It didn’t take long for recently signed New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson to come in and make changes to the locker room—just maybe not in the way you’d expect. Coming into New York, Russ had only worn one jersey number: 3. He’s stuck with it for 13 seasons across three different cities. But in New York, soon-to-be third-year cornerback Deonte Banks was already wearing No. 3.
So what would Russ do? What number would he wear?
Turns out that tried-and-true No. 3 is going right underneath his last name one more time, as Banks has given him permission to claim the number as his own. Wilson was super appreciative of the gesture on social media, calling him a young star presumably to overcompensate for stealing Banks' number away from him.
Salute to my guy & young star Tae Banks! Grateful for you letting me wear #3 King! Full of gratitude 🙏🏾🙏🏾 @Giants
— Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) April 2, 2025
The Giants' social media team even posted a video of Wilson’s jersey getting stitched up, officially teasing the debut of the new number release. After Russ' number was released, the question shifted to what number Banks would take instead.
Deonte Banks is changing his number after gifting No. 3 to Russell Wilson
As part of the NFL’s updated jersey rules, players have more flexibility than ever when it comes to number selection. Thanks to rule changes approved in 2021 and expanded again in 2023, positions like defensive backs, tight ends, wide receivers, running backs, and linebackers are no longer boxed into the rigid, outdated number ranges that defined the league for decades.
Under the current guidelines, players at nearly every position—outside of linemen—can now wear single digits, including the number zero. The push for change was sparked by expanded rosters and number shortages during the 2020 season. The NFL finally modernized the system, opening the door for guys like Deonte Banks to rock No. 3—at least until Wilson asked him to switch.
Banks later revealed through the team’s social media that he’ll stick with the single-digit theme and go with No. 2 for the upcoming season.
Number 2️⃣ for Tae! pic.twitter.com/nFSpBZAjVO
— New York Giants (@Giants) April 2, 2025
It was a nice gesture by Banks, for sure, but it unfortunately doesn’t do much to keep his play from being put under the microscope. His first two seasons have been rocky, marked by inconsistent performance and, at times, a noticeable lack of effort. The inconsistent play can be chalked up to a young corner still finding his footing, but the effort concerns are a much bigger problem.
The G-Men selected Banks with the 24th pick in the 2023 draft, but he hasn’t quite lived up to expectations so far. He's still only 24 years old, with plenty of room to develop into the star corner they thought they'd be getting when he was coming out of Maryland.
The No. 3 Banks jersey was practically synonymous with "poor effort." Here's to hoping No. 2 changes his fortune. At the very least, he'll literally look a lot different than he did last season.