Giants make unprecedented move to unretire number for rookie Malik Nabers

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The New York Giants have yet to see its first-round draft choice, wide receiver Malik Nabers, take a snap in the regular season, yet they have made the decision to unretire a number for him.

It is not just any number either. It is Ray Flaherty’s No. 1, the first-ever retired number in pro football history. 

Flaherty, a Hall of Famer, had his No. 1 retired in 1935. The Giants announced the move, saying the Flaherty family gave permission to have Nabers wear the number.

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New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers, #9, makes a catch during warmups before the game against the Detroit Lions at MetLife Stadium. (Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports)

Now, Nabers had been looking to change his number from No. 9, as the New York Post first reported. He attempted to talk to backup quarterback Drew Lock, #2, and punter Jamie Gillan, #6. Those talks never worked out to be something. 

Nabers, who wore No. 8 during his days at LSU, told the Post that he had those talks with Lock and Gillan "only because it was gonna be pretty hard at trying to get the jersey unretired."

However, team co-owner John Mara went to bat for Nabers, who said that "No. 1 would be fine." 

GIANTS ROOKIE MALIK NABERS ALREADY TROLLING DIVISION RIVAL BEFORE MAKING DEBUT

Ray Flaherty Jr. ended up giving Mara the family’s blessing for No. 1, making sure that the number is "re-retired" once Nabers’ Giants career comes to an end. 

"After thinking about it a little bit, my feeling was we would allow that only if the Flaherty family was OK with it," Mara told the Post. "I think it’s very gracious on their part, and Malik understands that that comes with a certain responsibility and how he needs to conduct himself and represent the organization and the Flaherty family. He’s been great about it, he immediately called them to thank them." 

Nabers also called Flaherty Jr. to express his thanks. 

"’I really appreciate you letting me wear your father’s retired jersey,’" Nabers said he told Flaherty Jr., via the Post. "’I’m gonna wear it with honor. I’m gonna do my best when I’m out there on the field to represent y’all the right way.’"

Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers during the post-practice press conference. The New York Giants came to the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center in Florham Park, New Jersey to take part in a joint practice with the New York Jets. (USA TODAY)

Nabers learned after practice Wednesday that Flaherty Jr. said yes, adding that the family previously said no. However, Mara let him know No. 1 was on the table if he wanted it, and now it is official. 

By unretiring a number, a practice very rarely seen in professional sports, it shows how much faith the Giants have in their No. 6 overall pick to impact the team and ultimately build a legacy of his own. 

Nabers was highly touted coming out of LSU, and thanks to HBO’s "Hard Knocks," NFL fans got to see just how much the Giants loved him in the Draft process. They wanted him, and they got him in the end, never going with a quarterback despite reports that Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy might be the pick to battle with Daniel Jones. 

Instead, the Giants gave Jones the No. 1 receiver he has needed since entering the league as the No. 6 overall pick in 2019. 

Nabers has been used sparingly in preseason games, but rave reports have surfaced throughout training camp and joint practices, and videos have provided proof that the LSU product is dominating his pro peers. 

Malik Nabers, #9 of the New York Giants, warms up prior to an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions at MetLife Stadium on Aug. 8, 2024 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Perry Knotts/Getty Images)

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Can he do so in his rookie season and beyond? His first real test will come on Sept. 8 when the Minnesota Vikings come to MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, for the Giants’ Week 1 opener. 

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