J.K. Dobbins explains why he is wearing Ray Rice's number with Ravens

Baltimore Ravens rookie running back J.K. Dobbins raised some eyebrows by opting to wear Ray Rice’s old No. 27 with the team, but his decision to do so has little to do with the former star back.

Dobbins said his decision to wear No. 27 is a tribute to his father, who was a star running back at Dobbins’ Texas high school but died when Dobbins was just 15.

“I always wore it in peewee football. It was my dad’s number,” Dobbins said, via Ryan Mink of the team’s official website. “So the reason why I wear No. 27 is to honor my father.”

Rice, of course, had a very bad ending to his time in the NFL, though he’s trying to help those in similar situations. That’s why Dobbins wearing his number was interesting to many, but ultimately, it has almost nothing to do with Rice at all.