I never saw a guy run like Riggins. He was a freaking battering ram! He could run at full speed with his head down and just blast his way through the line. It usually took three or four guys to get him down. Just a tough farm boy that loved football.
That's why people like myself can't connect with the modern day NFL player anymore..Now they come to training camp in limos or driving Lamborghinis and Rolls-Royces.
@@MegaSammy70Well said. That’s why one of my all time players in Jay Novacek. A Nebraska cowboy, Wyoming Cowboy, and a Dallas Cowboy who played like a working cowboy. Not to mention he won the WAC decathlon and placed fourth in the NCAA championships. Most importantly he’s humble and down to earth.
Wardrobes that will make a clown cry! If I showed up to work wear shit like these modern guys wear.....they would commit me to the state hospital and label me a fucking looney toon!
When I was a kid a young man in my late teens I met John riggins at a service station I pulled up in my old GMC and he pulled up in a Ford maroon color said rigo on the side of it I looked at him I said John I'm a big fan but I'm not a fan of Ford he said to me well if they give you a million dollars and a new truck every year you would be a fan wouldn't you I said yes sir he was a great easy to talk to he was really just a country boy at heart
I dearly remember Our Savior, John Riggins, saving our bacon game after game. What a force! What Drive! He’ll always be a legend for RFK Stadium. Happy to see him again doing well. Very articulate speaker. He always spoke his mind. He knew his capabilities to a T. Thanks for the fantastic memories. Love #44 forever🏈🧡❤️
John Riggins and local DC sports news anchor Glenn Brenner made sports during the '80s so much fun to watch. My oldest brother, who had no interest whatsoever in sports or football, came to town and suddenly took an interest. It helped that Coach Gibbs had the team winning and Super Bowl appearances that made it that much more of a reason to pay attention, but Riggins always stole the show. What a man. I still love seeing that run against Miami in the Super Bowl when ever I feel I need an uplift. Party on John.
Anthony Brown I couldn’t agree more... I played in those days ( not the same quality play!); Riggins really did play TOUGH! He is a classic Hall of Fame member, without peer in his day. Not many ever. Watching these clips is a treat down memory lane reminding me of those days of supreme ruggedness of 🏈 football, rough and tumble‼️
It's a shame to see this position all but gone from the game of football. Although I was always a linemen, Riggins was someone I really liked to watch.
I remember that superbowl the kept showing Riggins in pregame, 9 years old I asked my dad whos that? He replied a man about to raise alot of hell tonight. R.I.P. dad.
NEVER FORGET THE TALK ME AND RIGGO HAD OUTSIDE NATS STADIUM FEW YEARS AGO, WE REALLY SHARED MOMENTS ABOUT RFK WHERE I GREW UP AROUND THE CORNER FROM, WE HAD THE GREATEST TALK EVER!!!!!! WE POPPED A BOTTLE OF CHAMPAGNE FROM HIS LIMO AND SHOOK HANDS AND HE GAVE ME AN AUTOGRAPHED JERSEY!!!!! ##44 THE DIESEL WAS THE BIZZNESS!
Old Redskins fan here, and I feel the same way about Emmitt Smith. Scared the 💩outta me, but played his heart out. Nothing but respect and admiration. Glad he’s retired. 😅
I met john at a seahawks game while hanging out afterwards with my friend john yarno ( original center for jim zorn ),riggo had always been my hero ,I saw 44 sitting in the back of a limmo and I went over shook his hand and he said he hoped I enjoyed the game and hoped the redskin s covered the point spread after they stomped Seattle ...autographed a hat for me,walked off to the team bus with a pint of scotch in his pocket and said, damn that was fun,God bless Riggo
How can you not love this guy, says exactly what's on his mind not bothering to worry about what people think, today that's frowned upon by our fragile, perpetually offended generation.
"He came to play." Man, did he ever!!! If I could sit down and have a few beers with one person, John Riggins would be that person. Can you imagine the stories he has to tell?
@@johnzablosky9099 -He has a net worth of $6 Million Dollars you stupid fucker. Which is exactly $6 Million Dollars *MORE* Than you have. Class dismissed.
It was a great privilege to grow up in DC area and be witness to Riggins' style of football; arguably one of the very best to ever have played the game.
Riggins was a workhorse! This is when there were animals in the NFL. If you notice in that clip before the game during the National Anthem he was standing proud with his right hand over his heart! I am lucky to know how real football used to be!
I remember going into Theismann‘s in Vienna Virginia, and of course I would wear my bears jacket on purpose because I knew that Riggins and Theismann would be in there. It was great fun until they were going to lift me over their head and toss me out the door. I agreed to take that off, and we all sat down and had a beer. Amazing guys.
Sean Anspach John Riggins was easily one of the top ten running backs of all time. The size of a fullback, speed of tailback, tremendous hands, excellent blocker and a nose for the ending like all the greats had. Great as a NY Jet but once he ran behind that stud line in DC, wow oh wow. BTW, I'm a long time NY Giant fan!!!
@@samyoung5964 You must be really stupid or perhaps just ignorant. Riggins was the top dog. He'd run your crack over and leave you crying in a ball.....
As a young rugby player in England and us getting some highlights of gridiron on the new free to air channel in the early 80s I loved watching Riggins and the Redskins even though he was at the back end of his career he was still a unit. He would have loved playing rugby league and the sheer brutality of man against man and no pads.
I just love the attitude. That is success, ladies and gentlemen. the attitude which encompassed way more than the mere game of football. Thank you John. Never change.
I owned a business in the Fulton fish market nyc. They always had tours coming down to walk thru the market. It was about 20 years ago, a tour is passing thru my stand. I take a double look, and low and behold, it’s Riggins. Got an autograph and a picture on my old flip phone, he was a very laid back, cool guy.
In an age when masculinity is held in such low regard, to hear someone say they emulated John Wayne is just so refreshing...gotta love Riggo...not a PC bone in his body.
@@jimhayes7594 So Jim, are you ashamed of racism? Gun violence? That the government should be able to tell a woman whether or not she can have an abortion?
@@4orrcountry Oh, leave him alone. He's probably old, nostalgic, and just spouting what fox has been beating into his head for the last 20 years. That's how things are these days - there are many decent people who've been brainwashed into believing utter lies. Confronting them isn't going to change their point of view.
To quote Don Meredith on Monday Night Football way back when.......Hi Diddle Diddle Riggins up the middle. He's my kind of guy, and that was my kind of football. We miss you John, and THANKS.
So, not that this was behind Meredith's saying. But, Don, John, and Coach Ewbank are or were all members of the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity. This is also my Fraternity, thankfully.
