Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown is known for his relentless work ethic and competitive drive, often fueled by personal slights—both real and perceived. Ironically, one such instance came not from an opposing team or coach, but from his own girlfriend.
Back in 2021, when St. Brown entered the NFL, he had a meaningful plan for his jersey number. His idea was to wear the number that represented how many wide receivers were selected before him in that year’s draft—a number that would serve as a daily reminder of how he was overlooked.
During his college years at USC, he wore No. 8. But for the NFL, he wanted something that told a deeper story. To execute the plan, he asked his girlfriend, Brooklyn Adams, to count how many receivers were taken ahead of him. Unfortunately, she miscounted.
“He won’t admit it, but I got the number wrong,” Adams admitted. “He asked me to find out how many receivers were picked before him, and I told him 14. That’s not the right number.”
In truth, St. Brown was the 17th wideout drafted, so the actual number should’ve been 16. Relying on Adams’ inaccurate count, he chose No. 14—one digit off from the number that would have perfectly symbolized his draft position.
This seemingly small error became more complicated when quarterback Jared Goff joined the Lions following a trade from the Rams. Goff had worn No. 16 for years and claimed it again in Detroit, effectively making it unavailable for St. Brown, who—had he known the correct draft count—might have wanted it.
With Goff unwilling to give up his longtime number, St. Brown had no choice but to stick with No. 14. His original vision for a jersey with a message was lost in the shuffle.
Despite the number mix-up, St. Brown’s on-field performance has never wavered. Over his first three seasons, he’s emerged as one of the most dynamic and reliable offensive players in Detroit’s lineup, helping the franchise shift toward playoff relevance under head coach Dan Campbell.
On the other side, Goff has firmly established himself as the Lions’ field general, leading the team to a division title and into serious Super Bowl conversations.
As the 2025 season approaches, Detroit is set to kick things off with a high-stakes matchup against the Green Bay Packers on September 7. The Lions are entering the year with lofty expectations, as fans and analysts alike believe this could finally be the team’s path to its first Super Bowl appearance.
