Will No. 44 Ever Be Worn Again By A Syracuse Football Player?

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As the Syracuse football team prepares for another season, Orange fans are closing in on 30 years without a player wearing the iconic No. 44.

While college athletics continues to change, when, if at all, will a player wear the historic number again for Syracuse?

The legacy of No. 44 for Syracuse football

Earlier this year, Syracuse unveiled "The Exhibit of 44" outside of Club 44 inside the JMA Wireless Dome. The exhibit features the history of the number and honors all 25 players who have worn the number since 1921.

The number was worn by some of the best college football players in history, including Jim Brown, Ernie Davis and Floyd Little.

All three of those players have statues outside the Ensley Center, a facility on campus that several SU teams use.

Former NFL player Rob Konrad was the last player to wear the number. He last played in 1998.

The school officially retired the number in 2005, then unretired the number in 2015, then backtracked and said it would only be worn in "special circumstances". 

Why Syracuse should use the number again

Schools across the country, including Southern California, have used retired or honored numbers to entice recruits to sign with the college. USC used Carson Palmer's No. 3 to sign transfer wide receiver Jordan Addison a handful of years ago.

Some fans believe promoting the return of No. 44 to potential recruits would position Syracuse as a more desirable destination for top-tier players. 

Why Syracuse should not use the number again

Some Syracuse fans believe if an athlete wears the number again, it will tarnish the legacy of what was achieved by the previous players who also wore the number. The use of No. 44 as recruiting tactic cheapens the importance of the number to some former players, alumni and more. 

The No. 44 at Syracuse represents something unique and special in college football, and some fans don't want to see that compromised.

A recent national list ranking the best college football players to wear numbers 0-99 featured three former Syracuse players at the spot for No. 44. No other school matched that for a single number on the list. 

When will a player wear it again?

For now, it seems there are no indications that the number will be worn by a player in the near future. But if it happens, that player will join a historic fraternity.

What's next for Syracuse football?

This year's Syracuse Orange football will report to training camp in August. SyracuseRoundtable will have you covered throughout the summer with updates and more. After the Orange finish camp, all eyes will be focused on the regular season.

Syracuse will host New Hampshire on Sept. 5. Kickoff is set for 12:00 p.m. ET inside the JMA Wireless Dome. 

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