Dak Prescott Jersey Number and Who Wears What for the Cowboys

For a listed player option, see the Dak Prescott navy Limited jersey and check the name, number and edition before ordering.

This guide covers why the Cowboys do not retire numbers, the Ring of Honor and the numbers fans buy in 2026. It does not cover the NFL's position rules, which have their own guide.

Cowboys Ring of Honor and numbers

Why the Cowboys do not retire numbers

Dallas has no formal retired-numbers list. A team official told WFAA that Tex Schramm's vision was to use the Ring of Honor in place of many retired jerseys. The honor started in 1975. Since then the Cowboys have let other players wear the numbers of Ring of Honor members, which lets a legend's number pass down the roster.

How the Ring of Honor works

The Ring of Honor is a stadium honor, not a retirement. Some members enter together: Tony Dorsett and Randy White in 1994, and Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin and Emmitt Smith in 2005. In 2017 the team added a walkway with the former players' numbers in front of its practice facility. The list includes coaches and executives, such as Tom Landry, Tex Schramm, Gil Brandt and Jimmy Johnson, who have no jersey number. The most recent inductees, DeMarcus Ware and Jimmy Johnson, entered in 2023. Because a number is not retired, you can buy a jersey with a legend's number and also see it on a current player, as with 88.

Which legend numbers are still in use?

The Cowboys' own site and other outlets have noted that nobody has worn numbers such as Aikman's 8, Staubach's 12 and Smith's 22 since those players left, which treats them as special even without a retirement. The ESPN roster shows no one in them now. Practice-squad numbers are not listed, so this is not a guarantee.

Current Cowboys numbers fans buy

Rosters change during the season, so confirm a player is still on the team before you order a name and number. The NFL jersey number rules explain how the league assigns numbers by position.

Caleb Downs: from college No. 2 to Dallas No. 13

Caleb Downs wears No. 13 on his official Cowboys profile. Dallas reported that he wore 18 at rookie minicamp before moving to 13 in May 2026; his high school and college number, 2, was already assigned to Cobie Durant at that point. The team later confirmed that Downs kept 13 entering the regular season. Those reports explain the sequence of assignments, but do not establish a personal reason for choosing 13. An early minicamp photo in 18 therefore shows a different stage of his Dallas number history.

How to choose a number

Choose the player, then the number. A current-player jersey such as Prescott's 4 or Pickens's 3 is for today's team. A legend jersey such as Smith's 22 is for the dynasty years. If you want 88, remember it can mean Lamb today or Irvin and Pearson in the past, so check the name on the listing. Defensive end Kelvin Gilliam Jr. wears 94 on injured reserve, a number once worn by Charles Haley and DeMarcus Ware.

Legend jerseys worth knowing

Fans look for Emmitt Smith (No. 22), Michael Irvin (No. 88), Deion Sanders (No. 21) and the Roger Staubach jersey (No. 12). Troy Aikman (No. 8) and Tony Dorsett (No. 33) round out the best-known names. A legend's jersey is a throwback to the player's era, so match it to the style you want.

Sizes

Check the NFL jersey size chart, then confirm the name and number on any Dallas Cowboys jerseys listing before you order.

What does Dak Prescott wear on his jersey?

Dak Prescott wears No. 4 on his jersey, plus a captain's C and the Walter Payton Man of the Year patch. For other players, Deion Sanders wore 21, Emmitt Smith wore 22 and Michael Irvin wore 88; the Emmitt Smith jersey number is 22 and the Michael Irvin jersey number is 88.

Every Nike Cowboys jersey we sell carries the player name and number in the Game and Limited tiers.