Gutierrez: The story behind the Daniel Carlson-Ashton Jeanty No. 2 jersey negotiations

May 29, 2025 at 11:26 AM

Paul Gutierrez

Raiders Columnist

What's in a number?

It depends upon who's doing the counting, and what value they put on the digit.

"Yeah, so I was born on Dec. 2, so that's the day greatness was born," an excited Ashton Jeanty said after the Raiders used their first-round draft pick on him last month. "But also, all my family - my older brother, uncle - it's kind of like the family number. So that's the main reason I wear No. 2."

Except…

The digit was already spoken for in the Raiders locker room, and by an All Pro to boot. Daniel Carlson, the Raiders' record-setting placekicker, had been wearing it since the franchise relocated to Las Vegas in 2020.

Welcome, then, to the saga of Raiders jersey No. 2.

Bob Romanski, the Raiders' longtime equipment manager, had more than an inkling Jeanty would approach him when he made his first post-draft visit to the facility. After all, Jeanty made his mark wearing the number as a Heisman Trophy finalist at Boise State and his nickname of "Deuce" was well known.

So when Jeanty, the day after being the sixth pick in the draft, asked Romanski about No. 2, Romanski was quick with the reply.

"Your best bet," Romanski said, "is to talk to Daniel."

Romanski also had to do background work with the NFL to check if a player giving up a number already had "a large number of jerseys" in the marketplace. If so, said player giving up the number would have to "buy out" the outstanding jerseys.

"It happened a few years back with a former player when 100,000 jerseys were out there," Romanski said.

Carlson, though, was in the clear.

"I just introduce them and let them figure it out," Romanski added. "And when Daniel says it's a go, it's a go."

First, a serious game of phone tag.

Because after getting Carlson's contact info from Romanski, Jeanty made the call to a waiting Carlson. The two texted back and forth for a week as they discussed potential terms for the swap.

"My big thing was, I didn't want to draw this out," Carlson said. "If you want the number, that's fine. We can figure out what makes sense, what's fair.

"Hey, man, he's our first-round draft pick. We're really hoping he's going to be a great player, I've heard he's a great person."

Tales of bartering among and buying numbers from new teammates across the league border from the ridiculous to the sublime.

"Yeah, a lot of bad stories out there," Carlson said. "Guys being like, 'I want the number. I should have the number. I'm big-dogging you.'

"This wasn't like that."

Definitely not like when Clinton Portis and Ifeanyi Ohalete went to court over the $40,000 Portis promised him for No. 26 with Washington in 2004, or the all-expenses-paid family trip to Florida Eli Manning gave Giants punter Jeff Feagles for No. 10 that same year.

Or the $50,000 Darrelle Revis paid Mark Barron for No. 24 with the Buccaneers in 2013.

Not even kinda sorta like the metallic blue BMW 325i Deion Sanders handed over to Alundis Brice for No. 21 with the Cowboys in 1995.

Plus, this was not Carlson's first number-swap rodeo.

He wore No. 8 his first two years with the Raiders, in 2018 and 2019, but when Marcus Mariota joined the team in 2020, the incoming-yet-already-established quarterback wanted the number. And after the switch - that's when Carlson went to No. 2 - Carlson's career truly took off.

He was second-team All Pro in 2021, when he made a league-best 40-of-43 field-goal attempts, including the 47-yard walkoff number against the Chargers that clinched a playoff berth for the Raiders and knocked their rivals out of the postseason chase.

A year later, Carlson was first-team All-Pro after making 34-of-37 field goals, including 11-of-13 from 50 yards or longer, and a career-best 57-yarder.

"Yeah, I had some good years in it, some good memories, so any time you change a number it's tough," said Carlson, who led the NFL in scoring with 144 points in 2020 and 150 points in 2021.

"But, it wasn't like there was some super sentimental reason. I was 35 in high school and 38 in college. That was part of the conversation, 'Tell me why you want it.'"

Jeanty obviously convinced Carlson.

So what's in a number, and how much did No. 2 cost Jeanty?

A giggling Jeanty claimed on a podcast Carlson could "probably buy a house, a nice-sized house" with the "little bag" he dropped for the digit.

A day later, Carlson simply smiled.

"Let me tell you, the housing market here, he clearly has no grasp on," Carlson laughed. "I'm not buying a new house."

Jeanty walked it back, instead saying a Mercedes GLE could be purchased for the price of his number and, for what it's worth, the 2025 SUV has a starting MSRP of $61,850.

Not that Carlson was interested in delving out specifics.

What he was happy to share, though, was this. Half of whatever Jeanty paid Carlson is going to charity, and athletes in similar number-swap situations across the country should take notice.

The Hub LV, a nonprofit affiliated with Carlson's church dedicated to helping the unhoused as well as trafficked teenagers in the Las Vegas Valley, will benefit from the Carlson-Jeanty brokered deal.

"The timing of his gift is huge for us," said Kat Halse, executive director of the Hub LV. "It reduces a burden for us and gives us the ability to dream and not just look for stability.

"He didn't have to do this but it just speaks to his character. He's so sweet. This has been so cool, it's been the most incredible ride."

Halse said the Hub LV is "serving a couple thousand people" in Southern Nevada.

"They take donations - money, deodorant, clothes, hygiene products," Carlson said. "Hopefully, it's going to be a huge blessing for them."

The idea to split the proceeds of a number swap with a charity was the brainchild of Mariota, who did the same thing with Carlson five years ago.

"Shout out to Marcus," said Carlson, who is going back to No. 8.

"I told Ashton, 'You're moving to Las Vegas, now you get to be a part of the community. Here's a cool way we can both give towards that.'"

And that's what's in a number.

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Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Andre Carter II (99) at an Organized Team Activity (OTA) at Intermountain Health Performance Center.