Gerald Riggs

Last updated

Gerald Riggs
Gerald Riggs 2013.jpg
No. 42, 37
Position: Running back
Personal information
Born: (1960-11-06) November 6, 1960 (age 63)
Tullos, Louisiana, U.S.
Height:6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:230 lb (104 kg)
Career information
High school: Bonanza (Las Vegas, Nevada)
College: Arizona State
NFL draft: 1982  / Round: 1 / Pick: 9
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Rushing yards:8,188
Average:4.1
Touchdowns:69
Player stats at NFL.com

Gerald Antonio Riggs (born November 6, 1960) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for the Atlanta Falcons from 1982 to 1988 and the Washington Redskins from 1989 to 1991.

Contents

Before his NFL career, he attended Bonanza High School in Las Vegas, Nevada [1] and after graduation attended Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona. He played sparingly in 1978, running for 410 yards and four touchdowns along with 10 catches for 126 yards. In 1979, he ran for 363 yards with three touchdowns and 14 catches for 120 yards and one touchdown. In 1980, he continued in a backup role and ran for 422 yards with four touchdowns with 15 catches for 165 yards. As a starter in 1981, he ran for 891 yards with six touchdowns and an average of six yards per carry, while also recording 11 catches for 139 yards in 11 games.

He would close out his collegiate career with 2,086 yards and 17 touchdowns on the ground and 50 catches for 550 yards. In the 1982 NFL draft, he was selected with the 9th overall pick by Atlanta.

Riggs made the Pro Bowl three times in his career from 1985 to 1987. His best season was in 1985, when he rushed for 1,719 yards and ten touchdowns, while also catching 33 passes for 267 yards, all without a fumble. He was the only running back in the 1980s to record a 1,000 yard rushing season without a fumble. In the three seasons from 1984 to 1986, Riggs amassed a whopping 5,212 combined rushing and receiving yards, and scored 32 touchdowns. In his seven years with the Falcons, he rushed for 6,631 yards, making him the franchise all-time leading rusher. Prior to the 1989 season, Riggs was traded to the Washington Redskins.

In his final year of 1991, Riggs rushed for 248 yards and 11 touchdowns, assisting his team to a 14–2 record. He is the only player to rush for 11 touchdowns in fewer than 80 attempts in a single season. He went on to rush for four touchdowns in Washington's two playoff games, and two touchdowns in Washington's 37–24 win over the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXVI; it was the last game he played in. His six touchdowns in the postseason tied an NFL record.

Riggs finished his 10 NFL seasons with 8,188 rushing yards and 69 touchdowns, along with 201 receptions for 1,516 yards. Riggs holds the NFL all-time record for most receptions (201) without a receiving touchdown. [2]

He is the father of Gerald Riggs, Jr., former running back at the University of Tennessee, who played for the Miami Dolphins, and Cody Riggs, a cornerback for the Tennessee Titans.

NFL career statistics

Legend
Won the Super Bowl
Led the league
BoldCareer high

Regular season

YearTeamGamesRushingReceivingFumbles
GPGSAttYdsAvgY/GLngTDRecYdsAvgLngTDFumFR
1982 ATL 90782993.833.2375231858.015010
1983 ATL 1401004374.431.2408171498.825071
1984 ATL 15143531,4864.399.15713422776.6210112
1985 ATL 16163971,7194.3107.45010332678.144061
1986 ATL 16153431,3273.982.9319241365.711061
1987 ATL 12122038754.372.9442251998.048041
1988 ATL 991134884.354.2341221717.830030
1989 WAS 1272018344.169.55847679.613030
1990 WAS 1001234753.947.52067608.618021
1991 WAS 160782483.215.53211155.05010
Career 129731,9898,1884.163.558692011,5167.5480386

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References

  1. Riggs' High School information
  2. "Career Most Receptions Without A Touchdown". StatMuse. Retrieved October 24, 2023.