MIAMI GARDENS ― Very few wide receivers have worn jersey No. 21, so when Miami Dolphins rookie Kevin Coleman Jr.recently switched to that number, some wondered why.
There couldn't be a more important reason.
"When 21 popped open, I thought about my brother instantly," Coleman said in the Dolphins locker room. "My brother passed away October 21st, 2008."
Coleman's brother, 18‑month‑old Rashaad, was killed by gunfire in a St. Louis suburb that night.
Reports indicate shots were fired from another vehicle into their vehicle. Kevin, who at the time was 5 years old, and his brother, witnessed the tragic incident from the back seat.
"I always pray for and always wanted to put my brother's situation out there and just lift his name up and make his legacy,"
Coleman said.
Coleman hopes to see a reduction in gun violence in society in his lifetime.
"I just wanna let the youth and let other people know it's other things we can do," Coleman said. "I feel like it would be a big thing if the world just learned how to communicate. It's dreaming about more about things we can go achieve instead of just throwing our life away."
Coleman was wearing jersey No. 83 with Miami, which was of course once famously worn by Mark Clayton.
Rookie tight end Seydou Traore has switched to jersey No. 83.
As for No. 21, it's been worn by two pretty good receivers.
Calvin Johnson wore No. 21 with Georgia Tech.
And Cliff Branch wore No. 21 with the Raiders.
They are both members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Coleman said that he and his family have decided to celebrate friendship and love on the anniversary of his brother's death. They're trying to turn a tragic memory into a positive one.
"I know when I got 21, I'm playing for myself, but I'm also just playing for him (Rashaad) as well," Coleman said. "And I know he's watching me. I wear a necklace and it's a picture of him on my necklace and it just reminds me every day to keep doing great things and keep striving for him."
Joe Schad is a journalist covering the Miami Dolphins and the NFL at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jschad@pbpost.com and follow him on Instagram and on X @schadjoe. Sign up for Joe's free weekly Dolphins Pulse Newsletter. Help support our work by subscribing today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: The heartbreaking reason behind Kevin Coleman's new Dolphins number