Great video. In the UK we first saw American Football on tv in the 1970s and as a rugby player I was fascinated. Riggins was so obviously one of the greats, along with such as Montana, Marino and Walter Payton.
I'm 55 and been a Redskins fan for 52 years probably. I absolutely loved John Riggins. I think he is the greatest Redskin of all time !!! And i can remember Billy Kilmer and Charlie Brown and many others before and after John and i think he was the best of the best
My family had season Redskin Tickets. I was at all of the playoff games in 1982, including the NFC championship “WE WANT DALLAS, WE WANT DALLAS!!!!” Still the greatest sporting event that I’ve ever been to, I’m now 57 YO. It was also the loudest and the stadium only held 55,000. RFK was rocking that day. I soooo miss those days. I was 15 years old. I still remember the smell of RFK Stadium.
John Riggins : The ONLY running back in NFL history to gain more yards rushing and score more rushing touchdowns in his 30's than in his 20's ! An amazing feat that will never be duplicated.
This was awesome. Did not expect it hold my attention the whole time like it did. Helps that he is so well spoken and so compelling to listen to. I've always been a Bears fan who adored Walter and, accordingly, loves the running game. I vividly remember Riggins' playing days fondly. One of the best RB's. He was and is a colorful character.
Eagle fan here. Mad respect for Riggo. Whole NFC east was dominant back then. This guy was an absolute beast playing on an already good Redskin team. I live in Va, Redskin territory. I tell young guys all the time, Redskins were good every year back then
@@martinalarcon3108 True. Cardinals did have Jim Hart, T Metcalf, and Roy Green. Among other greats. Roy Green was a great DB who played WR at same time.
During the time when Riggins played,the run game featured defensive players that were hard to run against. Riggins was a runner that ran at,through and over the defensive line and the linebackers. Most of the time without blocking. He was a nightmare for the defense. He was byfar one of the hardest runners to tackle(besides Earl Campbell & Jim Brown to ever play the running back position.of all times.
I remember seeing him play as a kid. An amazing sight. True grit, a throwback and a glimpse of the future both at the same time - with a charisma that only the true greats possess. A true legend.
I got into football in about 67 as a fan, I remember seeing a lot of the greats,Namath, Unitas, Brown, Payton, didn’t know I was witnessing football history, Riggins was a beast. Those were the days. 😊
I was brought-up on rooting for the Redskins! They were the team that was shown here in NC back in the day. My Dad, Redskins fan all the way, made me an instant Redskins fan. I was there whether they were winning or losing. But when Riggins came to Washington everything changed! He was the MAN back then, and he's STILL THE MAN today! They don't make-um like him anymore. And props to Gibbs for bringing him back!
I am gratified to be updated about John. Truly, God created him to be a winner. If he had to enjoy himself along the way.......that's on him. I resemble that!
When he returned years later to be inducted into the skins ring of honor and walked onto the field wearing his old uniform I remember the hair on the back of my neck raise up, goosebumps covered my body and tears filled my eyes. One of the most special moments in NFL history. This man is a treasure. A man's man. Nothing fake about him. What you saw is what you got. No flash, just talent and humility. And this time in the late 70s early 80s to me will always be the best the NFL had to offer. I'm so grateful I spent this time as a young fan before salaries and egos ruined the sport. Thanks Riggo for the memories!!!!!
6'2" 245 and ran 9.8 100 YARD (added via edit) in high school. Won state his jr and sr years. Was as big and strong as Jim Brown and probably faster. If he'd been treated like a franchise back in his 20s, REALLY been developed, with an offense built around him, he just may have been the greatest RB of all time.
Cavannaro: That IS very fast, but keep in mind it was the 100 YARD, not 100 METERS. Darrell Green was an entirely different level of speed. Riggins was extremely fast for a big man, but Green was fast for ANY man. Green once ran the 100 meter in 10.08, which would convert to a 9.2 in the 100 yard! He was clocked in the 40 at 4.4, which is right there with the fastest of the fast. My biggest regret about Riggins will always be that he spent his best physical years with the Jets, a team that just didn't provide him the environment he needed to really thrive. He still rolled off 2 1000 yard seasons, if you give him 55 yards in '72 when he missed 3 games. Then when he went to to Washington he spent his first 2 seasons as a blocking back. So his first 7 seasons in the league - which is an entire career for many RBs - he was completely under-utilized. Get this: in his 5 seasons with the Jets there was only 1 year he averaged under 4 yds per carry. He actually didn't do his best running in his 30s. He just finally got the damn ball in his 30s.
It is very rare for a running back to play so many years in the NFL as Riggins did . He wasn't exactly a Jimmy Brown but close to it and he played several more years than Brown did in his career in the NFL . Riggins must have been gifted with a toughness which correct me if wrong, he never had an injury that kept him out for the season . Like Jimmy Brown he had the speed and the power to run through or bowl over defenders . Now Larry Csonka had the power but could not break away for a longer gain
Man what a beast of a football player luved watching him run over people like a steam roller and man was he fast!! One of the greatest if not the greatest fullbacks ever played!!! Thanx John!
John Reagan's, it's always been my hero, my brother's hero in my mind. Mother's hero, God rest your soul. Even though I live between Cincinnati, Ohio and Indianapolis of all places that riggy baby was the man he is the goat. God bless you, John Riggins, and God bless your family from Indiana. The morgans
I'm a true blue Cowboy fan. But damn it l loved watching him play. Those great days to me are over. Yes, we all still love our teams. But the toughness of that era. We'll never see it again.
My brother in-law was on the 82 83 super bowl teams with this one of a kind man and football athlete and was my guy to mimic while playing in high school God Bless John Riggins and thank you
Back in the 80's my father and (really attractive) step mom went to a bar in Georgetown called The Paul Mall- known to be a Redskins hangout after games. It was really crowded and she wanted to sit. Found a lone empty barstool and walked up to the guy sitting next to it and asked "is this seat taken?". Riggins replied "baby, as long as I've got a face, you've got a place to sit"- true story!
Yeah, but Riggins wasn't having any fun. 'Cuz as everybody knows, if you can't prance around like a self-absorbed idiot after you do your job, there's no way to have any fun. At least that's what the dopes today keep telling me. Seriously though Joe, spot on.
My kids were so proud to wear #44 on there jersey from peewee through college football. My daughter proudly sported #44 playing college lacrosse. My favorite memory's are our Redskins rocking RFK stadium with John leading the charge. Fast forward to 2018 ... players don't respect the game and act like complete stooges. So freaking tired of every Sunday as we watch some shmo do an X-rated TD celebration when there teams down by two TDs ...Much respect #44 !
