Greatest Players Who Wore the NFL Jersey Number 24

A Cornerback’s Crown: The Legendary Lineage of NFL Jersey Number 24

Few numbers in NFL history represent lockdown defense and electric playmaking quite like 24. This jersey has been exclusively reserved for legends who mastered the art of the interception and the bump-and-run. The sheer volume of Hall of Fame talent is staggering: Champ Bailey, Willie Brown, Darrelle Revis, and Jack Christiansen are just a few of the iconic players who donned the number. Who was the ultimate shutdown corner? And did the versatile career of Charles Woodson (who wore both 24 and 21) give him the edge? Prepare for the ultimate debate as we break down the most dominant defensive players to ever wear No. 24.

Who are the Best NFL Players Who Wore the Number 24?

There have been some significant players in NFL history who have donned the number 24 on the backs of their jerseys. Here are a handful you have heard of:

Willie Brown

This Pro Football Hall of Fame cornerback played seven All-Pro seasons with the Raiders and set a then-record with a 75-yard interception return for a touchdown in Super Bowl XI, embodying the “bump-and-run” technique.

Cornerback – Denver Broncos (1963-1966), Oakland Raiders (1967-1978) – 11 combined selections (7 All-Pro / 4 Pro Bowls & 5 AFL All-Star Games) – Wore Number 24 during seasons: 1967–1978 (with Oakland)

Charles Woodson

The only primarily defensive player to win the Heisman Trophy, he earned the 2009 AP Defensive Player of the Year award, finished his career with 65 interceptions, and became the first player in NFL history with 50 interceptions and 20 sacks.

Defensive Back / Cornerback / Safety – Oakland Raiders (1998-2005, 2013-2015), Green Bay Packers (2006-2012) – 13 combined selections (8 All-Pro / 9 Pro Bowls) – Wore Number 24 during seasons: 1998–2005, 2013–2015 (with Oakland) and 2006–2012 (with Green Bay)

Willie Wood

An eight-time Pro Bowl safety for the Green Bay Packers dynasty, he signed as an undrafted free agent and made the game-turning interception in Super Bowl I, finishing his career with 48 interceptions.

Safety – Green Bay Packers (1960-1971) – 17 combined selections (9 All-Pro / 8 Pro Bowls) – Wore Number 24 during seasons: 1960–1971

Jack Christiansen

A Pro Football Hall of Fame safety for the Detroit Lions, he led the league in interceptions twice and famously set an NFL record by becoming the first player to score two punt return touchdowns in the same game.

Safety / Defensive Back – Detroit Lions (1951-1958) – 11 combined selections (6 All-Pro / 5 Pro Bowls) – Wore Number 24 during seasons: 1951–1958

Lenny Moore

This Pro Football Hall of Fame running back and flanker for the Baltimore Colts set an NFL record by scoring a touchdown in 18 consecutive games and earned the 1964 NFL MVP award.

Halfback / Flanker – Baltimore Colts (1956-1967) – 12 combined selections (5 All-Pro / 7 Pro Bowls) – Wore Number 24 during seasons: 1956–1967

Marshawn Lynch

Known as “Beast Mode,” this five-time Pro Bowl running back led the Seattle Seahawks to a Super Bowl XLVIII victory and twice led the league in rushing touchdowns with his powerful, tackle-breaking style.

Running Back – Buffalo Bills (2007-2010), Seattle Seahawks (2010-2015, 2019), Oakland Raiders (2017-2018) – 6 combined selections (1 All-Pro / 5 Pro Bowls) – Wore Number 24 during seasons: 2007–2015, 2017–2019

Champ Bailey

This Pro Football Hall of Fame cornerback earned a remarkable 12 Pro Bowl selections, tying for the most among defensive players in NFL history, and became the Denver Broncos’ first defensive player inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Cornerback – Washington Redskins (1999-2003), Denver Broncos (2004-2013) – 17 combined selections (5 All-Pro / 12 Pro Bowls) – Wore Number 24 during seasons: 1999–2013.

Celebrate Football History With Your Collection

"Heads up: A few links in this description are affiliate links. That means if you click through and grab something, I might get a small cut that helps keep the lights on here—at zero additional cost to you!"

1976 Pitt PanthersDave Finoli's - 1976 National Champion Pitt Panthers: Miracle on Cardiac HillLawrence Taylor Signed FootballSigned Football NFL LegendsWorlds Greatest Pro GridOur Award-Winning bookSmith-Njigba Signed Seattle Seahawks JerseyAutographed Game Jerseys

Ty Law

A Pro Football Hall of Fame cornerback and three-time Super Bowl champion with the Patriots, he was a four-time Pro Bowl selection and famously intercepted three Peyton Manning passes in the 2003 AFC Championship Game.

Cornerback – New England Patriots (1995-2004), New York Jets (2005, 2008), Kansas City Chiefs (2006-2007), Denver Broncos (2009) – 7 combined selections (2 All-Pro / 5 Pro Bowls) – Wore Number 24 during seasons: 1995–2004 (with New England), 2005 (with New York Jets), and 2006–2007 (with Kansas City)

Darrelle Revis

A Pro Football Hall of Fame cornerback whose shutdown coverage earned him the nickname “Revis Island,” he was a four-time First-team All-Pro and won Super Bowl XLIX with the Patriots.

