T.J. Hockenson to (apparently) wear #87 for the Vikings

Welcome back to The Daily Hockenson, home of all the T.J. Hockenson news that’s fit to print!

As you’ve seen in the numerous pictures we’ve put on our site today of the team’s newest acquisition, his uniform number when he was with the Detroit Lions was #88. Unfortunately for him, #88 isn’t available in Minnesota as it was retired for the great Alan Page some years ago. So, there was a little bit of intrigue over what number he might wear, but the team’s official website has kind of squashed that.

According to the official roster, Hockenson will be wearing #87 when he takes the field for the Vikings. That was the only number in the 80s that was available, given that #80 and #88 are retired and all the other numbers in the 80s have been taken by players already on the team.

I posed the question of what number Hockenson would wear on social media, and a couple of folks pointed out to me that he wore #38 when he was at the University of Iowa. With the NFL’s number rules having changed a couple of years ago, Hockenson could actually claim the #38 if he wanted to. . .nobody on the current roster is wearing it. I’m actually a bit disappointed that he didn’t go that route, because if we’re going to get weird with the numbers, let’s go all the way with it.

But, if you were hoping to be the first in your neighborhood to get your hands on a purple T.J. Hockenson jersey, you now know which number you need to request for it.