Not many were happy when the Dallas Cowboys gave Caleb Downs jersey number 13. He came to the NFL wearing the No. 2, a number which fans had associated with his elite skills. Calling him ‘thirteen’ after years of Downs being synonymous with ‘two’ is going to be a bit odd. The rookie star’s mother, his biggest supporter, is not at all happy with the change.

“My mom literally said this to me the other day. She was like, ‘I’ve never seen anybody wear 13 and it be a good player,’” Downs told Amon-Ra St. Brown during his appearance on the WR’s podcast. “I’m like, ‘Whoa. First off, you’re hating. Second off, you’re still gonna wear the number because I’m wearing it. So, it doesn’t really matter what it is.’”

The safety’s father, Gary Downs, also confirmed that Caleb’s mom “is serious about him getting No. 2.”

The Cowboys already have a No. 2 – Cobie Durant.  However, since the rookie is the bigger crowd-puller, the veteran cornerback might have to relent. Downs was initially given No. 18 before 13. But in that short while, it became the top-selling jersey among all rookies of the 2026 class. 

It is now Downs who has to make the decision. According to NFL rules, if the safety changes his jersey number, he will have to buy out all of the remaining stock from jersey sellers. But if Downs plans to wear No. 2 next season, he can simply notify the league about his decision, and won’t have to buy the inventory.

Turns out, the latter (and more sensible) option can still be worked into something meaningful for the rookie.

Why did Caleb Downs stick with No. 13?

The safety had said previously that No. 2 was special to him, because it represented the two most important things in his life: faith and family. Having them represented on his chest was a big deal to Downs. No. 13, however, is meant for someone else.

“It was Malachi Moore,” he revealed on episode 14 of the Downs 2 Business podcast. “When he was at [Alabama] his freshman year, watching that when I was like a freshman in high school, I was like, ‘Oh that’s tough, 13, that’s smooth.'” 

Moore was in his junior season when Downs came to Tuscaloosa in 2023. He established himself as one of the best defensive backs in the country as he helped Alabama win the national title as a true freshman. During his collegiate campaign, he recorded 214 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, seven interceptions, 25 defended passes, and three forced fumbles. Moore is now with the New York Jets.

Downs also told his brother that he was “cool” with 13 on his chest. But given his rising stardom, he might not have to stay with that number for long.