Joe Theismann isn’t standing in the way of Stefon Diggs’ No. 7 wish.
Diggs recently posted online that he wants the iconic number worn by Theismann during his Redskins career, including Super Bowl XVII. The number has mostly stayed off-limits since then, with only a brief appearance by the late Dwayne Haskins, who went directly to Theismann to ask for it.
On Tuesday, Theismann was asked about the situation while talking with 106.7’s Grant Paulsen, and he put the call in Washington’s hands: "The jersey belongs to the football team. I was honored to wear it. I will leave it to the Commanders to make that decision."
That leaves the Commanders with the real choice now. Theismann did not grant Diggs permission, but he also didn’t shut the door. He simply handed the decision back to the organization.
The debate around jersey numbers is hardly new, and this one has brought it right back into focus. Some fans want numbers treated like sacred ground.
Others want them used, passed along, and kept alive. Washington has long sat in the middle, “soft retiring” numbers by keeping them out of circulation without ever formally retiring them.
That approach creates more confusion than clarity. Either a number is retired for good, or it stays in play. There’s not much room for the gray area in between.
No. 17 is a good example of a number that has moved through generations in Washington. Turk Edwards, Billy Kilmer, Doug Williams, Jason Campbell, and Terry McLaurin have all worn it, with Edwards in the Hall of Fame.
This is also a meaningful moment for the new ownership group. Daniel Snyder let the number issue linger for years, and that uncertainty has now landed in front of a new set of decision-makers.
If Diggs is enough reason to bring No. 7 back, Washington can make that call and move on. If not, the team can retire the number next season and honor Theismann while he is still alive.
There was also encouraging news on Laremy Tunsil. ESPN’s John Keim reported Tuesday that Andrew Wylie said Tunsil told the offensive line he would return to Ashburn for treatment after surgery so he could stay around the team and keep helping the younger linemen he has been tutoring.
Tunsil tore his left triceps muscle and is out indefinitely, which led Washington to move Brandon Coleman back to left tackle. Even while he can’t play, Tunsil still plans to be around the group, and that matters.
Washington loses his snaps, but it does not lose the value of his presence in that room. His extra set of eyes could still be a major asset.
In Other News...
Commanders Cornerback Question Now Centers On A Familiar Name
Cornerback depth has become one of the quieter questions facing Washington as training camp approaches, and it has a familiar family connection attached to it. After signing Stefon Diggs in the offseason, the Commanders are still looking at ways to shore up the back end of their defense, and that search has naturally led to his brother, Trevon Diggs, as a possible veteran addition.
Trevon Diggs is currently a free agent, which keeps the idea alive for a team that could use help at corner. The fit would make sense on paper because Washington is weighing experience and depth at a spot where every camp rep matters, but the real question is whether the Commanders decide to make a move before practices begin. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders No. 7 Debate Reopens Theismanns Place In Team History
Joe Theismanns old No. 7 has become part of a familiar Washington conversation again, with the former quarterback making it clear he believes the call on whether players can wear it belongs to the franchise. The issue reaches beyond one jersey. It touches the teams long-running and sometimes uneven approach to honoring its best players, from outright retirements to looser forms of recognition, and it naturally invites a fresh look at where Theismann fits in that history.
Theismanns case is built on more than nostalgia, since his career achievements still stand out in Washington lore and compare favorably with some of the names already marked by the organization. Even so, the debate around No. 7 has a way of reopening bigger questions about who gets permanence and why, especially for a team whose history includes both celebrated legends and a handful of unclear distinctions. The unanswered piece now is whether Washington ever decides that Theismann belongs in the same class as the numbers it has chosen to preserve. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Kicker Battle Could Swing On Drew Stevens This Week
The first preseason test arrives this week for the Commanders, and it comes with an extra layer of significance for a roster spot that rarely gets this much attention. Washington opens against the Miami Dolphins with Drew Stevens and Jake Moody still locked in a kicking competition, and the early camp buzz has tilted toward the undrafted rookie as he makes his case for a job no one can afford to take lightly.
Stevens has handled himself well enough in practices to keep the battle interesting, while Moody brings the experience edge into a matchup that now shifts from camp fields to game action. The preseason is where Washington will try to sort out which leg it trusts most for the long haul, and every kick from here on out carries a little more weight than usual. [Read more 🡒]