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In his nine seasons with Washington, John Riggins built a legendary résumé, topping 1,000 rushing yards four times and leading the NFL in rushing touchdowns on two occasions. Including the playoffs, he tallied 25 100-yard rushing games for the franchise. His most iconic moment came during the 1982 postseason when he carried the ball 38 times for 166 yards, propelling Washington to a 27-17 victory over the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl XVII. On a fourth-and-inch play with about 10 minutes left, Riggins exploded for a 43-yard go-ahead score, a moment that epitomized his gritty, hard-nosed running style. He earned Super Bowl MVP honors, but his dominance extended through the entire postseason; in four games he totaled 610 rushing yards on 136 carries, a postseason record that still stands.
Riggins’ production peaked in his 30s, when he accumulated 5,683 rushing yards and 71 rushing touchdowns, more than his 20s (5,669 yards and 33 TDs), a remarkable achievement given that he sat out the entire 1980 season due to a contract dispute before returning for Joe Gibbs’ first year as Washington’s head coach. He concluded a 14-year NFL career with 11,352 rushing yards and 104 rushing touchdowns, along with 2,090 receiving yards and 12 receiving touchdowns.
The franchise will honor Riggins by retiring his No. 44 jersey during halftime of the Washington Commanders’ Week 9 game against the Los Angeles Rams. He will become just the seventh player in team history to receive this honor, joining Sammy Baugh, Bobby Mitchell, Sean Taylor, Sonny Jurgensen, Darrell Green, and Art Monk.
Riggins was celebrated for his physical running style and unmatched work ethic, traits that wore down opponents late in games. His durability was legendary; over his 14-year career, he appeared in 175 games. At the time of his retirement after the 1985 season, he held several enduring marks, including being the oldest player to rush for 150-plus yards in a single game, to attempt at least 30 rushes in a game, to rush for 1,200 yards in a season, to record double-digit rushing touchdowns in a season, and to log the most rushing attempts after turning 30, among other records that highlighted his longevity and impact.
Today’s Commanders, under new ownership, have faced challenges reconnecting with a fanbase wary of the team’s name change and the broader franchise history. Paying homage to the legends who laid the groundwork can be a meaningful first step toward bridging that gap. The Harris ownership group has taken steps to address the disconnect—not only related to the name transition but also to address the long period of front-office dysfunction—to rebuild trust and rekindle the relationship with supporters, honoring the past while charting a clearer path forward.