@Matt Beeman -Get out of town. It starts with Jim Brown, Walter Payton and Barry Sanders. Those are the 3 best. Period. And, I put Riggins in squarely at #4. Emmitt has the records (& he was great), but a lot of his success was a product of the system he was in and the teammates around him. I won't necessarily knock him out of the Top-5, because I respect his durability and the all-time rushing mark that he holds. But, when it gets down to "the eyeball test", yeah, there's more than 5 backs (including Riggins) that I'd put ahead of Emmitt. As for Campbell? I love the dude. And yeah, he's one of those backs that I'd put ahead of Emmitt with regards to "the eyeball test". But, no bro. Campbell wasn't better than Riggins. Not in any, way, shape or form. Riggins CARRIED his team on his back. Everyone knew that he pulled the Redskins' wagon. Stop Riggins and the Redskins are toast. Yet, no one could stop him and he CARRIED his team to a Superbowl victory. All while leading "The 5 O'Clock Club". Dude, Riggins has a strong case that he's not only one of the Top-5 running backs in NFL history, but one of the Top-5 PLAYERS of All-Time! Remember, he played back when the game was REAL!
5 ปีที่แล้ว +12
14:50 The Great #44 Singing & STANDING with his hand over his Heart for The National Anthem. Those WERE the days in The NFL when it WAS a Great American Sport.
Yea what a contrast to those sissy millionaires that decided take a knee last year. Riggins would have had twice he yardage against those pussys. He was EXCITING!! What a player...
@@williamprice2677 NFL NBA MLB = have been infiltrated with the woke BULLSHIT of anti-USA lies & hypocrisy. ALL aspects of American life are being invaded by all of the various anti-USA BS lies and hypocrisy. American Patriots will hault that invasion.
I was in RFK for the Vikings '82 playoff. When the Diesel horn made its debut. Riggins single-handed demolished the Vikes. 37 carries, 180 yards. They took him out early to great applause. We were all screaming. The stands in my section were jumping up and down, literally moving so much that beer was flying everywhere. So, Riggins paused for 15 seconds on the sidelines. The game is ready to start again. But he comes strolling SLOWLY out to the center of the field. He takes four deep bows on every point of the compass. Strolls off in slow motion. The loudest cheering in history of sports. I still get goosebumps. One final thing -- the Hogs and Joe Bugel. What a great team, coaches, GM, and best owner in the history of NFL. Watch this -- taylorblitztimes.com/tag/john-riggins-bow/
supreme badass. perhaps the most amazing thing was that this huge bruiser would run away from defensive backs once he got into the secondary. so much fun to watch as a young skins fan.
@@johnre3991 if you are talking program listing, those numbers were always bull. Joe Jacoby was listed at 290-295. Actually tipped the scales at more like 305-310. Back then 300lb lineman were rare and considered fat and slow. Big difference in today's game. Riggo and all the Hogs were BIG boys. Smallest of the bunch was Mark May. Had to turn to get through a door but had a waist about 36". And he was a fullback/ halfback in high school doing the Riggo drill on poor unfortunate high school kids half his size. When he got to Pitt, coach said, young man, you're a lineman. Won the Outland trophy at Pitt. This was the caliber of line Riggo was running behind. Counter trey all day. Still being utilized to this day. Think Gary Kubiak and his run zone offense. I could run behind that for some gain! But with Riggo it was speed and size, but also power. When he hit the hole, if you were in his way, you weren't there for long. His ability to just knock defensive players down was amazing. Think McDonald from Pittsburgh sitting that D back down, but every play! So much fun to watch.
Michael Downey actually the center Jeff bostic was the lightest. I'm not going by program listings. John Madden used to always say 240 lbs and even Madden used to exaggerate than. u can see riggens body type he would have been a little fat at 250 at 6'2". his legs were not extra big like Earl campell who at 5'11'' weighed 230. the only rb in the league over 250 than was Pete Johnson of cinncinnati. the program had riggins listed at 230 but he was a little bigger than that but not 250. either way he was very fast for his weight but in 1983 he started to slow down a little with all those carries he had in the Redskins big year when they were 14-2. riggins was a freak at 34 but one of the reasons he was so good at an old age was because he wasn't burnt out at an early age. he didn't carry the ball much when he was younger and even took a year off in 1980. guys like Campbell and Dickerson carried the ball nearly 400 times in their first few years. riggins claim to fame was 1982 playoffs where he gained about 640 yds in the playoffs in 4 games to SB mvp. other great similar playoffs was Marcus Allen in 83 and Terrell Davis in 97.
John Riggins, is the main reason that I'm a Redskins fan! I started watching Football in 82. everyone I knew, wondered why I wasn't an Eagles fan, being I lived in South Jersey, which is well within the Phila. fan area. They sucked back then and when I saw Redskins games, I was in awe of Riggins, the way he would bulldoze through everyone! Other great running backs will come along but there will never be another "Diesel"! Thank you Riggo!
Grew up loving this guy. Dad is from the east coast and all I ever heard about was the Steelers, Redskins, Eagles, and Giants. I’m a Packers fan but they just don’t make football players like this anymore! Football has gotten soft and getting even softer. My love for football came from it’s intensity and hard play. I tried to mold myself after the greats but the softness of football today is ruining the game I love so much.
Because of the strike during the '82 season, the playoffs had to be reconfigured. It was 3 rounds per conference for seeds 1 through 8 (Redskins were 1 in the NFC), so nobody got a bye week and the Super Bowl was the following week after the NFC / AFC title games. So in 4 post-season games in 4 consecutive weeks, Riggins ran for over 600 yards. That was just a ridiculously sick stat, not to mention getting 30-plus carries per game. And this on the wrong side of 30 for a running back.
I suppose you don't know Tommy Lee Jones. Just to fill you in...Tommy Lee Jones is a for sure Prick from San Saba Texas. Thats fact. Hell of an actor for damn sure
The 80s were our decade. I remember when Gibbs took over we were at the bottom and slowly rose to champions. Art monk Darrel Green charlie Brown alvin garret monte coleman etc great times at RFK
What a great quote, "I came to play." Fantastic ability and its accompanying cockiness without being inflated. I've always thought he has a great perspective on life. When I served at an upscale place in DC, he showed up for Friday happy hour - dressed like a dream, fancy suit. He was with a friend and tried to chat up some gal at the bar - she wasn't interested so he sat back down with his friend. My puny boss tapped him on the shoulder and told him to cool off - he did. Then he stood up and walked out quickly. All I could think was Damn, he's awesome!
