Darrell Green

Darrell Ray Green (born February 15, 1960) is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons. Considered to be one of the greatest cornerbacks and fastest players in NFL history, he played college football for the Texas A&M–Kingsville Javelinas and was drafted by the Redskins with the last pick in the first round of the 1983 NFL draft. Green played in 295 games with Washington, winning Super Bowls XXII and XXVI, before retiring in 2003. He was named the 1996 NFL Man of the Year, inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008, and included on the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.

Early life Green was born on February 15, 1960, in Houston, Texas, later attending Jesse H. Jones High School. While there, he was an All-State selection in track and an All-City pick in football. Severely undersized, Green was on the junior varsity football team his junior year, and then made the varsity team as a senior.

College career Green attended the then NAIA school Texas A&I University (now known as Texas A&M-Kingsville). While there he played football and ran track. He finished his Bachelor of Science degree in general studies at St. Paul's College in Lawrenceville, Virginia.

Football In 1982, Green was selected by his teammates as captain, was named a first-team All-American, and was the Most Valuable Player in the Lone Star Conference.

Track and field In track and field, Green set numerous national and conference records and earned ten All-America certificates. The first time he touched the ball, during a preseason 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. In a 1999 game against the Arizona Cardinals, he intercepted his 50th NFL pass against Jake Plummer at FedExField.

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. For several years, Green and former Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams offensive tackle Jackie Slater were the only players in NFL history to play for the same team for 20 seasons; kicker Jason Hanson broke this record when he retired after 21 seasons with the Detroit Lions.

In his 20 NFL seasons, Green recorded 54 interceptions, which he returned for 621 yards and six touchdowns.

In 1999, while still active, Green was ranked number 81 on The Sporting News' 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 2013, he and Art Monk agreed that the name Redskins should possibly be changed.