The Green Bay Packers will retire Reggie White’s number at halftime ceremonies of their home opener against the Cleveland Browns on Sept. 18.
Team president Bob Harlan said he had told White before his death last December that he wanted to add his No. 92 to the retired numbers listed in the north end zone at Lambeau Field. “He was thrilled. He kept saying what an honor that would be,” Harlan said Tuesday.
White, who suffered from a respiratory ailment, died Dec. 26 at age 43.
He joined the Packers in 1993 in one of the biggest free agent signings in sports history and during a six-year stay helped restore respectability to a faded franchise. He helped lead the Packers to a Super Bowl triumph over New England following the 1996 season.
The Packers only four retired numbers: fullback Tony Canadeo (3), wide receiver Don Hutson (14), quarterback Bart Starr (15) and linebacker Ray Nitschke (66).
The NFL prefers teams honor players by retiring their jerseys, not their numbers, but Harlan said White deserves a special honor.
“We’re going to have to do it with No. 4 someday, too,” Harlan said, referring to quarterback Brett Favre.
“I always look at Ron Wolf, Mike Holmgren, Reggie White and Brett Favre, these guys revived this franchise when I think a lot of our fans had given up hope that it was ever going to happen. I just think we have to honor these men.”