At every stop in his NFL career, Davante Adams has worn No. 17. The process of holding onto it, though, hasn't always been smooth.
Appearing recently on the "Bussin' With The Boys" podcast, the veteran wide receiver recalled his 2024 trade from the Las Vegas Raiders to the New York Jets, when he tried to buy his signature number from rookie Malachi Corley. The two were far apart on price.
"I'm thinking, like, this ain't nothing crazy," Adams said. "But certainly, to give up your number as a rookie — like, you ain't done s--- yet. It was like Week 6, and I think he'd played four plays at that point. Like, you have no attachment to this right now."
Malachi Corley Wanted $1 Million for the Number
Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
Adams said he offered $17,000 and new jerseys for Corley's family in exchange for the number. The counteroffer wasn't what he expected.
"He said, 'It's great to have you, big bro. I can't wait to learn from you, but I'm going to need a million,'" Adams recalled. "I went straight to (team owner) Woody Johnson and said, 'Give me 17, bro.' And he just took it off him."
Corley went from potentially pocketing $17,000 to nothing, switching to No. 14 for the rest of the season. Both players have since left the Jets. Corley, 24, was waived by New York in August 2025 and signed with the Cleveland Browns, where he now wears No. 83.
Puka Nacua Cleared No. 17 for Davante Adams in Los Angeles
Adams, 33, played just one season in New York before signing with the Los Angeles Rams last offseason, where star receiver Puka Nacua already held No. 17. Adams planned to switch to No. 7, a tribute to former NFL quarterback Michael Vick, expecting to play his first season without his usual number. Nacua had already planned to switch, clearing the way for Adams.
Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
"I didn't even talk to [Nacua] about it," Adams said. "I think it was his plan to change to 12. I don't know when, but I know that before I even knew for sure if I was headed to L.A., he was already talking about wearing [No.] 12.
"For everybody out there that wants to hate me for making them buy new jerseys, I did not tell him. I didn't pay him. I didn't do anything. That was out of the kindness of his heart, and he wore it in college, so I guess it made sense."
Now entering Year 2 together on a team widely considered the Super Bowl favorite heading into the season, the two wideouts have built a strong relationship — one that started with the jersey-number handoff.
