Patrick Peterson Weighs Steelers Digits, ‘Would Love’ to Wear 7

The No. 7 holds a lot of weight in the Steel City. It also means a lot to Patrick Peterson, who talked with co-host Bryant McFadden on the All Things Covered podcast about Pittsburgh Steelers jersey number options Monday.

“I don’t think anybody was rocking No. 7 last year,” Peterson said. “I would love to rock No. 7 … Seven (has) always been special to your boy, man. Always been special to me, man.”

The No. 7 jersey stayed on the hanger for a pretty obvious reason. If Peterson is to throw on Steelers threads with a No. 7 on the front and back, it definitely wouldn’t come without the blessing of two-time Super Bowl champion quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

Patrick Peterson has worn a couple of other digits in his playing career. Throughout youth football, Peterson said he wore No. 2, mainly because Deion Sanders was his favorite athlete growing up. He wore that number until his junior year of high school.

“When I got to my junior and senior year, I had a change of heart,” Peterson said. “Because my dad, he was No. 7, and he was a Blanche Ely High legend, as well … Being a kid, you always want to follow after your dad’s footsteps. When I got to high school, all you hear about is, ‘Man, Pat Pete used to this when he was in high school! He used to do that when he was in high school!’ I was like, man, when I get on varsity, I want to rock No. 7 and be just like Pops. That’s how seven grew on me very, very heavy.”

He stuck with No. 7 when he moved on to LSU, then took No. 21 when he was taken in the first round by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2011 NFL Draft. He made the Pro Bowl each of the eight seasons after that, then returned to No. 7 when he got to Minnesota.