Only one Cowboys rookie has ever been brazen enough to request Emmitt Smith’s No. 22

1:13 PM ET

IRVING, Texas — Mike McCord, the Dallas Cowboys’ equipment manager for the past 24 years, hands out numbers to new players.

It’s an important task.

And while the Cowboys don’t officially retire numbers, you’ll never see another dude wearing Troy Aikman’s No. 8 or Roger Staubach’s No. 12. You’re not going to see anybody wearing Emmitt Smith’s No. 22 either.

Ezekiel Elliott won’t be wearing Emmitt Smith’s No. 22 — and don’t expect anyone else to either. AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez

All of those players are in the Ring of Honor and Hall of Fame, so the Cowboys keep their numbers out of circulation. Understand, it doesn’t mean the Cowboys have any less respect for Hall of Fame players such as Randy White, Michael Irvin, Tony Dorsett, Charles Haley and others just because their numbers are occasionally in circulation.

Actually, there is a reasonable explanation.

The NFL has rules regarding the numbers players can wear. Linebackers must wear numbers between 50-59 …

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