The Washington Commanders will retire Hall-of-Fame running back John Riggins' No. 44 jersey on November 8 during halftime of a game against the Los Angeles Rams.
Controlling owner Josh Harris stated that Riggins' impact transcended statistics, championships, and accolades, becoming integral to the franchise's identity. Riggins, who played the final nine seasons of his 14-year career with the team then known as the Washington Redskins, remains the franchise's all-time leading rusher with 7,472 yards.
The team retired the Redskins name in 2020. Riggins publicly objected to this change in 2022, expressing feelings of disenfranchisement and stating he could not understand why individuals who played under the original name would want to be associated with the "Washington Commanders."
Despite Riggins' past objections to the team's name change, fans have expressed excitement for the jersey retirement. Social media reactions included sentiments like "This is going to be electric!!!!" and "About time Riggo."
However, some critics used the announcement to voice ongoing dissatisfaction with the name change, with posts on X stating, "NO ONE CARES UNTIL YOU CHANGE THE NAME BACK TO REDSKINS!!!!!!!!!!" and "You erased his legacy along with the historic Redskins."
Riggins began his career with the New York Jets for five seasons before moving to Washington. He became one of the league's top running backs in his 30s. His most notable moment occurred in January 1983, when he scored a 43-yard go-ahead touchdown run in Washington's Super Bowl XVII victory over the Miami Dolphins. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1992 and is currently 76 years old.
He will be the seventh player in team history to have his number retired, joining legends such as Sammy Baugh, Bobby Mitchell, Art Monk, Darrell Green, Sonny Jurgensen, and Sean Taylor.