Jersey Number Revealed for New Pittsburgh Steelers Safety
New Pittsburgh Steelers safety Juan Thornton has revealed his jersey number selection for the 2025 season, and it’s one that was very recently worn by another player.
Thornton will wear No. 22 with the Steelers this season, he announced on social media on Tuesday. Thornhill wore the same number in his first four NFL seasons, with the Kansas City Chiefs from 2019-22. Thornhill wore No. 1 with the Cleveland Browns the last two seasons, a number the Steelers do not give out.
The 22 jersey has barely gone cold since its last owner left town. Running back Najee Harris wore the digits over the last for seasons. He signed with the Los Angeles Chargers in free agency just last week.
The number has alternated between cornerbacks and running backs for the last few decades. Before Harris, cornerback Steven Nelson wore No. 22 in Pittsburgh from 2019-20. Running back Stevan Ridley had in 2018, taking over from cornerback William Gay, who wore No. 22 from 2oo7-11 and 2013-17, including in Super Bowl XLIII. Running back Chris Rainey had it in 2012.
Gay is the most longest-tenured Steelers player to wear No. 22, followed by Harris and then Hall of Fame quarterback Bobby Layne, who played the final four and a half years of his career in Pittsburgh from 1958-62 after spending nine seasons with the Detroit Lions.
Defensive backs Rick Woods and Larry Griffin had multi-year runs wearing No. 22 in the 1980s and early 1990s.
Fullback John L. Williams wore the digits for his two seasons in Pittsburgh in 1994-95. Another free agent back, Duce Staley, had No. 22 from 2004-06, including Super Bowl XL. Cornerback Hank Poteat and running back Dee Brown also had short stints in the jersey in the 2000s.
