When the NFL announced the new rule that allows certain position players to switch up their numbers, Brandon Bolden was one of the first Patriots to jump at the chance for a change. After opting out in 2020, he will return to the field in No. 25 instead of No. 38.
As it turns out, there is a sentimental reason behind the choice.
Bolden took to Instagram Thursday afternoon with a picture of another important No. 25 in his life: his grandfather, Super Bowl Champion Frank Pitts. Pitts played as a wide receiver for Kansas City and was on the Super Bowl IV championship team. For Bolden, rocking No. 25 is a perfect way to shoutout his grandfather every Sunday.
"So yesterday I was asked 'Why I changed my number.' Well long story short, my Grandfather wore it for 11 years and I thought it would be best the he at least saw his oldest grandson play in the same number played in, even though it's the NFL ow and not the AFL he remembers," Bolden wrote.
In four pictures on Bolden's Instagram, both he and Pitts are wearing their own No. 25 uniforms, but in the final picture, Pitts is sporting his grandson's new jersey with a big smile. It's a heart-warming moment that spans familial and football generations.
