Commanders to retire No. 44 worn by Hall of Fame running back Riggins

The Washington Commanders will retire the No. 44 worn by Hall of Fame running back John Riggins. The team made the announcement more than 40 years after Riggins scored a touchdown on a fourth-and-1 run during the 1983 Super Bowl. Riggins becomes the seventh player in franchise history to have his number retired.

He played for the team from 1976 to 1985 and remains the franchise's all-time leading rusher with 7,742 yards.

166 yards in the Super Bowl victory over the Miami Dolphins, including the game-changing touchdown run. He was named Super Bowl MVP for that performance. During the 1982 postseason, Riggins set an NFL record with 610 rushing yards over four games. In 1984, at age 35, he became the oldest player in league history to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season.

Riggins had been estranged from the team for years after criticizing former owner Dan Snyder. Relations resumed after Josh Harris purchased the team in 2023. Riggins attended the 2023 season opener and an organized team activity practice this spring. In a team-produced video, he described himself as an entertainer who sought to put smiles on fans' faces.