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Florida Gators’ starting quarterback Anthony Richardson moves away from the AR-15 nickname due to its relation to the rifle.
Name Change
Richardson started this nickname when he changed his number from 2 to 15 after the 2020 season.
Originally the number change was to better brand himself with the addition of NIL deals in the college sports landscape.
The Gator’s signal caller released this statement on Twitter regarding his decision to get away from the nickname.
https://twitter.com/GVOaant/status/1548751660385697794
The AR-15 style rifle has been used in multiple mass shootings, including the one at a Uvalde, Texas, elementary school in May, which killed 19 children and two adults.
While Richardson previously used the nickname AR-15, he was an advocate for gun safety within Gainesville and used his nickname for good.
The Gainesville native emerged as a bright spot last year in an otherwise disappointing season for the Gators.
The now Redshirt Sophomore sat behind former Gators Quarterback Emory Jones for most of the season.
This year Richardson is currently twelve in the preseason odds to win the Heisman trophy and poised for a breakout season.
Richardson and teammates Richard Gouraige and Ventrell Miller will represent the Gators with Head Coach Billy Napier at SEC media days this Wednesday.
