Gold Jacket Spotlight: ‘Diesel’ Powered His Way Into Hall Of Fame

Former NFL Commissioner and Hall of Famer Paul Tagliabue might have said it best during his 1992 Pro Football Hall of Fame presentation speech for John Riggins when he stated, “John Riggins is not sitting here today because he was a maverick or a rebel or a free spirit. John is here because he was a great football player who played the game with skill, power and intensity.”

John’s response to Tagliabue’s presentation speech?

“Everybody wonders, why did I get the commissioner to introduce me? Madonna had a headache.”

A Super Bowl MVP on the field and, to say the least, entertaining off the field, John – aka “The Diesel” – is featured in this week’s Gold Jacket Spotlight.

Born and raised in Kansas, John attended the University of Kansas and, while unsure he belonged there at first, became a Big Eight rushing champion and broke Gale Sayers’ rushing record. 

“After my first day of practice (at Kansas) I thought, ‘This is nuts. I can’t play at this level.’ It was an extremely difficult practice. The reason they did it was to weed out guys. I had to readjust my attitude somewhat,” John told sports reporter Lindsay Czarniak during a Washington Welcome Home Luncheon in 2018.

In 2007, John was added to the Kansas Ring of Honor.

In the 1971 NFL Draft, the New York Jets selected John with the sixth overall pick. He was the first running back off the board.

John spent the first five years of this 14-year NFL career with the Jets and, in 1975, was the organization’s first running back to record a 1,000-yard season.

The Jets recognized John as team MVP in 1972 and 1975.

In 1976, he signed with Washington as a free agent. After back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 1978 and 1979, a contract dispute prompted John to sit out the 1980 season.

In 1981, Washington hired future Hall of Fame coach Joe Gibbs. In one of his first orders of business, he traveled to Kansas to meet with John.

While there are varying versions of the details of that storied meeting, John soon thereafter informed the media, “I’m bored, I’m broke and I’m back” upon his decision to return to the field.

John declared to Czarniak: “I owe him (Joe Gibbs) a debt of gratitude.”

Without a doubt, “The Diesel” was back.

Washington played in Super Bowls XVII and XVIII, with John earning the Super Bowl MVP in the first of those appearances, a 27-17 victory over the Miami Dolphins. His 38 carries in that game remain a Super Bowl record. 

Considered by many to be his “signature run,” John galloped 43 yards for the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Following their Super Bowl title in 1983, John rushed for career highs of 1,347 yards and 24 touchdowns the following season. That effort earned him his first AP All-Pro first-team selection and the Maxwell Club’s “Bert Bell Award” as the NFL Player of the Year.

During his career, John amassed 2,916 carries for 11,352 yards and 104 touchdowns while adding 2,090 yards receiving and 12 touchdowns on 250 receptions.

Described by NFL Films as a “battering ram who challenges and punishes a defense,” John totaled five 1,000-yard seasons and 35 games with at least 100 yards rushing.

In nine postseason games, John ran the ball 251 times for 996 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Washington added John to its “Ring of Fame” in 1990, and he delighted a roaring crowd by wearing his full football uniform to the ceremony.

“I played for the fans. It’s all worthwhile when you hear those fans cheering for you,” he said.