Troy Aikman And Lamar Jackson Are In A Trademark Battle Over No. 8

Who is the real No. 8 — Lamar Jackson or Troy Aikman?

Jackson has filed a complaint with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office over Aikman's attempt to use "EIGHT" on merchandise advertising his beer brand. According to the July 9 filing, the apparel would be "likely to cause confusion, or cause mistake, or to deceive" the public as to whether they're buying products from Jackson or Aikman's company. 

Jackson currently owns or has applied for several trademarks using the number, including "Era 8 by Lamar Jackson," "Era 8" and "You 8 yet?"

Jackson "has expended considerable time, effort, and expense in promoting, advertising, and popularizing the number 8 in connection with his personality and fame" and "is well-known by this number due to his notoriety and fame, along with his promotion of this number in his trademarks and in media coverage," his lawyer claims.

The trademark filings include an attempt by FL101 — a company that lists Aikman as one of its directors in SEC filings — to make "EIGHT Light Beer Made Right" alongside 36 other trademark applications.

Both Jackson and Aikman wore No. 8 for the entirety of their professional careers and in college.

But It's tough to imagine that anyone can "own" the number 8. Besides these two QBs, plenty of star athletes have rocked the ocho, including Kobe Bryant, Cal Ripken Jr., Alex Ovechkin, Carl Yastrzemski and Yogi Berra.

Lamar Jackson and Troy Aikman are in a trademark battle for the No. 8.

(Getty Images & USA TODAY Sports)

Aikman had his No. 8 retired by the UCLA Bruins, and while the Dallas Cowboys do not officially retire numbers, no Cowboys player has rocked the number since Aikman took his last snap nearly 24 years ago. The No. 1 overall pick in the 1989 NFL Draft