Darrell Green
Encyclopedia
Darrell Ray Green is a former American football
cornerback
in the National Football League
who played for the Washington Redskins
from 1983
to 2002
. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest cornerbacks to ever play football. Green was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
in 2008.
The self-proclaimed "itty bitty guy," Green was nicknamed the "Ageless Wonder" by his peers and the general media for his remarkable ability to maintain a high level of play well into the twilight of his career. Green was also known for his speed and was one of the fastest players in the history of the NFL.
and attended Jesse H. Jones High School. While there, he was an All-State selection in track
and an All-City pick in football
, in which he was a walk-on. Green made the junior varsity football team his junior year, and then made the varsity team as a senior.
and track
at Texas A&I University (now Texas A&M-Kingsville). He finished his Bachelor of Science
degree in general studies at St. Paul's College
in Lawrenceville, Virginia
.
n, and was the Most Valuable Player
in the Lone Star Conference
. During his senior year, Green had 56 tackles, four interceptions and two punt returns for touchdowns. He was selected to the Lone Star Conference Team of the Decade for the 1980s.
, where he ran a 10.08 in the 100-meter dash
. The mark still stands as the all-time best in the Lone Star Conference.
Green's all-time collegiate best in the 100 was 10.08, 20.50 in the 200
and 45.90 in the 400
. He was named the most valuable track performer at the 1982 and 1983 Lone Star Conference Championships. He won gold medals at the LSC meet in the 100-meter dash in 1981, in the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes in 1982 and in the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes in 1983.
Green was named to the NCAA Division I All-America roster in 1981 and 1982, and was on the NCAA Division II All-America team in five events in 1981 and 1982. He was NAIA All-America in 1981 and 1982 in four events.
in the first round (28th overall) of the 1983 NFL Draft
by the Washington Redskins
. The first time he touched the ball, during a pre-season game against the Atlanta Falcons
, he returned a punt
61 yards for a touchdown
. During his first regular-season game, he made his first big play when he ran down running back
Tony Dorsett
of the Dallas Cowboys
to prevent a touchdown. Green started all 16 regular season games during his rookie season and finished fourth on the team in tackles with 109 and led the team in solo tackles with 79. He was runner-up for the Associated Press
NFL Rookie of the Year Award.
During the strike-shortened 1987 season
, the Redskins went 11–4 and Green had a very successful year. He registered a career-high three interceptions in a game against the Detroit Lions
on November 15, 1987. Two of his more notable performances occurred in that post season. One happened during a divisional playoff game against the Chicago Bears
, where he returned a punt 52 yards for the game winning touchdown. Green tore rib
cartilage
while vaulting over a tackler during the return, but he merely grabbed his side and kept running until he scored. Then in the 1987 NFC Championship game, on a pivotal fourth-down pass play at the goalline late in the game, Green jarred the ball from Minnesota’s
Darrin Nelson
to secure a Redskins 17-10 victory that enabled the team to go to Super Bowl XXII
.
Green was also successful in the 1990s. In 1997
, Green returned an interception 83 yards for a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles
, which was the longest return of his career. Then on December 13, 1997, he played in his 217th career game as a Redskin, breaking Monte Coleman
's record for games played. In a 1999
game against the Arizona Cardinals
, he intercepted his 50th NFL pass against Jake Plummer
at FedExField
.
In his last game on December 29, 2002, Green and the Redskins defeated the Dallas Cowboys
20-14 at FedExField
. During the game, he returned a punt on a reverse from Champ Bailey
for 35 yards which is the longest gain of any kind for a player his age (42 years, 327 days).
Green retired after the 2002 season
at the age of 42, the oldest Redskin, having played for six head coaches: Joe Gibbs
, Richie Petitbon
, Norv Turner
, Terry Robiskie
, Marty Schottenheimer
and Steve Spurrier
. Green and former Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams
offensive lineman Jackie Slater are the only players in NFL history to play for the same team for 20 seasons.