I've been watching football for over 50 years and Riggins was always one of my favorite RBs. When he got to the endzone, he acted as though he'd been there before. I like that.
I wasn’t a big football fan but I remember my brother’s and Dad watching football and hearing them talk about Riggins. Explains why I’m now watching this video. I’m surprised myself!
I watch this daily for inspiration. Incredibly gifted with talent and the smarts to make the most. And the shots of him smiling with his helmet on - so genial and contagious confidence, and gratefulness.
It was that 3-season stretch from '82-84 that did it. And when he retired he was only 1 of 4 players with more than 11,000 yards rushing. Brown, Harris, and Simpson being the only others at that time. He's still in the top-20 now all time. Pretty amazing considering he's been retired more than 3 decades.
@@bwiser5206 What can you say? When George Blanda was cut from the Bears in 1959, George Halas told him that there was nothing more he was going to accomplish as a professional football player.
I was a member of the 1984 Ansonia Coppers in the Pop Warner Super Bowl. To take John one step further. 80,000, 8,000, 800. Being on that field and feeling that crowd roar, GLORIOUS!!!
😫 I was a 17yo kid who had been a find fan since '72. Riggins' TD run just killed me . Both my brothers was redskins fans 😖. But after watching this , almost 50yrs later , I will say ... I too am a Riggins fan 👍
RIGGO!!!
Thanks for your beautiful post. Such great memories
❤
I never saw a guy run like Riggins. He was a freaking battering ram! He could run at full speed with his head down and just blast his way through the line. It usually took three or four guys to get him down. Just a tough farm boy that loved football.
Riggins was a showman off the field, but on the field he was all business. No trash-talking, no flashy celebrations, just another day at the office.
but he did have an afro, and a permanent tan... (wink).
I remember on local news in DC, they talked about first day of training camp Riggins arrived riding in the back of a pick up. Those were the days!
That's why people like myself can't connect with the modern day NFL player anymore..Now they come to training camp in limos or driving Lamborghinis and Rolls-Royces.
@@MegaSammy70Well said. That’s why one of my all time players in Jay Novacek. A Nebraska cowboy, Wyoming Cowboy, and a Dallas Cowboy who played like a working cowboy. Not to mention he won the WAC decathlon and placed fourth in the NCAA championships. Most importantly he’s humble and down to earth.
Wardrobes that will make a clown cry! If I showed up to work wear shit like these modern guys wear.....they would commit me to the state hospital and label me a fucking looney toon!
When I was a kid a young man in my late teens I met John riggins at a service station I pulled up in my old GMC and he pulled up in a Ford maroon color said rigo on the side of it I looked at him I said John I'm a big fan but I'm not a fan of Ford he said to me well if they give you a million dollars and a new truck every year you would be a fan wouldn't you I said yes sir he was a great easy to talk to he was really just a country boy at heart
"The heart of a Viking, the faith of a child"....Riggo is the BEST EVER!
He was a handful, but as a Cowboys fan, he scared the daylights out of us. Great insight interview. Quite entertaining.
Really
Hated him. Like him now.
PLAYOFF GAME RIGGINS COULDNT BE STOPPED, MINUS HIM WHITE WOULD HAVE PREVAILED..
Jim Brown, Earl Campbell and John Riggins the true powerhouse running backs that made the game exciting to watch.
Riggins was good but not in the same category as Brown and Campbell.
Can we put Larry Csonka in there?
yeah why not, in his prime Csonka was a beast!
Created his own
Riggins was Csonka w/ speed.
I dearly remember Our Savior, John Riggins, saving our bacon game after game. What a force! What Drive! He’ll always be a legend for RFK Stadium. Happy to see him again doing well. Very articulate speaker. He always spoke his mind. He knew his capabilities to a T. Thanks for the fantastic memories. Love #44 forever🏈🧡❤️
He was an arrogant prick
🎉
John Riggins and local DC sports news anchor Glenn Brenner made sports during the '80s so much fun to watch. My oldest brother, who had no interest whatsoever in sports or football, came to town and suddenly took an interest. It helped that Coach Gibbs had the team winning and Super Bowl appearances that made it that much more of a reason to pay attention, but Riggins always stole the show. What a man. I still love seeing that run against Miami in the Super Bowl when ever I feel I need an uplift. Party on John.
This type of football is dead. I'm glad to say it was the type of football I was raised on.
Anthony Brown I couldn’t agree more... I played in those days ( not the same quality play!); Riggins
really did play TOUGH! He is a classic Hall of Fame member, without peer in his day. Not many ever.
Watching these clips is a treat down memory lane reminding me of those days of supreme ruggedness
of 🏈 football, rough and tumble‼️
Anthony Brown
Well said. Those days and those kinds of men are few & far between.
It's a shame to see this position all but gone from the game of football. Although I was always a linemen, Riggins was someone I really liked to watch.
Tarry Birdshark a true workhorse as they called them
Absolutely all they do now is cry and don't play
I remember that superbowl the kept showing Riggins in pregame, 9 years old I asked my dad whos that? He replied a man about to raise alot of hell tonight. R.I.P. dad.
LMAO That's hilarious.May your dad RIP
That’s an awesome story.
The one where they whooped Miami? Good game and good story man.
Jim Watson same to you, thanks bro, and sorry for your loss. Real fathers are the shit.
Stone Love Amen
God Almighty I miss these days!!! I want them back!!! I want another John Riggins. Sadly there’ll never be another one like him.
“Heyyy...I’m bored, I’m broke, and I’m back!”...that was # 44 alright!
NEVER FORGET THE TALK ME AND RIGGO HAD OUTSIDE NATS STADIUM FEW YEARS AGO, WE REALLY SHARED MOMENTS ABOUT RFK WHERE I GREW UP AROUND THE CORNER FROM, WE HAD THE GREATEST TALK EVER!!!!!! WE POPPED A BOTTLE OF CHAMPAGNE FROM HIS LIMO AND SHOOK HANDS AND HE GAVE ME AN AUTOGRAPHED JERSEY!!!!! ##44 THE DIESEL WAS THE BIZZNESS!
I'm Cowboys fans, but Riggins was a Beast, Very Cool Dude!!!
first player in nfl with the mohawk
Ditto from a Raiders fan...
marcus rodgers same here,but one of my all time favorite players.football at its best.he never went backwards.
Old Redskins fan here, and I feel the same way about Emmitt Smith. Scared the 💩outta me, but played his heart out. Nothing but respect and admiration. Glad he’s retired. 😅
When a man says give me the ball... and delivers... you just keep giving him the damn ball.
