Former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles last wore the No. 9 in 2019, after which he parted ways with the team. Since then, no Eagles player has worn the number. Foles might have been with the team for only six years, but true fans still remember him. Nine years later, Makai Lemon has planned to bring that number back to build his own legacy.

After being drafted as the 20th overall pick this year, the standout wide receiver reached out to Foles for permission to wear No. 9. While the Eagles have not officially retired the jersey, it is remembered for its connection to the Eagles’ first-ever Super Bowl win in 2017. Wearing No. 9, Nick Foles went to play and start in all postseason games leading up to that historic win. Lemon knew that wearing it was no cakewalk, but Foles was happy to let the rookie use his jersey number

“I talked to him on the phone,” Makai Lemon said in his introductory press conference on Thursday. “He wanted to pass that number over, wanted to speak to me on the phone before anybody else told me so. I appreciate him, and hopefully I can meet him soon.”

At USC, Lemon wore No. 6. But in Philly, that number belongs to star WR DeVonta Smith. There was no way it was coming off his back. Now, there is no other reason Lemon chose No. 9 other than his wanting the lowest number and the Eagles’ suggesting it. The new Eagles WR made it clear that this isn’t just another number to him.

“I appreciate the Eagles so much and Nick Foles, especially, to pass that number down because I know he could have easily kept that number to himself,” Lemon added. “Such a great player when he was here, wearing that No.9, led them to the Super Bowl. So, I appreciate him so much. I will definitely cherish that so much, and I’ll represent the 9 well. Wearing it, representing the team well. So, I’m just super excited to get that number for sure.”

Makai Lemon then highlighted how Foles led the Eagles to success in a difficult time. Back in 2017, when the Eagles’ starting QB Carson Wentz went down with an ACL injury, the team’s season looked uncertain despite an 11-2 record. Then, backup QB Foles stepped in, and he led the Eagles to a 13-3 record, securing the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Then came the Super Bowl, where he threw for 373 yards and scored 3 touchdowns. Foles recorded these numbers against a strong New England Patriots, which is no easy task.

The following season, he found himself subbing in for Wentz yet again. But this time, the Eagles’ run ended in the Divisional Round against the New Orleans Saints. The Next month, Foles left Philly as a free agent and went on to play for three different NFL teams before retiring. His legacy lives on outside Lincoln Financial Field, where his statue honors one of the most famous plays in franchise history – the “Philly Special.” The statue captures the moment he asked then-head coach Doug Pederson if he “wanted Philly Philly.” The HC agreed, and the rest is history.

However, there was one more player who had tried to wear the No. 9 before Makai Lemon.

Makai Lemon isn’t the first Eagles player to want No. 9 after Foles 

Former Eagles linebacker Josh Sweat wore the No. 9 jersey in both high school and college. So, when the Eagles drafted him in 2018, Sweat wanted to keep wearing that number. But with Foles still on the roster, Sweat had to settle for No. 75. From 2019 to 2023, Sweat then switched to wearing No. 94 jersey, but by then Foles had already left the Eagles. The LB could’ve worn No. 9 in 2024, but he chose No. 19?

“I can’t get 9 now because it’s retired,” Sweat said in an interview back in 2024, laughing at the end.

Even though he was joking, Sweat made it clear that Foles’ number was pretty much out of reach. You don’t disturb the history of a player who’s brought the Lombardi trophy to the facility. But perhaps for players like Lemon, an exception can be made. Last season, Lemon led the nation with 1,156 receiving yards and 11 TDs on 79 catches, showcasing the kind of production that made the Eagles pick him ahead of the Steelers.

Lemon will now kickstart a new No. 9 era with the Eagles. Expected to pair up with DeVonta Smith this season, there’s a lot to like about this rookie. With this WR duo and a dynamic QB in Jalen Hurts, maybe No. 9 will get to feature in a Super Bowl sometime soon.