The 2025 NFL draft is firmly in the rearview mirror, but there is still plenty of intrigue surrounding this year's incoming class of rookies. Rookie minicamps have already started across the league, and with it comes the first chance for players to make an impression. The Pittsburgh Steelers' rookie camp begins May 9th, and the team finally announced what jersey numbers they will wear in 2025.
Jersey numbers have always been an important part of sports. Some players have strong preferences, often due to their past or even for superstitious reasons. Others don't seem to care one way or the other, simply being happy to be playing at all.
Fans (like with most things) can also have strong opinions, like whether a certain position should be allowed to wear X number. With the jersey numbers revealed, there is plenty to discuss about the Steelers' rookie class.
Pittsburgh Steelers rookie jersey numbers stray away from their college days
With the NFL loosening jersey number rules over the last five seasons, the number of college players who used to have to change their numbers has shrunk significantly. Skill players, especially, have been able to keep their single-digit numbers more frequently.
The Steelers are one of the teams that don't always give out numbers to rookies that go against the old rules. Looking at this year's class, however, the reason some of them didn't keep their college numbers is more about who already had them.
Rookie numbers are in 🙌
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) May 5, 2025
📝: https://t.co/JINO1fSrOI pic.twitter.com/SowBVTKnlH
Only two players, Will Howard and Jack Sawyer, will wear their college numbers for the Steelers. In Howard's case, his number was simply available. Sawyer will share his number with running back Aaron Shampklin for now, but Shampklin is unlikely to make the final roster.
Kaleb Johnson gets 20, likely due to Mason Rudolph's return to the Steelers this offseason, as he wears Johnson's No. 2 jersey. Derrick Harmon will wear 99 after wearing 55 at Oregon a year ago, a fan favorite thanks to long-time Steeler Brett Keisel.
Other notable jersey decisions include 34 for Donte Kent and 78 for Yahya Black. 34 is notable mostly for linebacker Andy Russell, who was a huge part of the Steelers' defensive rise in the '60s and '70s. Young Steelers fans likely think of Alejandro Villanueva when they see 78, but the number is most known from Dwight White, a member of the Steel Curtain defense in the 70's.