2023, the NFL relaxed its jersey number rules, allowing greater flexibility for several positions — including the introduction of the number zero, which is now available to all players except offensive and defensive linemen.
The rule change was widely embraced by players, giving them more freedom to express their identity through the numbers they wear.
Linebacker DeMarvion Overshown became the first player in Dallas Cowboys history to wear the number zero — the same number he wore during his college career at the University of Texas.
BREAKING EXCLUSIVE:
“Agent 0️⃣” has arrived.
DeMarvion Overshown is the 1st player in #Cowboys history to be officially assigned the No. 0 —emotional about the change.
‘It’s like putting a cape on.’
Full Q&A 👉🏾📝 https://t.co/HeNwNScPIq
+ EXCLUSIVE 1st look at @AGENT0__: pic.twitter.com/CDgzbKtyvQ
— Patrik [No C] Walker (@VoiceOfTheStar) April 9, 2025
“I always felt like, as soon as they changed the policy where you could wear zero in the NFL, I just knew it was meant to be. Being the first one to wear it at Texas, growing up a longhorn, a cowboy, in the great state of Texas. I wear as a badge of honor.”
For many players, the chance to leave a mark on a franchise often comes from being the first to achieve something — no matter how small it may seem. And for a linebacker who grew up rooting for the team and is now living the dream of playing professional football for that very franchise, even being the first to wear a number in team history can be a meaningful milestone.
“Is not too many people that get to say they’re the first to do anything”, he said. “Just like when Superman puts on his cape, when I put that zero on, is really ‘Agent 0’ out there.”
My full exclusive Q&A with the first-ever #Agent0 of the #Cowboys is in this link: https://t.co/HeNwNScPIq
👀 Clip from the Q&A w/ @AGENT0__: https://t.co/1v7jQ5hpo1 pic.twitter.com/QrAswNfWgZ
— Patrik [No C] Walker (@VoiceOfTheStar) April 9, 2025
Overshown suffered a knee injury in Week 14 of last season that sidelined him for the remainder of the year. Before that, he had five sacks and an interception returned for a touchdown.
He’s not expected to be ready for the start of the 2025 season, but is projected to return at some point — and when that moment comes, he’ll be more motivated than ever to bounce back. now wearing a new number.