In his 20 NFL seasons, Green recorded 54 interceptions, which he returned for 621 yards and six touchdowns. He also added two additional touchdowns on interception returns in the post season. Three times he recorded a career-best of five interceptions in a season (1984
, 1986
, and 1991
). Green also returned 51 punts for 611 yards and recovered 10 fumbles, returning them for 131 yards and two touchdowns. Also known for staying healthy, he missed just 25 games throughout his career.
He is the four-time winner of the NFL's Fastest Man competition, and the only undefeated multiple winner in NFL history.
Green was with the Redskins for their victories in Super Bowl
s XXII
and XXVI
, and started in their loss to the Los Angeles Raiders
in Super Bowl XVIII
. Green recorded an interception in Super Bowl XXVI and a then-record 34-yard punt return in Super Bowl XVIII.
Green was named All-Pro
in 1986, 1987, 1990, and 1991 and was voted to seven Pro Bowl
s. He is a member of the National Football League 1990s All-Decade Team as well as winning all four NFL Fastest Man competitions he participated in. His pre-game rituals included eating and sticking Tootsie Rolls in his sock claiming that the candy helped him run fast.
, a faith-based charitable organization
, in an effort to "meet the needs of children, their families and the communities in which they live."
In addition, he served as a board member for the Baltimore-Washington
2012 Summer Olympics
Bid, NFL/NFLPA September 11th
Relief Fund, and the Loudoun
Education Foundation. In 2003, he was selected to serve as the Chair of President Bush’s Council on Service and Civic Participation. He currently sits on the boards of the Wolf Trap Foundation
as its National Spokesman for Education and Marymount University
.
list of the 100 Greatest Football Players.
Green has received honorary
Doctorates of Humane Letters
from Marymount University
in 1999, and St. Paul's College
and George Washington University
in 2002.
In 2004, Green was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
on August 2, 2008. His fellow Hall of Fame classmates include former Redskins teammate Art Monk
, and his former position coach Emmitt Thomas
. Green has also been inducted into the NCAA Division II Hall of Fame, the Texas Sports Hall of Fame, the Lone Star Conference Hall of Honor and the Javelina Hall of Fame.
In December 2007, Green was voted the All-Time Redskins Legend in a WUSA-TV
Channel 9 online poll.
In Loudoun County, Virginia
, where Green lives, State Route 28 is named Darrell Green Boulevard.
Green's son Jared plays college football for the Virginia Cavaliers.
Darrell Green is a devout Christian.
He has also recently started an online fitness company promoting increased physical activity through simply walking called WalkFitHealth Nation.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
who played for the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
from 1983
1983 NFL season
The 1983 NFL season was the 64th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XVIII when the Los Angeles Raiders defeated the Washington Redskins.-Major rule changes:...
to 2002
2002 NFL season
The 2002 NFL season was the 83rd regular season of the National Football League.The league went back to an even number of teams, expanding to 32 teams with the addition of the Houston Texans. The clubs were then realigned into eight divisions, four teams in each...
. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest cornerbacks to ever play football. Green was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
in 2008.
The self-proclaimed "itty bitty guy," Green was nicknamed the "Ageless Wonder" by his peers and the general media for his remarkable ability to maintain a high level of play well into the twilight of his career. Green was also known for his speed and was one of the fastest players in the history of the NFL.
Early life
Green was born in Houston, TexasHouston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
and attended Jesse H. Jones High School. While there, he was an All-State selection in track
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
and an All-City pick in football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
, in which he was a walk-on. Green made the junior varsity football team his junior year, and then made the varsity team as a senior.
College career
Green attended and played college footballCollege football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
and track
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
at Texas A&I University (now Texas A&M-Kingsville). He finished his Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree in general studies at St. Paul's College
Saint Paul's College, Virginia
Saint Paul's College is a private, historically black college located in Lawrenceville, Virginia. The college is a four-year, private, co-ed, liberal arts institute affiliated with the Episcopal Church.-Campus:...
in Lawrenceville, Virginia
Lawrenceville, Virginia
Lawrenceville is a town in Brunswick County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,275 at the 2000 census. Located by the Meherrin River, it is the county seat of Brunswick County and home to historically black Saint Paul's College, founded in 1888 and affiliated with the Episcopal Church...