One of the greatest REDSKINS, hard to find a cocky yet likable human you must be a natural badass HAIL!! DIESEL
I was born and raised in DC. He is my favorite redskins player ever been a Washington fan for 54 years. Hard to pick 1 player but he’s mine
My mother let out the most primal grunt I’ve ever heard when Riggins broke that tackle on the 43 yard TD in SB XVII.. lol.. What a moment..
I met john at a seahawks game while hanging out afterwards with my friend john yarno ( original center for jim zorn ),riggo had always been my hero ,I saw 44 sitting in the back of a limmo and I went over shook his hand and he said he hoped I enjoyed the game and hoped the redskin s covered the point spread after they stomped Seattle ...autographed a hat for me,walked off to the team bus with a pint of scotch in his pocket and said, damn that was fun,God bless Riggo
He's one of the most underrated running backs of all time
Great football player!
That was one of the best sports interviews ever. John Riggins was and is "The Most Interesting Man In The World".
How can you not love this guy, says exactly what's on his mind not bothering to worry about what people think, today that's frowned upon by our fragile, perpetually offended generation.
"He came to play." Man, did he ever!!! If I could sit down and have a few beers with one person, John Riggins would be that person. Can you imagine the stories he has to tell?
You still could.I see his net worth is virtually invisible.If they send a monetary collection for him..count me in.
@@johnzablosky9099 -He has a net worth of $6 Million Dollars you stupid fucker. Which is exactly $6 Million Dollars *MORE* Than you have. Class dismissed.
He use to ABUSE my DALLAS COWBOYS TEAMS DEFENSE DRAGGGING 2 OR 3,4 GUYS. TOM LANDRY on the sideline STOICLY LOOKING WITH NO ANSWERS FOR HOGS AND 44.
@@robertdudley3398 I can't see anyone surpassing that Riggins' playoff run.. including winning the Super Bowl and being named the MVP!!!
It was a great privilege to grow up in DC area and be witness to Riggins' style of football; arguably one of the very best to ever have played the game.
Riggins was a workhorse! This is when there were animals in the NFL. If you notice in that clip before the game during the National Anthem he was standing proud with his right hand over his heart! I am lucky to know how real football used to be!
one of the best backs in NFL. Great guy
Essence of football. John Riggins
The diesel no44
That's Right !
I remember going into Theismann‘s in Vienna Virginia, and of course I would wear my bears jacket on purpose because I knew that Riggins and Theismann would be in there. It was great fun until they were going to lift me over their head and toss me out the door. I agreed to take that off, and we all sat down and had a beer. Amazing guys.
If they were so amazing guys why did they try and throw you out on the restaraunt?
@@24quorthonschuldiner62oh, you're that guy.
"His eyes." Perfect. A musician needs to rely on his ear. A running back needs to use his eyes.
Kansas boy here had a . Few beers with him... man the stories and what at stud. So fast and powerful
This guy's the real deal!!!!! Domination, and a wild spirit. Get some.
Sean Anspach John Riggins was easily one of the top ten running backs of all time. The size of a fullback, speed of tailback, tremendous hands, excellent blocker and a nose for the ending like all the greats had. Great as a NY Jet but once he ran behind that stud line in DC, wow oh wow. BTW, I'm a long time NY Giant fan!!!
I wrote End Zone , not ending.
Oh please. Stick to Checkers, you obviously KNOW NOTHING about Pro Football !!!
@@samyoung5964 You must be really stupid or perhaps just ignorant. Riggins was the top dog. He'd run your crack over and leave you crying in a ball.....
As a young rugby player in England and us getting some highlights of gridiron on the new free to air channel in the early 80s I loved watching Riggins and the Redskins even though he was at the back end of his career he was still a unit. He would have loved playing rugby league and the sheer brutality of man against man and no pads.
he certainly had the physique and cavalier spirit to play rugby so i can see him doing it
I just love the attitude. That is success, ladies and gentlemen. the attitude which encompassed way more than the mere game of football. Thank you John. Never change.
I grew up watching this man play John Riggins is one of the all-time great backs in the NFL by far
I owned a business in the Fulton fish market nyc. They always had tours coming down to walk thru the market. It was about 20 years ago, a tour is passing thru my stand. I take a double look, and low and behold, it’s Riggins. Got an autograph and a picture on my old flip phone, he was a very laid back, cool guy.
John Riggins size, speed, strength n tenacity r like no other. He n Dick Butkus n Gale Sayers r my nfl favorites.
My brother and I used to fight over who got to be Riggins playing football in the neighborhood....
Good stuff... Hahaha
My cousin Frank and I did the same...we used to flipped that quarter many times.
Stupid ha ha
In an age when masculinity is held in such low regard, to hear someone say they emulated John Wayne is just so refreshing...gotta love Riggo...not a PC bone in his body.
@@jimhayes7594 So Jim, are you ashamed of racism? Gun violence? That the government should be able to tell a woman whether or not she can have an abortion?
@@4orrcountry Oh, leave him alone. He's probably old, nostalgic, and just spouting what fox has been beating into his head for the last 20 years. That's how things are these days - there are many decent people who've been brainwashed into believing utter lies. Confronting them isn't going to change their point of view.
This is about hard nosed football
To quote Don Meredith on Monday Night Football way back when.......Hi Diddle Diddle Riggins up the middle. He's my kind of guy, and that was my kind of football. We miss you John, and THANKS.
So, not that this was behind Meredith's saying. But, Don, John, and Coach Ewbank are or were all members of the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity. This is also my Fraternity, thankfully.
@@drewber565 Pretty good company, I'd say.
Great video. In the UK we first saw American Football on tv in the 1970s and as a rugby player I was fascinated. Riggins was so obviously one of the greats, along with such as Montana, Marino and Walter Payton.
I'm 55 and been a Redskins fan for 52 years probably. I absolutely loved John Riggins. I think he is the greatest Redskin of all time !!! And i can remember Billy Kilmer and Charlie Brown and many others before and after John and i think he was the best of the best
6'2 244 and ran like a halfback. He was a tru bulldozer with speed. I remember how he and the Redskins owned the Dolphins in the Super Bowl.
Robert bishop imagine defensive backs reaction after underestimating his speed
Kevin Prima I'm sure the native American blood in him didn't hurt
@Kevin Prima THEY ATE 000000 NO SOOOOOYYY...
rock n roll he ain’t Native American?
ESPN
The Diesel! RFK used to shake back in those days. \m/
LITERALLY!😂
He was one of the greatest running backs in DC History , i was born and raised in DC , dude was a killa on the field and one toughest to bring down.
