‘I didn’t want it’ – Titans free agent has impactful reason for change: Wan’Dale Robinson has ‘honor’ in new uniform number
New Titans wide receiver joined the Up & Adams Show with Kay Adams and threw a curve ball to her when she asked about his new look in Tennessee.
Tennessee Titans wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson has fresh look for the second chapter of his NFL career after a record setting 2025 season with the New York Giants.
On the heels of becoming the shortest player in NFL history to have a 1,000 yard receiving season (yes, that’s a real stat) the former Kentucky Wildcat signed a four year, $70 million contract with the Titans in March.
Tennessee was a natural free agent fit for the 5-foot-8 slot receiver who played his first four seasons with now Titans offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, then head coach in New York.
Wan’Dale’s new look in the new Titans blue uniforms will rock the jersey number 4 instead of his 17 from the Giants. One would think a $12 million signing bonus could have a jersey number buyout in the budget for new teammate Chim Dike, who wears 17 in Tennessee.
That wasn’t the case, but not for the reason you think.
Wan’Dale Robinson honors late friend with new Titans jersey number
Robinson joined Kay Adams on her Up & Adams Show this week to discuss a gamut of Titans topics including quarterback Cam Ward, receiver Carnell Tate, Daboll, and his new number.
Tate, the fourth overall pick, also wore 17 at Ohio State. Adams asked Robinson how Dike, a rookie All-Pro return man, was able to fend off both he and Tate – both with deep pockets.
“Was something going on? Neither of you could get that number?” Adams asked.
“I didn’t want it,” Robinson replied. “I was wanting a single digit, and then also my late friend Rondale Moore, he wore number four, so that was kind of the reasoning behind me getting that number, you know, just kind of to honor him. I wanted number four.”
Moore, stared at Purdue in the Big Ten, then was a 2021 second round pick by the Arizona Cardinals. Moore spent time with the Atlanta Falcons and Minnesota Vikings. Moore tragically died, at age 25, of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at his Minnesota home in February shocking the NFL world. Both Robinson and Moore played high school football in the state of Kentucky in the same class.
“I don’t know about Carnell (Tate) and exactly what went on with him and Chim (Dike), but yeah, I was good with leaving 17 in the past.”
Tate told media that he didn’t even try to buy 17 from Dike.
Was Chim Dike actually able to give up 17 for the Titans?
I have a theory… this is not reporting, but I feel good about it.
The Titans have acquired two wide receivers this offseason with a combined signing bonus total of over $45 million ($33.6 million for Tate). Dike’s total four year contact value as the 101 pick of the 2025 draft is $5.4 million. It’s not chump change, but that jersey number should easily be bought.
My theory is the Titans can’t actually let Dike out of wearing 17, because he was one of three main players to be a part of the Titans new branding package behind their new logo and uniforms. Robinson signed the same week as the uniforms were revealed.
Dike was flanked next to Ward (1) and star defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons (98). Those three numbers have been market to the ends of the earth (and internet).