.
Football
In 1982, Green was selected by his teammates as captain, was named a first team All-AmericaAll-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n, and was the Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
in the Lone Star Conference
Lone Star Conference
The Lone Star Conference is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II. Member institutions are located in the southwestern United States, with schools in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico...
. During his senior year, Green had 56 tackles, four interceptions and two punt returns for touchdowns. He was selected to the Lone Star Conference Team of the Decade for the 1980s.
Track
In track and field, Green set numerous national and conference records and earned ten All-America certificates. His first meet was in 1982 in San Angelo, TexasSan Angelo, Texas
San Angelo is a city in the state of Texas. Located in West Central Texas it is the county seat of Tom Green County. As of 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau, the city had a total population of 93,200...
, where he ran a 10.08 in the 100-meter dash
100 metres
The 100 metres, or 100-metre dash, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, it is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. It has been contested at the Summer Olympics since 1896...
. The mark still stands as the all-time best in the Lone Star Conference.
Green's all-time collegiate best in the 100 was 10.08, 20.50 in the 200
200 metres
A 200 metres race is a sprint running event. On an outdoor 400 m track, the race begins on the curve and ends on the home straight, so a combination of techniques are needed to successfully run the race. A slightly shorter race, called the stadion and run on a straight track, was the first...
and 45.90 in the 400
400 metres
The 400 metres, or 400 metre dash, is a common sprinting event in track and field competitions. It has been featured in the athletics programme at the Summer Olympics since 1896 . On a standard outdoor running track, it is exactly one lap around the track. Runners start in staggered positions and...
. He was named the most valuable track performer at the 1982 and 1983 Lone Star Conference Championships. He won gold medals at the LSC meet in the 100-meter dash in 1981, in the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes in 1982 and in the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes in 1983.
Green was named to the NCAA Division I All-America roster in 1981 and 1982, and was on the NCAA Division II All-America team in five events in 1981 and 1982. He was NAIA All-America in 1981 and 1982 in four events.
Professional career
Green was the last player selectedNFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
in the first round (28th overall) of the 1983 NFL Draft
1983 NFL Draft
The 1983 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 26–27, 1983...
by the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
. The first time he touched the ball, during a pre-season game against the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, he returned a punt
Punt (football)
In some codes of football, a punt is a play in which a player drops the ball and kicks it before it touches the ground. A punt is in contrast to a drop kick, in which the ball touches the ground before being kicked....
61 yards for a touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
. During his first regular-season game, he made his first big play when he ran down running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Tony Dorsett
Tony Dorsett
Anthony "Tony" Drew Dorsett is a former American football running back in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos.-Early years:...
of the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
to prevent a touchdown. Green started all 16 regular season games during his rookie season and finished fourth on the team in tackles with 109 and led the team in solo tackles with 79. He was runner-up for the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
NFL Rookie of the Year Award.
During the strike-shortened 1987 season
1987 NFL season
The 1987 NFL season was the 68th regular season of the National Football League. A 24-day players' strike reduced the 16-game season to 15. The games that were scheduled for the third week of the season were canceled, but the games for weeks 4–6 were played with replacement players...
, the Redskins went 11–4 and Green had a very successful year. He registered a career-high three interceptions in a game against the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
on November 15, 1987. Two of his more notable performances occurred in that post season. One happened during a divisional playoff game against the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, where he returned a punt 52 yards for the game winning touchdown. Green tore rib
Rib
In vertebrate anatomy, ribs are the long curved bones which form the rib cage. In most vertebrates, ribs surround the chest, enabling the lungs to expand and thus facilitate breathing by expanding the chest cavity. They serve to protect the lungs, heart, and other internal organs of the thorax...
cartilage
Cartilage
Cartilage is a flexible connective tissue found in many areas in the bodies of humans and other animals, including the joints between bones, the rib cage, the ear, the nose, the elbow, the knee, the ankle, the bronchial tubes and the intervertebral discs...
while vaulting over a tackler during the return, but he merely grabbed his side and kept running until he scored. Then in the 1987 NFC Championship game, on a pivotal fourth-down pass play at the goalline late in the game, Green jarred the ball from Minnesota’s
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
Darrin Nelson
Darrin Nelson
Darren Milo Nelson is a former professional American football player in the National Football League....
to secure a Redskins 17-10 victory that enabled the team to go to Super Bowl XXII
Super Bowl XXII
Super Bowl XXII was an American football game played on January 31, 1988 at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1987 regular season...
