49ers' Donte Whitner Is Changing His Name to Donte Hitner

The name suits him.

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When you're known for being one of the most brutal hitters in the NFL today and your name is Donte Whitner, it only makes sense to one day drop the "W" and have people refer to you as Donte Hitner, no? And it looks like the 49ers safety is going to make that alteration a reality. Earlier today, Donte said that after getting permission from his mother, he will be making the name change official.

"I sent it to my lawyer and he filed it for me in Ohio," Whitner said. "If you ask the fans around San Francisco, the Bay Area, or anyone that's a fan of me, they call me Donte Hitner any way," he said. "Everything we do is for the fans right? It's all entertainment. We all understand that. It's entertainment, but that's what I do, it's my game. Along with some things that happened recently, that's why I went with it." 

Sounds like it will be a hit in NFL jersey sales. No pun intended.  

RELATED: A History of Athlete Name Changes

[via 49ers.com]

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