Darrell Green

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Green was born on February 15, 1960, in Houston, Texas, and attended Jesse H. Jones High School, where he was an All-State selection in track and an All-City pick in football. He was on the junior varsity football team his junior year and made the varsity team as a senior. He attended Texas A&I University (now Texas A&M-Kingsville), playing football and running track. He finished his Bachelor of Science degree in general studies at St. Paul's College in Lawrenceville, Virginia. In 1982, he was selected by his teammates as captain, named a first-team All-American, and was the Most Valuable Player in the Lone Star Conference. During his senior year, he 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. In track, he set numerous national and conference records and earned ten All-America certificates. His first meet was in 1982 in San Angelo, Texas, where he ran a 10.08 in the 100 meters. The mark still stands as the all-time best in the Lone Star Conference. At the 1982 NCAA championships, he finished sixth in the 100-meter dash and seventh in the 200-meter dash. His all-time collegiate bests were 10.08 in the 100, 20.50 in the 200, and 45.90 in the 400 meters. 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 meters in 1981 and in the 100 meters and 200 meters in 1982 and 1983. He 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 Their Own Story

The defining moment of speed came on November 15, 1987, when Green registered a career-high three interceptions against the Detroit Lions. Later that season, during the divisional playoff against the Chicago Bears, he returned a punt 52 yards for the game-winning touchdown. While vaulting over a tackler, he tore rib cartilage but grabbed his side and kept running until he scored. In the 1987 NFC Championship game, with 56 seconds remaining on a pivotal fourth-down play at the Washington goal line, Green knocked away a pass intended for Minnesota's Darrin Nelson to secure a 17–10 victory. His longevity peaked in his final years; on December 29, 2002, at age 42 years and 327 days, he returned a punt on a reverse from Champ Bailey for 35 yards, the longest gain of any kind for a player his age. He retired after the 2002 season having played under six head coaches: Joe Gibbs, Richie Petitbon, Norv Turner, Terry Robiskie, Marty Schottenheimer, and Steve Spurrier.

Reader's Guide

Green was the last player selected in the first round (28th overall) of the 1983 NFL draft by the Washington Redskins. 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 ran down running back Tony Dorsett of the Dallas Cowboys to prevent a touchdown. He 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 1987 season, the Redskins went 11–4 and Green registered a career-high three interceptions in a game against the Detroit Lions on November 15, 1987. In the postseason, he returned a punt 52 yards for the game-winning touchdown against the Chicago Bears, tearing rib cartilage but scoring. In the 1987 NFC Championship game, he knocked away a pass intended for Darrin Nelson on a pivotal fourth-down play at the goal line with 56 seconds remaining, securing a 17–10 victory. In 1997, he returned an interception 83 yards for a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles, the longest return of his career. 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 the last game of his career on December 29, 2002, he returned a punt on a reverse from Champ Bailey for 35 yards, the longest gain for a player his age (42 years, 327 days). He retired after the 2002 season at age 42, the oldest Redskin, having played for six head coaches: Joe Gibbs, Richie Petitbon, Norv Turner, Terry Robiskie, Marty Schottenheimer, and Steve Spurrier. In his 20 NFL seasons, he recorded 54 interceptions, returned for 621 yards and six touchdowns, plus two additional touchdowns on interception returns in the postseason. He recorded a career-best of five interceptions in a season three times (1984, 1986, and 1991). He also returned 51 punts for 611 yards and recovered 10 fumbles, returning them for 131 yards and two touchdowns. He missed 25 games throughout his career. He missed two months after sustaining a broken arm in a 24–17 win over the Atlanta Falcons on September 15, 1992. He is the four-time winner of th

Did You Know?

• Green holds the NFL record for most consecutive seasons with an interception (19).
• He is tied with Jerry Rice for most seasons with at least one touch (20).
• He is the oldest player with a more-than-35-yard gain (42 years, 327 days), oldest with an interception return for a touchdown in overtime (35 years, 249 days), oldest with an interception (41 years, 304 days), oldest wi
• He holds the Washington Redskins records for most career interceptions (54), most games started (258), most games played (295), most consecutive seasons played (20), longest fumble return for a touchdown (78 yards), and
• After football, he was encouraged to run for the U.S. Senate by the Republican Party of Virginia in 2006. On his 50th birthday (February 16, 2010), he reportedly ran a 4.43-second 40-yard dash. He later accepted position