Ndamukong Suh will wear 93; History of the number for the Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins have announced defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, who signed a $114-million contract with the team this free agency period will return to wearing his college number, 93, when he pulls on the aqua colors of the franchise this year. Suh had worn number 90 with the Detroit Lions, where he spent the 2010 to 2014 seasons.

Which got us thinking, as one of the biggest free agent signings in the history of the franchise takes on a new number, who else has worn number 93 for Miami?

The most recent wearer of the number is linebacker Jason Trusnik, who wore if from 2011 to 2014. Trusnik spent most of his time with the Dolphins as a reserve linebacker and special teams contributor. He appeared in all 16 games over his four seasons with the club, along with 10 starts, six of which came last season. He tallied one interception, two fumble recoveries, and 118 tackles during his time with the team. Prior to joining Miami, he played two seasons with the Cleveland Browns and two years with the New York Jets.

Moving backwards, number 93 was worn from 2009 to 2010 by defensive end Quentin Moses, who spent four years with the team, wearing number 74 for the first two seasons before transitioning to 93 for the second pair of campaigns. In his two years in the number, Moses played in 25 games, with no starts, recording one fumble recovery, two sacks, and 24 tackles.

Defensive end Rob Ninkovich wore the number during his two seasons with the Dolphins, 2007 and 2008. During that time, he appeared in just 5 games, recording two tackles. Ninkovich, of course, has gone on to have a great career with the New England Patriots, playing outside linebacker and defensive end over the past five years, with 74 starts.

Ninkovich joined the Dolphins in September 2007, replacing defensive end Akbar Gbaja-Biamila who the team had signed in the offseason leading up to the 2007 season, but was released just a couple of weeks into the year. Gbaja-Biamila also wore number 93 during his brief stint with Miami, appearing in just one contest.

Defensive end Kevin Carter wore the number for the Dolphins in 2005 and 2006, recording one forced fumble, three fumble recoveries, 11.5 sacks, and 97 tackles in 32 starts as the team's left defensive end. Carter joined Miami late in his career, having played six seasons with the St. Louis Rams, where he earned a Pro Bowl and first team All-Pro selection, and four seasons with the Tennessee Titans, adding a second Pro Bowl selection. After his two years with Miami, Carter played two more seasons in the league, both with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

During the 2004 season, defensive tackle Mario Monds wore the number. He appeared in five games for the Dolphins, tallying five tackles. Monds was originally a sixth round pick of the Washington Redskins in 2001, playing two games in his rookie year for the Cincinnati Bengals. He did not make any appearances in the 2002 or 2003 seasons, before resurfacing with Miami for the one season stint.

The number saw success with the play of Adewale Ogunleye from 2002 to 2003. Originally wearing number 90 in his rookie year, Ogunleye changed to 93 after a seven appearance, 0.5 sack, three tackle initial year. As the team's number 93, Ogunleye started 32 games in two years, recording five forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, 24.5 sacks, and 106 tackles. He was also selected to the 2003 Pro Bowl. Ogunleye was traded to the Chicago Bears after the 2003 season (for the pick that would become Channing Crowder), where he played for six seasons, record another 42 sacks. He had a brief stint with the Houston Texans in 2010, appearing in four games, before retiring.

Perhaps the best known player to wear number 93 for Miami was the man who donned the jersey from 1995 to 2000. After six years with the Chicago Bears, Trace Armstrong joined the Dolphins, where he played another six seasons. He appeared in 95 games in that time, starting 27. He tallied 16 forced fumbles with Miami, along with seven recoveries, 56.5 sacks, and 187 tackles. He was selected to the 2000 Pro Bowl. Armstrong spent his last three years, 2001-2003, with the Oakland Raiders.

Miami's fifth-round pick in 1994, defensive tackle William Gaines, wore number 93 for the one season he was with the Dolphins. He appeared in seven games, recording two tackles, before joining the Washington Redskins for the 1995 to 1997 seasons.

Cliff Odom wore the number from 1990 to 1993, his final three years in the league, playing primarily as an inside linebacker. He appeared in 31 games over the three seasons, with 11 starts in 1990 and one in 1993. In his time with Miami, he recorded one interception, two fumble recoveries, and two sacks. Prior to joining the Dolphins, Odom played for the Baltimore and Indianapolis Colts from 192 to 1989, and the Cleveland Browns in 1980.

The number 93 was first worn by a Dolphins player in the 1987 season, with defensive end Charles Bennett debuting the jersey. He played in three games for the Dolphins that season, starting all three.

Armstrong and Ogunleye are the best Dolphins to wear the numbers, with Odom and Carter adding more respectability to the jersey. Trusnik had performed well in the jersey over the past four seasons, but no one should come close to what Suh will do in the jersey. There are a ton of expectations on Suh, and, hopefully, he is able to surpass all of them.

Dolphins Players to wear number 93