Chiefs’ Trent McDuffie is changing his jersey number to one that has special meaning

Safety Juan Thornhill signed a three-year deal with the Cleveland Browns last week, and that’s going to lead to a change for Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie.

In an Instagram post, McDuffie shared a photoshopped picture of himself wearing jersey No. 22, which had been Thornhill’s number.

McDuffie, who had jersey No. 21 in his rookie season, wrote: “Return of the Mac”.

The number holds special significance for McDuffie, as he hold the Pac-12 Network in 2021.

“I think it’s probably one of my favorite stories about UW,” McDuffie said about University of Washington. “Coming in, I never wore 22, it was my older brother’s number, and unfortunately six years ago he passed away. And first thing coming into UW on my locker was 22.

“I just texted my family and said, ‘Wow, look at this is. This is fate. I was meant to be here.’ It was kind of like, that started this journey in college football and I wear it on my heart, I wear it on my arm and kind of the story of Tyler and his story, and just keeping his name alive so everybody in the country can learn and hear about him and understand that I’m doing it for him. ...

“A brother’s bond is special and I kind of bring that to the UW team.”

McDuffie’s teammates were happy to see he will be taking No. 22, and so was Thornhill.