It was a bright, sunny day last Sunday for Pro Football Hall of Famer Darrell Green, 150 other team alumni and the Washington Commanders fans at Northwest Stadium.
Green, who played 20 consecutive seasons (1983-2002) for the Redskins (now Commanders), became only the fifth team alum to have his jersey number retired. The ceremony occurred at halftime of the team’s 40-7 win over the Panthers before an admiring, sold-out crowd.
“You have to know me,” Green, 64, said prior to the festivities. “I’m not the type of guy looking for this type of celebration. The team doesn’t owe me anything. I’m just humbled that they would do it. I wasn’t looking for it. I was caught completely off guard at the announcement last April but… it’s very exciting.”
Green was a first round pick in the 1983 Draft. He retired after the 2002 season with a league record 19 straight seasons with at least one interception. The final game that season was the last time a player wore number 28 in a burgundy & gold jersey. The number now is permanently retired after last Sunday’s event.
The celebratory weekend for Green and his family & friends started Saturday when he was awarded a Key to the City by Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser.
“Darrell Green truly embodies the spirit of the city,” said Mayor Bowser. “As a two-time Super Bowl Champion who continues to support our youth through the Green Family Foundation, he is a star on and off the field.”
The other team alumni who have had their jersey numbers retired are Sonny Jurgensen (#9), Bobby Mitchell (#49), Sammy Baugh (#33) and Sean Taylor (#21). Jurgy, at age 90, is the only surviving alum in that illustrious group.
We at NFL Alumni salute one of the greatest cornerbacks ever to play in the NFL….Hall of Famer Darrell Green.