Definitely, I'd put Larry Brown in there to.
me too Larry Brown did not have the Hogs and was hampered by George Allen who was a defensive coach. Never used Sonny to his fullest potential
I played basketball at Kansas while John played football. He was just like this at KU.
Greatest running back ever, never had a chance to show his skills when he was younger. I remember nobody wanted to tackle him.
My family had season Redskin Tickets. I was at all of the playoff games in 1982, including the NFC championship “WE WANT DALLAS, WE WANT DALLAS!!!!” Still the greatest sporting event that I’ve ever been to, I’m now 57 YO. It was also the loudest and the stadium only held 55,000. RFK was rocking that day. I soooo miss those days. I was 15 years old. I still remember the smell of RFK Stadium.
John Riggins : The ONLY running back in NFL history to gain more yards rushing and score more rushing touchdowns in his 30's than in his 20's ! An amazing feat that will never be duplicated.
This was awesome. Did not expect it hold my attention the whole time like it did. Helps that he is so well spoken and so compelling to listen to. I've always been a Bears fan who adored Walter and, accordingly, loves the running game. I vividly remember Riggins' playing days fondly. One of the best RB's. He was and is a colorful character.
Yep... was funny from tip off
One of the best I have ever seen play.
Even an Eagles fan my whole life but this guy was just the best. So fun to watch
All NFC East teams were good except for the St. Louis cardinals
Eagle fan here. Mad respect for Riggo. Whole NFC east was dominant back then. This guy was an absolute beast playing on an already good Redskin team. I live in Va, Redskin territory. I tell young guys all the time, Redskins were good every year back then
@@martinalarcon3108 True. Cardinals did have Jim Hart, T Metcalf, and Roy Green. Among other greats. Roy Green was a great DB who played WR at same time.
During the time when Riggins played,the run game featured defensive players that were hard to run against. Riggins was a runner that ran at,through and over the defensive line and the linebackers. Most of the time without blocking. He was a nightmare for the defense. He was byfar one of the hardest runners to tackle(besides Earl Campbell & Jim Brown to ever play the running back position.of all times.
I remember seeing him play as a kid. An amazing sight. True grit, a throwback and a glimpse of the future both at the same time - with a charisma that only the true greats possess. A true legend.
I got into football in about 67 as a fan, I remember seeing a lot of the greats,Namath, Unitas, Brown, Payton, didn’t know I was witnessing football history, Riggins was a beast. Those were the days. 😊
I was brought-up on rooting for the Redskins! They were the team that was shown here in NC back in the day. My Dad, Redskins fan all the way, made me an instant Redskins fan. I was there whether they were winning or losing. But when Riggins came to Washington everything changed! He was the MAN back then, and he's STILL THE MAN today! They don't make-um like him anymore. And props to Gibbs for bringing him back!
I am gratified to be updated about John. Truly, God created him to be a winner. If he had to enjoy himself along the way.......that's on him. I resemble that!
He truly was one of the greats.
His highlights are better than a complete season now.
When he returned years later to be inducted into the skins ring of honor and walked onto the field wearing his old uniform I remember the hair on the back of my neck raise up, goosebumps covered my body and tears filled my eyes. One of the most special moments in NFL history. This man is a treasure. A man's man. Nothing fake about him. What you saw is what you got. No flash, just talent and humility. And this time in the late 70s early 80s to me will always be the best the NFL had to offer. I'm so grateful I spent this time as a young fan before salaries and egos ruined the sport. Thanks Riggo for the memories!!!!!
6'2" 245 and ran 9.8 100 YARD (added via edit) in high school. Won state his jr and sr years. Was as big and strong as Jim Brown and probably faster. If he'd been treated like a franchise back in his 20s, REALLY been developed, with an offense built around him, he just may have been the greatest RB of all time.
Had the Skins had him from day one he may have been
Jake Mitchell 9.8?! Man, that’s fast. Any idea how quick Darrell Green was?
Those were great days to be a Skins fan.
Cavannaro: That IS very fast, but keep in mind it was the 100 YARD, not 100 METERS. Darrell Green was an entirely different level of speed. Riggins was extremely fast for a big man, but Green was fast for ANY man. Green once ran the 100 meter in 10.08, which would convert to a 9.2 in the 100 yard! He was clocked in the 40 at 4.4, which is right there with the fastest of the fast. My biggest regret about Riggins will always be that he spent his best physical years with the Jets, a team that just didn't provide him the environment he needed to really thrive. He still rolled off 2 1000 yard seasons, if you give him 55 yards in '72 when he missed 3 games. Then when he went to to Washington he spent his first 2 seasons as a blocking back. So his first 7 seasons in the league - which is an entire career for many RBs - he was completely under-utilized. Get this: in his 5 seasons with the Jets there was only 1 year he averaged under 4 yds per carry. He actually didn't do his best running in his 30s. He just finally got the damn ball in his 30s.
That's yards. Meters is 10.3. That's good for 8th place against world class sprinters
Jake Mitchell green ran a 4.2 40. not a 4.4.
This is the kind of football I grew up on. Great to be of this era. Real football at it's best.
It is very rare for a running back to play so many years in the NFL as Riggins did . He wasn't exactly a Jimmy Brown but close to it and he played several more years than Brown did in his career in the NFL . Riggins must have been gifted with a toughness which correct me if wrong, he never had an injury that kept him out for the season . Like Jimmy Brown he had the speed and the power to run through or bowl over defenders . Now Larry Csonka had the power but could not break away for a longer gain
"Jimmy"? Wtf...NOBODY called him that.
Started watching in 1987 so I missed out on Riggins. So glad I got to watch this special.
A superb athlete and tremendous competitor, I remember watching John Riggins when I was a boy and marveling at his abilities.
Miss that era of football I grew up with. I miss Sabol and how great those NFL Films were. It's why I still love this game to this day.
Man what a beast of a football player luved watching him run over people like a steam roller and man was he fast!! One of the greatest if not the greatest fullbacks ever played!!! Thanx John!
John Reagan's, it's always been my hero, my brother's hero in my mind. Mother's hero, God rest your soul. Even though I live between Cincinnati, Ohio and Indianapolis of all places that riggy baby was the man he is the goat. God bless you, John Riggins, and God bless your family from Indiana. The morgans
Clicked to see what this clip was all about. Watched the WHOLE DANG THING! So glad i grew up in those years.
I'm a true blue Cowboy fan.
But damn it l loved watching him play.
Those great days to me are over.
Yes, we all still love our teams.
But the toughness of that era. We'll never see it again.
