Anthony Dixon turned down $24,000 for his number from Nnamdi Asomugha
By Mike Dyce
San Francisco 49ers running back Anthony Dixon was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in 2010, he initially wanted to wear the number 24 but it was taken at the time by veteran back Michael Robinson. Dixon wears 24 because it is his birthday, September 24th, and wore it in high school as college.
After being issued 33 initially throughout training camp Robinson was cut while Dixon made the team, and Dixon claimed the 24 number. The 49ers went out and signed veteran cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha this offseason, who has worn 24 his whole career. Asomugha offered Dixon $24,000 for the number, but Dixon rejected his offer.
“We tried to go $24K for 24, but I told him, ‘No, I’m going to keep my 24,” Dixon said on Tuesday.
It’s hard to argue with Dixon’s reasoning.
“I worked hard to get that number when I first got here,” Dixon said, via CSN Bay Area. “I worked hard to get it off somebody else. I’ve been No. 24 since high school and college.”
“I’m not ready to sell it, yet.”
When Asomugha got to camp all the numbers were already issued so there were duplicates and Asomugha asked if he could wear 24 in camp.
“When he first got here, he asked me what I thought of him wearing No. 24, and I said, ‘Well, you can wear it,'” Dixon said. “I wanted him to look good. He asked if he could wear it so he doesn’t look like a bum. Every other number was already taken.”
Now Asomugha is looking for a new number.