NFL Legend Finally Gets His Due — All It Took Was The Owner Selling The Team

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NFL star John Riggins will finally get his Washington jersey number, 44, retired more than 40 years after his iconic Super Bowl run. Former owner Dan Snyder sold the team in 2023

Riggins, often referred to as “Riggo” or “The Diesel,” will receive the honor when Washington plays the Los Angeles rams on Nov. 8, per ESPN. Riggins is a Pro Football Hall of Famer who played 14 seasons for the New York Jets and the then-Washington Redskins, now called the Washington Commanders. Riggins is best known for his Super Bowl XVII performance, rushing for 166 yards, including a 43-yard touchdown scamper on fourth-and-one with 10:10 remaining in the fourth quarter, earning him Super Bowl MVP honors. However, the former NFL player had a rocky relationship with Snyder.

“It’s driven all by his ego and everything has to come from him. And I just don’t think you can be successful in those situations and when you are dealing with someone with the mindset of a child and yet owns a franchise in the NFL” Riggins told NBC in 2009, claiming “his heart is dark.”

He was outspoken in his disagreement with Snyder’s decision to change the team name to the Commanders, saying he felt “completely disenfranchised” in a 2022 podcast.

He hepled Washington win its first Super Bowl and is the franchises all-time rushing leader with 7,742 yards, 85 touchdowns, and 79 rushing touchdowns (33 more than the next closest), per ESPN. However, his jersey hasn’t been retired, likely because of his rocky relationship with former owner Dan Snyder.

Since new owner Josh Harris took over in 2023, Riggins has reconnected with the team, even attending OTAs in the spring of 2026 and speaking to players, per ESPN.

“Riggo, as many know him, helped define one of the most successful eras in our history,” Harris said in a statement the team posted on X.

“He played with a rare combination of physicality, fearlessness and personality that captivated fans and inspired his teammates. … Our fans not only admired him, they identified with him. He is authentic, unapologetically himself and deeply connected to the people around him,” Harris continued.

Team president Mark Clouse issued a statement obtained by ESPN. “It’s not just about the [jersey] retirement,” he said. “It’s really about continuing to build this connective thread between past and new. We had an embarrassment of riches, if you will, in legends that we wanted to recognize.” (RELATED: Marshawn Kneeland Diagnosed With CTE Months After He Died By Suicide)

During his playing days, Riggins made it a priority not just to play quality football but to entertain fans, ESPN reported. In a playoff win against the Minnesota Vikings, Riggins rushed for 185 yards. After he was removed, the player went to midfield and took a bow.

“It was paramount to me that I put a smile on their faces if I could because I was always seeking their approval,” Riggins said in a tribute video released by the team. “I operated out of fear and not wanting to disappoint people.”