.
Green was also successful in the 1990s. In 1997
1997 NFL season
The 1997 NFL season was the 78th regular season of the National Football League. The Oilers relocated from Houston, Texas to Nashville, Tennessee...
, Green returned an interception 83 yards for a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, which was the longest return of his career. Then on December 13, 1997, he played in his 217th career game as a Redskin, breaking Monte Coleman
Monte Coleman
Monte Leon Coleman is a former American football linebacker who played for sixteen seasons with the Washington Redskins from 1979 to 1994...
's record for games played. In a 1999
1999 NFL season
The 1999 NFL season was the 80th regular season of the National Football League. The Cleveland Browns returned to the field for the first time since the 1995 season...
game against the Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, he intercepted his 50th NFL pass against Jake Plummer
Jake Plummer
Jason Steven "Jake" Plummer is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round of the 1997 NFL Draft. He played college football at Arizona State....
at FedExField
FedExField
FedExField is a football stadium located in an unincorporated area near the Capital Beltway in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, near the site of the old Capital Centre . FedExField is the home of the Washington Redskins football team...
.
In his last game on December 29, 2002, Green and the Redskins defeated the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
20-14 at FedExField
FedExField
FedExField is a football stadium located in an unincorporated area near the Capital Beltway in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, near the site of the old Capital Centre . FedExField is the home of the Washington Redskins football team...
. During the game, he returned a punt on a reverse from Champ Bailey
Champ Bailey
Roland "Champ" Bailey is an American football cornerback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. Bailey was drafted in the 1st round of the 1999 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins. He played college football at the University of Georgia.Bailey is 8th among Broncos in all-time...
for 35 yards which is the longest gain of any kind for a player his age (42 years, 327 days).
Green retired after the 2002 season
2002 NFL season
The 2002 NFL season was the 83rd regular season of the National Football League.The league went back to an even number of teams, expanding to 32 teams with the addition of the Houston Texans. The clubs were then realigned into eight divisions, four teams in each...
at the age of 42, the oldest Redskin, having played for six head coaches: Joe Gibbs
Joe Gibbs
Joe Jackson Gibbs is a former American football coach, NASCAR Championship team owner, and two time NHRA Pro Stock team owner. He was the 20th and 26th head coach in the history of the Washington Redskins...
, Richie Petitbon
Richie Petitbon
Richard Alvin Petitbon is a former American football safety and head coach of the Washington Redskins of the National Football League...
, Norv Turner
Norv Turner
Norval Eugene Turner is the head coach for the National Football League's San Diego Chargers. He also has served as head coach of the Washington Redskins and the Oakland Raiders, and as offensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys, San Diego Chargers, Miami Dolphins, and San Francisco 49ers...
, Terry Robiskie
Terry Robiskie
Terry Robiskie is a former American football player and current wide receivers coach for the Atlanta Falcons.-Playing career:...
, Marty Schottenheimer
Marty Schottenheimer
Martin Edward "Marty" Schottenheimer is the current head coach of the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League. Over his career, he has served as head coach of the Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Redskins, and San Diego Chargers. He has the most wins of any NFL coach...
and Steve Spurrier
Steve Spurrier
Stephen Orr Spurrier is an American college football coach and player. Spurrier is the current head coach of the University of South Carolina's Gamecocks football team. He is also a former professional player and coach...
. Green and former Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
offensive lineman Jackie Slater are the only players in NFL history to play for the same team for 20 seasons.
