John Riggins won a Super Bowl while wearing No. 44 in Washington and no other players will be wearing that number in the future.
The Commanders announced on Thursday that they will be retiring Riggins’ number during the 2026 season. The team will hold a ceremony to honor Riggins during halftime of their Week 9 game against the Rams.
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Riggins spent the first five seasons of his career with the Jets before moving on as a free agent. He would spend the rest of his career in Washington and posted four 1,000-yard seasons with a career best of 1,347 yards coming in 1983. He also set a franchise record — tied for sixth in NFL history — by running for 24 touchdowns that season and he added six more scores in the postseason.
Riggins also had four touchdowns in the 1982 playoffs, including a 43-yard score in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl XVII win over the Dolphins.
“Riggo, as many know him, helped define one of the most successful eras in our history,” Commanders owner Josh Harris said in a statement. “He played with a rare combination of physicality, fearlessness and personality that captivated fans and inspired his teammates.”
Riggins still holds franchise records with 7,472 rushing yards and 79 rushing touchdowns. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1992.
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