Skip to main content

Packers CB Eric Stokes had his high school football jersey number retired

Lawrence Andrew Fernandezby:Lawrence Fernandez•02/11/25•

lawandfern

Eric Stokes
© Mark Hoffman/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

While Eric Stokes is already in pro football, he returned to Georgia for his high school football jersey retirement ceremony. The four-year player for the Green Bay Packers shared photos from the ceremony at Eastside High School on Instagram.

Stokes caption reads, “A kid from the projects to havin his jersey number retired forever bless with dis life man #5”.

His jersey was officially retired during halftime of the Eastside boys basketball game against Walnut Grove. In addition to photos from the jersey retirement ceremony, he added pictures from his playing days with the Eagles. Friends and family were in attendance during his jersey retirement, wherein he received his framed likeness of his Eastside jersey.

Aside from building his name in the gridiron, Stokes also ran track, which was beneficial to being a ball hawk. The defensive back from Covington won the 2016 Georgia Class 4A state title for the 100-meter dash at 10.48 seconds.

Under coaches Rick Hurst and Troy Hoff, Stokes helped Eastside compile a 29-14-1 record during his high school football career. Likewise, choosing the University of Georgia was an easy choice because it was an hour away from Covington.

With the Bulldogs, Eric Stokes became a Second-Team All-SEC member in 2019 and First-Team selectee a year later. He finished his college football career with 60 solo tackles, 22 passes defended, and four interceptions in 36 games.

The Packers selected him in the first round (29th overall) of the 2021 NFL Draft. However, after a promising rookie season, injuries limited him to 12 games during the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Stokes bounced back last season, playing in all 17 regular season games and in their Wild Card Round playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Through four seasons, Eric Stokes has 128 tackles, 14 pass deflections, and an interception. Green Bay declined the fifth-year option of his rookie scale contract, making him a free agent once the 2025 NFL league year starts.