Carson Beck, the newly drafted quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals, has a unique challenge on his hands. While he may not be aware of the historical significance of the number 19, he's now embracing it as his own. Beck's journey to this point has been an interesting one, filled with number changes and a desire to make his mark. When the Cardinals drafted him, Beck was assigned the number 19, a number that holds a special place in NFL history due to Johnny Unitas' legendary career. Beck admits he knew little about Unitas, but he quickly realized the weight of the number. "I looked and thought, 'There are no numbers between 1 and 19 except 19. Oh no,'" he said. "All my friends started making fun of me. Not many quarterbacks have 19. So in my head I need to turn it into a positive thing, 'OK, let's make it my own.'"
Beck's previous experiences with jersey numbers have been varied. At Georgia, he wanted the number 11, but it was already taken by Stetson Bennett. He then transferred to the University of Miami, where he got to wear the coveted 11. However, when the Cardinals drafted him, Beck was aware that Larry Fitzgerald, a legendary wide receiver, had worn that number. He decided against it, thinking, 'Somebody’s jersey will probably be getting retired here shortly, so I don’t think 11 is a good option.'
So, Beck will wear the number 19, a number that has been worn by a Hall of Famer and is now his own. He's embracing the challenge and the opportunity to make it his own, turning a potential negative into a positive. "I looked and thought, 'There are no numbers between 1 and 19 except 19. Oh no,'" Beck said. "All my friends started making fun of me. Not many quarterbacks have 19. So in my head I need to turn it into a positive thing, 'OK, let's make it my own.'"
Beck's story is a reminder that sometimes, the numbers we're given can be a challenge, but they can also be an opportunity to make our own mark. It's a testament to his resilience and determination that he's embracing the number 19, a number that has been worn by a legend, and making it his own.
