Best Number Swap Ever? It's A Locke

We hear about players making deals in order to acquire a certain uniform number a lot in the National Football League, but I'm not sure how many of them end up like this.

Minnesota Vikings rookie punter Jeff Locke started out this season wearing the number 12. Last month, the Vikings signed free agent quarterback Josh Freeman. Freeman wore the number 5 when he was with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but perhaps wanting to distance himself from that (which wouldn't be a surprise, given the way his Buccaneers' tenure ended), he approached Locke about the availability of #12, which is the number he wore in high school.

Compared to what some other athletes have asked for their number, Locke's asking price of $10,000 doesn't seem terribly high. But that's not the story. . .the story is what Locke is doing with the money.

Tomorrow, November 12, Locke is going to be presenting a $10,000 check to the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Minneapolis. He will be accompanied by some of his teammates. . .center John Sullivan, cornerback A.J. Jefferson, tight end Rhett Ellison, defensive end Justin Trattou, and safety Brandan Bishop.

Great job by Jeff Locke to put that money to a good cause.

(Hat tip to the St. Paul Pioneer Press for making this story public.)