Commanders to retire No. 44 of HOF RB Riggins

John KeimJul 9, 2026, 12:00 PM ET

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John Keim covers the Washington Commanders for ESPN. He joined ESPN in 2013 after a stint with the Washington Post. He started covering the team in 1994 for the Journal Newspapers and later for the Washington Examiner. He has authored/co-authored four books. You can also listen to him on 'The John Keim Report', which airs on ESPN Richmond radio.

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.

He'll be honored during Washington's game vs. the Los Angeles Rams on Nov. 8.

Riggins played for Washington from 1976 to 1985 and remains the franchise's all-time leading rusher with 7,742 yards and is second with 85 touchdowns. His team-best 79 rushing touchdowns are 33 more than second place Clinton Portis.

Riggins, nicknamed "The Diesel," 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 for a 20-17 lead -- 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, Riggins 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, though that was briefly interrupted when he worked on the team's flagship radio station in 2016.

He remained outspoken about Snyder, however, and made it known he did not like the team changing its name to the Commanders. But when Josh Harris purchased the team in 2023, Riggins and numerous other alumni resumed a relationship with the team. He attended the 2023 season opener. He also attended an OTA practice this spring and talked to the team.

During a nearly seven-minute video put together by the Commanders for his jersey retirement, Riggins emphasized that he viewed himself as an entertainer. Late in a 21-7 second-round playoff win over the Minnesota Vikings, Riggins -- after rushing for 185 yards -- was removed from the game. Before he left, he stood at midfield and bowed to the crowd.

"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 on the video of the fans. "I operated out of fear and not wanting to disappoint people."

Seven years later, Riggins was inducted into the franchise's Ring of Fame. When introduced, he emerged from the RFK Stadium dugout in full uniform -- and bowed to the crowd at midfield. Riggins said on the video that he told former teammate Joe Theismann, also being honored that day, "I had to hear [the applause] one more time."

"Riggo, as many know him, helped define one of the most successful eras in our history," Harris said in a statement. "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."

Riggins spent his first five seasons with the New York Jets and retired with 11,352 rushing yards and 104 touchdowns. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1992.

Washington also has retired the numbers for Sammy Baugh (33), Bobby Mitchell (49), Sean Taylor (21), Darrell Green (28), Sonny Jurgensen (9) and Art Monk (81). All but Taylor are in the Hall of Fame; Green and Monk have had their numbers retired since Harris purchased the team.

"It's not just about the [jersey] retirement," team president Mark Clouse 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.

"These guys represent an incredible part of the foundation of what made [Washington] the legend that they were."