I will always cherish the years I watched Riggo as a long time Skins fan... Thanks Diesel...
My brother in-law was on the 82 83 super bowl teams with this one of a kind man and football athlete and was my guy to mimic while playing in high school God Bless John Riggins and thank you
Man that brought back memories...
Back in the 80's my father and (really attractive) step mom went to a bar in Georgetown called The Paul Mall- known to be a Redskins hangout after games. It was really crowded and she wanted to sit. Found a lone empty barstool and walked up to the guy sitting next to it and asked "is this seat taken?". Riggins replied "baby, as long as I've got a face, you've got a place to sit"- true story!
Nice story
Hell yea !! 👊
Mind if I use that?
: Can’t buy class, eh?
I first heard that line from Johnny the P in 1978. It's a classic and can be used at weddings and bar mitzvahs.
Class act. Never celebrated a TD, he just flipped the ball to the referee. Miss the days before stupid celebrations.
Joe Foster I agreed with you 101% ... Now they celebrate alike SOB CLOWNS
You must really miss ol' Neon Deon. Haha NOT. Remember that dude Dion Sanders?
Yeah, but Riggins wasn't having any fun. 'Cuz as everybody knows, if you can't prance around like a self-absorbed idiot after you do your job, there's no way to have any fun. At least that's what the dopes today keep telling me.
Seriously though Joe, spot on.
My kids were so proud to wear #44 on there jersey from peewee through college football. My daughter proudly sported #44 playing college lacrosse. My favorite memory's are our Redskins rocking RFK stadium with John leading the charge. Fast forward to 2018 ... players don't respect the game and act like complete stooges. So freaking tired of every Sunday as we watch some shmo do an X-rated TD celebration when there teams down by two TDs ...Much respect #44 !
I never minded stuff like Favre jumping on his teammates or Emmit taking a knee but I agree the celebrations today are ridiculous.
Pure joy to watch and listen to. What an authentic and incredible character and talent! Makes me want to see him live on stage.
I remember being a kid - and a Packers fan - watching this guy was fun. Marshawn Lynch is and never was John Riggins. This guy was a REAL beast.
Jeffrey Foj I wouldn't say that but John was a hell of a person and player.
Jeffrey Foj I totally agree.. people make a fuss about Lynch but I'll take Riggins ,Earl Campbell, and Larry Czonka any day
Kevin Prima nobody did in that era
@Kevin Prima Really Kevin?, Peaple are here enjoying the Great career of John Riggins and you had to mess it up with Racism? Way to go Wet Blanket!
Nahh john riggins was diesel he got his own name
Without any doubt, Riggins is one of the Top 5 running backs in NFL history!
Thats some good crack you're smoking
@@muckmire3716 😂😂😂
#1 white back
@Matt Beeman damn right good list riggins maybe a top 10 or 20.
@Matt Beeman -Get out of town. It starts with Jim Brown, Walter Payton and Barry Sanders. Those are the 3 best. Period. And, I put Riggins in squarely at #4. Emmitt has the records (& he was great), but a lot of his success was a product of the system he was in and the teammates around him. I won't necessarily knock him out of the Top-5, because I respect his durability and the all-time rushing mark that he holds. But, when it gets down to "the eyeball test", yeah, there's more than 5 backs (including Riggins) that I'd put ahead of Emmitt. As for Campbell? I love the dude. And yeah, he's one of those backs that I'd put ahead of Emmitt with regards to "the eyeball test". But, no bro. Campbell wasn't better than Riggins. Not in any, way, shape or form. Riggins CARRIED his team on his back. Everyone knew that he pulled the Redskins' wagon. Stop Riggins and the Redskins are toast. Yet, no one could stop him and he CARRIED his team to a Superbowl victory. All while leading "The 5 O'Clock Club". Dude, Riggins has a strong case that he's not only one of the Top-5 running backs in NFL history, but one of the Top-5 PLAYERS of All-Time! Remember, he played back when the game was REAL!
14:50 The Great #44 Singing & STANDING with his hand over his Heart for The National Anthem. Those WERE the days in The NFL when it WAS a Great American Sport.
Yea what a contrast to those sissy millionaires that decided take a knee last year. Riggins would have had twice he yardage against those pussys. He was EXCITING!! What a player...
Give him the ball.
@@williamprice2677 NFL NBA MLB = have been infiltrated with the woke BULLSHIT of anti-USA lies & hypocrisy. ALL aspects of American life are being invaded by all of the various anti-USA BS lies and hypocrisy. American Patriots will hault that invasion.
Die hard Cowboy fan here but loved John Riggins. The man is a football legend. Tough as nails.
Inspire with Douglas Boyd .same here but Riggo was something else you watched in awe.
wow. thrilling to hear a star of his caliber who has a lucid, well functioning brain.
very impressive man.
The "Diesel". One bad running back #44
redskin 4ever - I’m a Dolphins fan and hated when he ran over us in the Super Bowl, but he was great!
I was in RFK for the Vikings '82 playoff. When the Diesel horn made its debut. Riggins single-handed demolished the Vikes. 37 carries, 180 yards. They took him out early to great applause. We were all screaming. The stands in my section were jumping up and down, literally moving so much that beer was flying everywhere. So, Riggins paused for 15 seconds on the sidelines. The game is ready to start again. But he comes strolling SLOWLY out to the center of the field. He takes four deep bows on every point of the compass. Strolls off in slow motion. The loudest cheering in history of sports. I still get goosebumps. One final thing -- the Hogs and Joe Bugel. What a great team, coaches, GM, and best owner in the history of NFL. Watch this -- taylorblitztimes.com/tag/john-riggins-bow/
@@HAL9007 Great stuff, Hoyt.
supreme badass. perhaps the most amazing thing was that this huge bruiser would run away from defensive backs once he got into the secondary. so much fun to watch as a young skins fan.
thats what made him so unique...he was a 250+lb former sprint champ... kinda rare lol.
85passthru actually 235 -240
Kevin Prima he was not 250. he was 235. maybe 240 at the end of his career still very fast for a big man.
@@johnre3991 if you are talking program listing, those numbers were always bull. Joe Jacoby was listed at 290-295. Actually tipped the scales at more like 305-310. Back then 300lb lineman were rare and considered fat and slow. Big difference in today's game. Riggo and all the Hogs were BIG boys. Smallest of the bunch was Mark May. Had to turn to get through a door but had a waist about 36". And he was a fullback/ halfback in high school doing the Riggo drill on poor unfortunate high school kids half his size. When he got to Pitt, coach said, young man, you're a lineman. Won the Outland trophy at Pitt. This was the caliber of line Riggo was running behind. Counter trey all day. Still being utilized to this day. Think Gary Kubiak and his run zone offense. I could run behind that for some gain! But with Riggo it was speed and size, but also power. When he hit the hole, if you were in his way, you weren't there for long. His ability to just knock defensive players down was amazing. Think McDonald from Pittsburgh sitting that D back down, but every play! So much fun to watch.
