Reggie Bush Won't Get His No. 5 This Year
Reggie Bush won't get to wear the No. 5 he made famous at USC for the New Orleans Saints.

Not this season and perhaps not ever.

Atlanta general manager Rich McKay, co-chairman of the competition committee, said Tuesday that the committee had recommended against Reggie Bush's request for his college number.

The decision was made by the committee after two conference calls. It was never discussed by the owners.

"Nobody is comfortable that an exception be made to the policy and no one is confident that there will ever be a change," McKay said at the NFL owners meetings, adding that it might come up again, but certainly not until after the 2006 season has started.

Under NFL rules, running backs are required to wear numbers between 20-49. Since 1973, the only major change was made last year, when receivers were given permission to wear numbers in the teens because teams were running out of 80s due in large part to an increase in receivers and tight ends on rosters.

Reggie Bush, chosen second overall by New Orleans in April's draft, wore No. 5 at Southern California and had asked the NFL to make an exception. McKay said the committee also had requests from other players to wear numbers normally not allowed for their positions.

Reggie Bush's second choice appears to be 25, currently worn by veteran special teamer Fred McAfee, who has indicated he would be willing to give it (or sell it) to Reggie Bush. Players often change numbers to accommodate others, often selling the rights, as New York Giants punter Jeff Feagles did two years in a row - first trading No. 10 to Eli Manning in 2004, then No. 17 to Plaxico Burress last year.

Feagles got a vacation for his family to give Manning his number. Burress paid for an outdoor kitchen in Feagles' Arizona home.

Other number exchanges haven't been as amicable.

When Clinton Portis joined the Washington Redskins two years ago, he bought No. 26 for $40,000 from safety Ifeanyi Ohalete. Portis paid $20,000 up front but declined to pay the rest after Ohalete was cut by the Redskins and picked up by Arizona.

Ohalete then sued and the issue was solved before a trial when the two sides agreed on a lump-sum payment of $18,000 to settle the matter.

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January
•Reggie Bush Engaged to Kim Kardashian?

December
•Eagles vs. Saints Preview 12/23/07
•Bush Hoping to Play Against Eagles 12/18/07
•Cardinals 24, Saints 31
•Bush Out For the Year 12/12/07
•Falcons 14, Saints 34 12/10/07
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