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Commanders to Retire John Riggins' No. 44 Jersey
The Washington Commanders will retire Hall of Fame running back John Riggins' No. 44. The honor comes more than 40 years after his Super Bowl performance.
Jul 9, 2:45 PM·2m read3 sources
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The Washington Commanders are retiring Hall of Fame running back John Riggins' No. 44 more than 40 years after he scored a touchdown on one of the most famous runs in Super Bowl history. He becomes the seventh player in franchise history to have his number retired. The team will honor him during an upcoming home game.
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Washington from 1976 to 1985 and remains the franchise's all-time leading rusher with 7,742 yards. He ranks second with 85 touchdowns and holds the team record with 79 rushing touchdowns. Riggins earned the nickname "The Diesel" and fueled an offense that led the organization to its first Super Bowl win after the 1982 season.
He was named Super Bowl MVP after rushing for 166 yards, including a 43-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-1 with 10:10 remaining, in a 27-17 victory against the Miami Dolphins on Jan. 30, 1983. During that four-game playoff run, Riggins set an NFL postseason record with 610 rushing yards.
In 1984, at 35 years and three months old, he became the oldest player in NFL history to rush for more than 1,000 yards.
Riggins once declared former team owner Dan Snyder had a "dark heart" and became estranged from the franchise. The relationship was briefly interrupted when he worked on the team's flagship radio station in 2016. He remained outspoken about Snyder and made it known he did not like the team changing its name to the Commanders.
When the team was purchased in 2023, Riggins and numerous other alumni resumed a relationship with the franchise. He attended the 2023 season opener and an OTA practice this spring where he talked to the team.
