USC pulls jersey number out of retirement for Jordan Addison
The No. 3 will return to the L.A. Coliseum this fall.
Jordan Addison will wear No. 3 during his first (and likely only) season with the Trojans. The program is pulling the number, last worn by Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Carson Palmer, out of retirement so Addison can keep the same number he wore while at Pitt. That’s according to USC team reporter Keely Eure.
Jordan Addison rocking the No. 3 at USC’s Salute to Troy. He says that the program brought the number out of retirement for him to wear as a Trojan. pic.twitter.com/7H9EL1xXc7
— Keely Eure (@keelyismyname) June 19, 2022
A handful of Trojans made that number iconic. Palmer retired it.
Curtis Conway earned All-American honors wearing it during the 1992 season. A few years later, Keyshawn Johnson elevated the standard. Then, over a career that saw Palmer either tie or set 33 different Pac-10 and USC records, it was immortalized.
In 2002, Palmer threw for 3,942 yards and 33 touchdowns, leading the Trojans to a No. 4 national ranking and capturing the Heisman Trophy, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, Sporting News Player of the Year, Pac-10 Co-Offensive Player of the Year, Consensus All-American honors and a First-Team All-Pac-10 selection.
Palmer’s Heisman made him the first USC quarterback to win the award, and the 11-win season he engineered helped set the table for back-to-back national championships in 2003 and 2004.
He went on to be the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft. Now he’s in the College Football Hall of Fame and, until this season, his No. 3 USC jersey was untouched.
To have that number un-retired is quite the acknowledgment of Addison’s talent. He won the Biletnikoff last year as college football’s top receiver after posting a 100-reception, 1,593-yard, 17-touchdown season. He also played a crucial role in helping Pitt to an ACC championship.
At USC, expectations are through the roof. When news broke of his decision to transfer to USC, many predicted the Trojans would at least contend for a spot in the 2022 Pac-12 championship game. Addison is expected to be with the Trojans for just this next season before jumping to the NFL, and with the news that he’ll be donning Palmer’s old number, he’ll certainly look to do it justice.
And, yes, Palmer gave USC his blessing, per Eure.
USC AD Mike Bohn confirmed that Carson Palmer gave his blessing to bring the number out of retirement. https://t.co/6TnQc1DNPf
— Keely Eure (@keelyismyname) June 19, 2022