In his 20 NFL seasons, Green recorded 54 interceptions, which he returned for 621 yards and six touchdowns. He also added two additional touchdowns on interception returns in the post season. Three times he recorded a career-best of five interceptions in a season (1984
1984 Washington Redskins season
The 1984 Washington Redskins began with the team trying to improve on their 14–2 record from 1983. Art Monk set an NFL record for most receptions in a season.-Schedule:-Playoffs:-Standings:-References:...
, 1986
1986 Washington Redskins season
The 1986 Washington Redskins began with the team trying to improve on their 10-6 record from 1985.-Schedule:-Standings:-NFC Wild Card Game:-NFC Divisional Playoff:-NFC Championship Game:-References:...
, and 1991
1991 Washington Redskins season
The 1991 Washington Redskins began with the team trying to improve on their 10-6 record from 1990. The Redskins would finish the season 14-2. They went undefeated in the playoffs and beat the Buffalo Bills 37-24 to win Super Bowl XXVI...
). Green also returned 51 punts for 611 yards and recovered 10 fumbles, returning them for 131 yards and two touchdowns. Also known for staying healthy, he missed just 25 games throughout his career.
He is the four-time winner of the NFL's Fastest Man competition, and the only undefeated multiple winner in NFL history.
Green was with the Redskins for their victories in Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
s XXII
Super Bowl XXII
Super Bowl XXII was an American football game played on January 31, 1988 at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1987 regular season...
and XXVI
Super Bowl XXVI
Super Bowl XXVI was an American football game played on January 26, 1992 at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota to decide the National Football League champion following the 1991 regular season...
, and started in their loss to the Los Angeles Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in Super Bowl XVIII
Super Bowl XVIII
Super Bowl XVIII was an American football game played on January 22, 1984, at Tampa Stadium in Tampa, Florida, deciding the National Football League champion following the 1983 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Los Angeles Raiders defeated the National Football Conference...
. Green recorded an interception in Super Bowl XXVI and a then-record 34-yard punt return in Super Bowl XVIII.
Green was named All-Pro
All-Pro
All-Pro is a term mostly used in the NFL for the best players of each position during that season. It began as polls of sportswriters in the early 1920s...
in 1986, 1987, 1990, and 1991 and was voted to seven Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
s. He is a member of the National Football League 1990s All-Decade Team as well as winning all four NFL Fastest Man competitions he participated in. His pre-game rituals included eating and sticking Tootsie Rolls in his sock claiming that the candy helped him run fast.
NFL records
- Most seasons with one team (20); tied with Jackie Slater
- Most seasons with one team in one city (20)
- Most consecutive seasons with an interception (19)
- Most seasons with at least one touch(receptions, rushes, returns) (20); tied with Jerry RiceJerry RiceJerry Lee Rice is a retired American football wide receiver. He is generally regarded as the greatest wide receiver of all time and one of the greatest players in National Football League history...
- Most consecutive seasons with at least one touch (20); tied with Jerry Rice
- Oldest player with a 35+ yard gain(lateral on punt return), (42 years, 327 days)
- Oldest player with an interception return for a touchdown in overtime, (35 years, 249 days)
- Oldest player with an interception (41 years, 304 days)
- Oldest player with an 80+ yard interception return (37 years, 309 days)
- Oldest player with a non-offensive touchdown in overtime, (35 years, 249 days)
- Oldest NFL cornerback (42 years old)
- 2nd Oldest player to return an interception for a touchdown (37 years, 309 days)(Albert Louis is the oldest: 38 years, 26 days)
- Most games played by a defensive player (295)
- 4 time NFL's Fastest Man Competition winner, only player to win multiple times and never lose
- 1996 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award winner
Redskins' records
- Most career interceptions (54)
- Most game starts (258) and games played (295)
- Most game starts by a defensive back (258) and games played (295)
- Most consecutive seasons (20).
- Longest fumble return for a touchdown (78 yards).
- Most interceptions returned for touchdown (6).
After football
Green was in the news on February 16, 2010, his 50th birthday, for reportedly running a 4.43 second 40-yard dash.Charities and foundations
In 1988, Green founded the Darrell Green Youth Life FoundationDarrell Green Youth Life Foundation
The Darrell Green Youth Life Foundation is a faith-based 501 organization started by former Washington Redskins cornerback Darrell Green. The Foundation's stated mission is to "help children develop into leaders who positively influence their families and communities"...