Michael Downey actually the center Jeff bostic was the lightest. I'm not going by program listings. John Madden used to always say 240 lbs and even Madden used to exaggerate than. u can see riggens body type he would have been a little fat at 250 at 6'2". his legs were not extra big like Earl campell who at 5'11'' weighed 230. the only rb in the league over 250 than was Pete Johnson of cinncinnati. the program had riggins listed at 230 but he was a little bigger than that but not 250. either way he was very fast for his weight but in 1983 he started to slow down a little with all those carries he had in the Redskins big year when they were 14-2. riggins was a freak at 34 but one of the reasons he was so good at an old age was because he wasn't burnt out at an early age. he didn't carry the ball much when he was younger and even took a year off in 1980. guys like Campbell and Dickerson carried the ball nearly 400 times in their first few years. riggins claim to fame was 1982 playoffs where he gained about 640 yds in the playoffs in 4 games to SB mvp. other great similar playoffs was Marcus Allen in 83 and Terrell Davis in 97.
I had forgotten just how fast he was.
JOHNNYL1 9.8 second 100 YARD dash
John Riggins, is the main reason that I'm a Redskins fan! I started watching Football in 82. everyone I knew, wondered why I wasn't an Eagles fan, being I lived in South Jersey, which is well within the Phila. fan area. They sucked back then and when I saw Redskins games, I was in awe of Riggins, the way he would bulldoze through everyone! Other great running backs will come along but there will never be another "Diesel"! Thank you Riggo!
One of my favorite backs. Loved to watch him run and mow down people. Deceptive speed. The kind of guy you'd love to have a beer with. Good guy!
Grew up loving this guy. Dad is from the east coast and all I ever heard about was the Steelers, Redskins, Eagles, and Giants. I’m a Packers fan but they just don’t make football players like this anymore! Football has gotten soft and getting even softer. My love for football came from it’s intensity and hard play. I tried to mold myself after the greats but the softness of football today is ruining the game I love so much.
Yup- they ruined Football. Media is to blame and those who never knew the sport.SAD.
Because of the strike during the '82 season, the playoffs had to be reconfigured. It was 3 rounds per conference for seeds 1 through 8 (Redskins were 1 in the NFC), so nobody got a bye week and the Super Bowl was the following week after the NFC / AFC title games. So in 4 post-season games in 4 consecutive weeks, Riggins ran for over 600 yards. That was just a ridiculously sick stat, not to mention getting 30-plus carries per game. And this on the wrong side of 30 for a running back.
John Riggins always had a Tommy Lee Jones quality to him: I thought. He sounded a lot like Tommy Lee to me.
I suppose you don't know Tommy Lee Jones. Just to fill you in...Tommy Lee Jones is a for sure Prick from San Saba Texas. Thats fact. Hell of an actor for damn sure
That would be an insult to John Riggins.
@@ProudMasterMason an insult and praise in one paragraph
Back when football was football....
COWBOY fan here- and I got to admit- Riggo was really good.
yes sir, and men were men and you didn't question them
The Riggo Express
Man, for a 'skins fan he's always been the best
No 44
Damn he was awesome
The 80s were our decade. I remember when Gibbs took over we were at the bottom and slowly rose to champions. Art monk Darrel Green charlie Brown alvin garret monte coleman etc great times at RFK
Giants/Jets fan here. He made me root for the Redskins that year!
A fantasy football alltime great.
What a great quote, "I came to play." Fantastic ability and its accompanying cockiness without being inflated. I've always thought he has a great perspective on life. When I served at an upscale place in DC, he showed up for Friday happy hour - dressed like a dream, fancy suit. He was with a friend and tried to chat up some gal at the bar - she wasn't interested so he sat back down with his friend. My puny boss tapped him on the shoulder and told him to cool off - he did. Then he stood up and walked out quickly. All I could think was Damn, he's awesome!
Art Monk was a QB's dream!
I've been watching football for over 50 years and Riggins was always one of my favorite RBs.
When he got to the endzone, he acted as though he'd been there before. I like that.
RIP Steve Sabol. Is there a 3rd-generation Sabol? Those guys with NFL Films were the best.
I was assigned to work for Steve at the Texas Jam in 1978. He couldn't have been more generous and humble.
Well said!
His films have so much pathos and emotions. I cry often watching these.
Sabol definitely did a great job with the nfl films, for sure
Harry Mills Yes there is a new STEVE SABOL say hello to GREG COSELL he is the nephew of Howard Cosell.
I wasn’t a big football fan but I remember my brother’s and Dad watching football and hearing them talk about Riggins.
Explains why I’m now watching this video. I’m surprised myself!
Loved watching that guy play... running down the sideline with three defenders hanging onto him.
I watch this daily for inspiration. Incredibly gifted with talent and the smarts to make the most. And the shots of him smiling with his helmet on - so genial and contagious confidence, and gratefulness.
It's amazing that Riggins made the HOF considering all the bad teams and thick-headed coaches he played for. Finally, Joe Gibbs.
it's actually comical. So George Allen is a "great coach" and this
genius used Riggins as a blocking back.
George Allen was Ronald Reagan's doppelganger. @@bwiser5206
It was that 3-season stretch from '82-84 that did it. And when he retired he was only 1 of 4 players with more than 11,000 yards rushing. Brown, Harris, and Simpson being the only others at that time. He's still in the top-20 now all time. Pretty amazing considering he's been retired more than 3 decades.
@@bwiser5206 What can you say? When George Blanda was cut from the Bears in 1959, George Halas told him that there was nothing more he was going to accomplish as a professional football player.
A perfect example of how there are really no true busts, just coaching errors.
I was a member of the 1984 Ansonia Coppers in the Pop Warner Super Bowl. To take John one step further. 80,000, 8,000, 800. Being on that field and feeling that crowd roar, GLORIOUS!!!
That Super Bowl TD run was one of the happiest moments of my life! I was so happy for my beloved Redskins!
😫 I was a 17yo kid who had been a find fan since '72. Riggins' TD run just killed me . Both my brothers was redskins fans 😖. But after watching this , almost 50yrs later , I will say ... I too am a Riggins fan 👍
Damn...What a great piece on a one of a kind football player. Could not have enjoyed it more!