Cornerback – New York Jets (2007–2012, 2015–2016), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2013), New England Patriots (2014), Kansas City Chiefs (2017) – 11 selections total (7 Pro Bowl, 4 First-team All-Pro) – Wore Number 24: 2007–2017 (worn with the Jets, Buccaneers, Patriots, and Chiefs)

Everson Walls

This undrafted free agent safety won a Super Bowl with the New York Giants and holds a share of the NFL record by leading the league in interceptions three times (1981, 1982, 1985).

Cornerback / Safety – Dallas Cowboys (1981–1989), New York Giants (1990–1992), Cleveland Browns (1992–1993) – 7 selections total (4 Pro Bowl, 3 First-team All-Pro) – Wore Number 24: 1981–1989 (worn during his entire tenure with the Dallas Cowboys)

Johnny Blood (McNally)

One of the NFL’s first great dynamic playmakers, this Pro Football Hall of Fame charter member played on four Green Bay Packers championship teams and was known as “The Vagabond Halfback” for his speed and unpredictable style.

Halfback / Tailback / Wingback / Defensive Back – Milwaukee Badgers (1925), Duluth Eskimos (1926–1927), Pottsville Maroons (1928), Green Bay Packers (1929–1933, 1935–1936), Pittsburgh Pirates (1934, 1937–1938) – 3 selections total (All-Pro selections recognized by historical selectors) – Wore Number 24: 1929–1930 (worn with the Green Bay Packers)

Other top NFL players who wore the Number 24 Jersey

Gary Green

Cornerback – Kansas City Chiefs (1977–1983), Los Angeles Rams (1984–1985) – 9 selections total (4 Pro Bowl, 5 All-Pro) – Wore Number 24: 1977–1983 (worn during his entire career with the Kansas City Chiefs)

Freeman McNeil

Running Back – New York Jets (1981–1992) – 4 selections total (3 Pro Bowl, 1 First-team All-Pro) – Wore Number 24: 1981–1992 (worn during his entire career with the New York Jets)

Whizzer White

Halfback – Pittsburgh Pirates (1938), Detroit Lions (1940-1941) – Selected as a 2x First-Team All-Pro – Wore Number 24 during his NFL career

Rosey Taylor

Safety / Defensive Back – Chicago Bears (1961-1969, 1974), San Francisco 49ers (1970-1971), Washington Redskins (1972-1973) – Selected to 2 Pro Bowls – Wore Number 24 during his career

Adrian Wilson

Safety – Arizona Cardinals (2001-2012), New England Patriots (2013) – Selected to 5 Pro Bowls and 3 All-Pro teams (1x First-team, 2x Second-team) – Wore Number 24

Shawn Springs

Cornerback – Seattle Seahawks (1997-2003), Washington Redskins (2004-2008), New England Patriots (2009) – Selected to 1 Pro Bowl – Wore Number 24

Johnnie Gray

Safety – Green Bay Packers (1975-1983) – No Pro Bowl or All-Pro selections – Wore Number 24 throughout his career with the Packers

Robert Griffith

Safety – Minnesota Vikings (1994-2001), Cleveland Browns (2002-2004), Arizona Cardinals (2005-2006) – Selected to 1 Pro Bowl and 1x Second-team All-Pro

Stephon Gilmore

Cornerback – Buffalo Bills (2012-2016), New England Patriots (2017-2020), Carolina Panthers (2021), Indianapolis Colts (2022), Dallas Cowboys (2023), Minnesota Vikings (2024) – Selected to 5 Pro Bowls and 2x First-team All-Pro – Wore Number 24 with the Carolina Panthers in 2021

Fred Williamson

Defensive Back – Pittsburgh Steelers (1960), Oakland Raiders (1961-1964), Kansas City Chiefs (1965-1967) – Selected to 3 Pro Bowls – Wore Number 24 with the Raiders and Chiefs (1961-1967)

Bob Howard

Defensive Back – San Diego Chargers (1967-1974), New England Patriots (1975-1977), Philadelphia Eagles (1978-1979) – No Pro Bowl or All-Pro selections – Wore Number 24 with the Chargers and Patriots (1967-1977)

Sheldon Brown

Cornerback – Philadelphia Eagles (2002-2009), Cleveland Browns (2010-2012) – No Pro Bowl or All-Pro selections – Wore Number 24 with the Philadelphia Eagles

Ike Taylor

Cornerback — Pittsburgh Steelers (2003–2014) — 0 All-Pro or Pro Bowl selections — Wore Number 24 seasons: 2003–2014

Joey Porter Jr.

JPJ donned the number in honor of Ike Taylor, a teammate of his father and a role model.

Cornerback – Pittsburgh Steelers (2023–present) – 0 selections (named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team) – Wore Number 24 in the NFL during the 2023, 2024, and 2025 seasons.

Conclusion

The number 24 represents one of the most historically dominant defensive groups in the NFL. Defined by Hall of Fame cornerbacks like the cerebral Willie Brown, the physically gifted Champ Bailey, and the lockdown master Darrelle Revis, this jersey symbolizes unparalleled coverage and elite playmaking. Whether worn by running-game dominators like Marshawn Lynch or championship winners like Willie Wood and Jack Christiansen, No. 24 remains synonymous with versatility, toughness, and the ability to dictate the outcome of any contest.

Are you a fan of reading up on NFL legends at a particular jersey number? Perhaps the Number 23 might interest you further?

Greatest Players Who Wore the NFL Jersey 23