, a faith-based charitable organization
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
, in an effort to "meet the needs of children, their families and the communities in which they live."
In addition, he served as a board member for the Baltimore-Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
2012 Summer Olympics
2012 Summer Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the "London 2012 Olympic Games", are scheduled to take place in London, England, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012...
Bid, NFL/NFLPA September 11th
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
Relief Fund, and the Loudoun
Loudoun County, Virginia
Loudoun County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and is part of the Washington Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the county is estimated to be home to 312,311 people, an 84 percent increase over the 2000 figure of 169,599. That increase makes the county the fourth...
Education Foundation. In 2003, he was selected to serve as the Chair of President Bush’s Council on Service and Civic Participation. He currently sits on the boards of the Wolf Trap Foundation
Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts
Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, known locally in the Washington, D.C. area as simply Wolf Trap, is a performing arts center located on 130 acres of national park land in Wolf Trap, Virginia...
as its National Spokesman for Education and Marymount University
Marymount University
Marymount University is a coeducational, four-year Catholic university that has its main campus located in Arlington, Virginia. Marymount offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in a wide range of disciplines and has a diverse and welcoming academic community with approximately 3,600...
.
Honors
In 1999, while still active, Green was ranked number 81 on The Sporting NewsThe Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
list of the 100 Greatest Football Players.
Green has received honorary
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
Doctorates of Humane Letters
Doctor of Humane Letters
The degree of Doctor of Humane Letters is always conferred as an honorary degree, usually to those who have distinguished themselves in areas other than science, government, literature or religion, which are awarded degrees of Doctor of Science, Doctor of Laws, Doctor of Letters, or Doctor of...
from Marymount University
Marymount University
Marymount University is a coeducational, four-year Catholic university that has its main campus located in Arlington, Virginia. Marymount offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in a wide range of disciplines and has a diverse and welcoming academic community with approximately 3,600...
in 1999, and St. Paul's College
Saint Paul's College, Virginia
Saint Paul's College is a private, historically black college located in Lawrenceville, Virginia. The college is a four-year, private, co-ed, liberal arts institute affiliated with the Episcopal Church.-Campus:...
and George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
in 2002.
In 2004, Green was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
on August 2, 2008. His fellow Hall of Fame classmates include former Redskins teammate Art Monk
Art Monk
James Arthur "Art" Monk is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins, New York Jets, and the Philadelphia Eagles...
, and his former position coach Emmitt Thomas
Emmitt Thomas
Emmitt Earl Thomas is currently the secondary coach of the National Football League's Kansas City Chiefs. He is a former college and professional football player who played for the American Football League's Kansas City Chiefs from 1966 to 1969, and then for the Chiefs in the NFL from 1970 to 1978...
. Green has also been inducted into the NCAA Division II Hall of Fame, the Texas Sports Hall of Fame, the Lone Star Conference Hall of Honor and the Javelina Hall of Fame.
In December 2007, Green was voted the All-Time Redskins Legend in a WUSA-TV
WUSA (TV)
WUSA is a television station broadcasting on channel 9 in Washington, D.C.. Owned by the Gannett Company, WUSA is an affiliate of the CBS television network, and the longest-tenured affiliate of that network...
Channel 9 online poll.
In Loudoun County, Virginia
Loudoun County, Virginia
Loudoun County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and is part of the Washington Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the county is estimated to be home to 312,311 people, an 84 percent increase over the 2000 figure of 169,599. That increase makes the county the fourth...
, where Green lives, State Route 28 is named Darrell Green Boulevard.
Personal
Green is married and has three children.Green's son Jared plays college football for the Virginia Cavaliers.
Darrell Green is a devout Christian.
Business
Green has a professional services company that manages his appearances and autograph requests, www.DarrellGreen.com.He has also recently started an online fitness company promoting increased physical activity through simply walking called WalkFitHealth Nation.