Why Bear Bachmeier Wears 47 for BYU, and the Story of his Real Name
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It’d be tough to be more interesting right off the bat than BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier.
First of all, everyone calls him Bear. How cool is that?
And second, he’s got a wild jersey number for a quarterback: 47.
When you dig deeper, his story is even better. He was a surprise starter for BYU as a true freshman and then led them to being one of the best teams in the Big 12.
Bachmeier returned for the 2026 season to lead the Cougars again, still going by his signature nomenclature and still wearing the same digits on his jersey.
BYU’s hopes for the season ahead are resting on his strong and capable shoulders, and it’s worth revisiting some of his lore as the college football season gets rolling in earnest.
Why Does Bear Bachmeier Wear Number 47?
Bear started wearing the No. 47 in youth football. He was a running back and linebacker, and his dad helped him pick that number.
“I used to play running back when I was younger, when I started playing football,” Bear told reporters during his true freshman campaign. “When I made the transition to quarterback, I just kept the number. I continued to play middle linebacker up until eighth grade. I like the number. It kind of brings you back to your primitive nature, I guess, when you’re playing.”
Bachmeier explained to The Athletic last season that the number makes him play more physically. It reminds him of the digits that a punishing runner or a fierce tackler would wear, and so while it’s on his chest, even at QB, that’s how he plays.
Last season, per The Athletic, Bachmeier was the only college quarterback who played at least 150 snaps who wore a number greater than 19.
Where Does Bear Bachmeier’s Name Come From?
Bear Bachmeier’s name stems from the fact that his brother’s nickname is Tiger, but there’s a key difference between the bros.
“Tiger’s real name is James,” Bear explained heading into his freshman season. “Tiger is the fourth. James Bachmeir I is my dad’s grandpa and he was a fighter pilot, he smoked those unfiltered Camels. When my dad was growing up, James I would always tell my dad, ‘Get over here Tiger,’ and my dad always thought that was cool so he named James IV Tiger and then he said ‘The best one’s gotta be named Bear.”
The difference with Bear is that his actual name is Bear. It’s a nickname turned full name, no ‘James’ or otherwise involved.
Bear Bachmeier’s Brother Tiger
Tiger (James IV) Bachmeier wasn’t originally at BYU to start his college career.
He transferred in 2025 from Stanford to play with his little brother.
Their older brother Hank was a college quarterback at Boise State, Louisiana Tech and Wake Forest.
Tiger’s name is explained above. He’s actually James IV with the nickname of Tiger.
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