Raiders Take Terry Porter's No. 24, Give It Back To Charles Woodson
NAPA (CBS/AP) -- Oakland Raiders defensive back Charles Woodson is back to his familiar No. 24 jersey that he wore in his first stint with Oakland after wearing no number and No. 2 during off-season workouts.
"I got the jersey back in large part because of the fans. Big thank you to the fans for that," Woodson said at the Raiders' training camp facility in Napa.
Tracy Porter was switched to No. 31, but said on Twitter that he didn't give up the number willingly.
"Well you Raiders fans...your guy has 24. It was TAKEN from me and given to him. #congrats.....too funny how this biz 'works'," Porter tweeted.
Woodson wore the No. 24 in his first eight seasons with the Raiders. When he left Oakland to sign with the Green Bay Packers in 2006, he switched to No. 21. But when he re-signed with Oakland this off-season, his favored No. 24 wasn't available because it belonged to Porter.
Woodson had told NFL Network in May that negotiations with Porter for the number had "stalled."
That's not the case anymore, however, as the team decided to give the number to Woodson.
Woodson, 36, is an eight-time Pro Bowler and was the 2009 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. He has 55 career interceptions, 17 sacks, 24 forced fumbles and 11 interception returns for touchdowns in eight seasons in Oakland and seven in Green Bay.
He played just seven games last season because of a broken collarbone but brings leadership and playmaking ability to a rebuilding defense that was lacking both.
Porter, 26, agreed to a one-year, $2.5 million contract with the Raiders in April, joining Oakland after playing for the Denver Broncos last season.
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