Cardinals’ BJ Ojulari comfortable after jersey number switch with Marvin Harrison Jr.
Jun 4, 2024, 8:53 AM
TEMPE — Sometimes numbers are more than just that. For Arizona Cardinals pass rusher BJ Ojulari, No. 18 was a badge of honor from his time at LSU.
He carried that honor throughout his rookie season, racking up four sacks, five tackles for loss, a pass defensed and six quarterback hits along the way.
In Year 2, though, Ojulari is sporting a new digit after graciously switching to No. 9 upon the arrival of first-rounder and wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., who rocked No. 18 at Ohio State.
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“(No. 18) meant a lot to me, but I know the type of caliber of player Marvin is going to be,” the pass rusher said Monday. “He looked good in No. 18. I’m comfortable in No. 9. I’m liking the switch-up. I’m all good with it.”
“It was a good mutual agreement with everybody,” Ojulari added when asked how much the wideout paid for the number. “Marv talked to me, I talked to him. It was the first time we both had something like that go on, but we all figured it out.”
The Ojulari-Harrison switch wasn’t the only one to take place upon Harrison joining the team, either.
In order to rock No. 9, Ojulari had to make sure it was cool with new Cardinals QB Desmond Ridder, who wore the number last year for Atlanta.
“We talked to Desmond as well and he agreed on it,” Ojulari said. “We all just figured it out to get it done before Marvin got here.”
Why did BJ Ojulari pick No. 9?
Rocking No. 9 isn’t anything new to Ojulari. He wore the number growing up.
“I wore No. 9 when I was in youth football, so I have some remembrance of wearing that number,” Ojulari said.
“As a single digit, I get to swag out a little more. Just something different.”
It also helps that 1+8=9.
