Who is the greatest No. 8? It’s a hard question to answer. With Alex Ovechkin nearing Wayne Gretzky’s “unbreakable” goal tally, he seems an easy choice for the title.

But there are a handful of athletes who have a case, both past and present. Footballers Andres Iniesta, Steven Gerrard and Homare Sawa all have the accolades to warrant such distinction, as does former Lakers star Kobe Bryant and Orioles iron man Cal Ripken Jr.

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Lamar Jackson-Dale Earnhardt Jr. '8' controversy, explained: Why Ravens QB, NASCAR legend are battling over use of number

Then, there’s Ravens star Lamar Jackson and NASCAR icon Dale Earnhardt Jr., two of their respective sports’ most recognizable figures.

Both Jackson and Earnhardt have plenty of commercial appeal, with the former picking up two MVPs — and likely deserving a third — with a mystifying blend of speed, agility, poise and throwing accuracy. Earnhardt possessed some of the same traits during his Cup Series pomp, capturing 26 top-flight wins as a result.

On Thursday, Jackson and Earnhardt came into conflict, albeit for reasons far beyond their playing surface of choice. Here’s what you need to know.

Lamar Jackson-Dale Earnhardt Jr. ‘8’ controversy, explained

Jackson and Earnhardt’s dispute surfaced late Wednesday evening after Jackson issued a claim with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to stop Earnhardt from using a stylized No. 8 logo associated with the Earnhardt-owned team, JR Motorsports.

Earnhardt’s company, DEJ Holdings, applied to trademark two No. 8 logos last year. One featured a bolded and slanted figure resembling the strip he sported during the first nine seasons of his Cup Series career. The second, a simpler design, was flagged by Jackson and his team. They claim that the second logo mimics Jackson’s jersey number, which could lead to confusion.

Why is Lamar Jackson suing Dale Earnhardt Jr.?

Jackson holds a trademark to Era 8 by Lamar Jackson, a merchandise and apparel company. If the U.S. Patent’s Office Trademark Trial and Appeal Board denied Earnhardt’s trademark, Jackson would have had grounds to sue Earnhardt for trademark infringement.

“[Jackson] has expended considerable time, effort, and expense in promoting, advertising, and popularizing the number 8 in connection with his personality and fame … with the result that the relevant purchasing public has come to know, rely upon, and recognize [his] trademarks as very strong indicators of the source of [his] products provided in connection with his marks,” the filing states.

Such a challenge takes more than a year to complete. But on Friday, Earnhardt announced that the USPTO approved his trademark for the stylized No. 8 logo he donned during his formative racing years. As such, he’ll abandon the simpler No. 8 design that Jackson’s team contested.

“We are looking forward to the remainder of an already successful season,” Earnhardt wrote on X, the website formerly known as Twitter.

On Tuesday, Earnhardt cleared up any potential beef between him and Jackson, calling the quarterbacks’ filing a “non-issue.”

Jackson has a history of filing claims against athletes attempting to trademark No. 8. Last July, he filed two appeals against Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman after the former Cowboys star attempted to use “EIGHT” on apparel and bags. The case is still ongoing as of April 4.